Three O'Clock Rock

[Jopa]

Does anyone know about how many days of sun are needed to dry the slabs at 3:00 rock after a week or so of sustained rain?

[erik]

good luck out there kid....smith season is here!

 

 

[mattp]

That depends on your standards for dryness, Jopa. Some parts of that rock are going to be dripping from now till next July, but some of the cleaner parts of it dry out pretty quick. Silent Running would probably be OK the first day after it stops raining if the last day of rain wasn't a real heavy one, (there'll still be some wetness and fear factor on the first and last pitches, though) but if you don't want to have to climb any wet slab, I'd wait at least two days after rain like we are having today -- and there will still be a drip or two on most climbs there.

[Jopa]

erik said:

good luck out there kid....smith season is here!

 

 

i'm in total denial! i think a trip out to d'town will help it sink in though!

[Jopa]

mattp said:

That depends on your standards for dryness, Jopa. Some parts of that rock are going to be dripping from now till next July, but some of the cleaner parts of it dry out pretty quick. Silent Running would probably be OK the first day after it stops raining if the last day of rain wasn't a real heavy one, (there'll still be some wetness and fear factor on the first and last pitches, though) but if you don't want to have to climb any wet slab, I'd wait at least two days after rain like we are having today -- and there will still be a drip or two on most climbs there.

 

thanks, mattp. this time of year i am forced to alter my standard of 'dry'. we'll see, though, because i find those slabs to be scary even when they are dry!

[mattp]

The Darrington Ranger Station reports that the Clear Creek Road, the road that leads to most of the crags in Darrington, is blocked about a mile or mile and a half from the Mountain Loop highway (the woman at the desk didn't know if it was a washout or exactly what the damage was, but it happened during the recent rains and flooding). This would mean a 4 or 5 mile walk to Three O'Clock Rock, further for Exfoliation Dome, The Comb, or Green Giant Buttress. The road up Squire Creek was blocked by a massive washout two years ago.

[catbirdseat]

Time for a recon. Bring a shovel and a chainsaw.

[Jopa]

mattp said:

The road up Squire Creek was blocked by a massive washout two years ago.

 

That reminds me, did you ever go up to Squire Creek wall again this fall? You mentioned in some thread a while back that you were going back there for some adventure. That place calls to me even though I know I'm not experienced enough to go there!

[mattp]

The road to Three O'Clock Rock, the Clear Creek road, has mostly been fixed following the massive landslides that took it out about three weeks ago. However, there remain some serious erosion channels and we're hoping the Forest Service is going to go back and fix them before winter or there will not be a driveable road after one or two more big rainstorms.

 

Meanwhile, big thanks to the Darrington Ranger Station are in order. Before I first contacted them about it in 1997 or 1998 they were allowing the Eightmile Creek trail, the one serving Three O'Clock Rock, to fade away. They then supported several work projects run by the Washington Trails Association and sponsored by The North Face and the Access Fund, and now that trail is in pretty good shape. They have also put a significant effort into that Clear Creek road over the last several years and now the traihead sign is back up at the Eightmile Creek trailhead, indicating that they probably plan to maintain the road and trail. I won't say they did it all for us, but I bet our letters and our volunteer labor helped and my contact with the Darrington Ranger station has been very positive throughout all of this. Since Three O'Clock Rock was developed about 25 years ago, climbers always have and will continue to be the biggest users of that Eightmile Creek trail because it really doesn't go anywhere (yes, it goes over Squire Creek Pass and it is very beautiful up on top - a good place to take your gal for a picnic - but the trail is noted in hiking guidebooks as one that is more or less NOT recommended). Similarly, while some Darrington locals go up there camping and hunting and there are some mining claims up that Clear Creek road, I bet most of the automobile traffic up there is climber traffic as well.

[catbirdseat]

Matt, is the clear creek trail maintained all of the way to Squire Creek Pass?

[mattp]

The Eightmile Creek trail is in pretty good shape, all the way up to Squire Creek Pass. Watch for ice.

[scott_harpell]

catbirdseat said:

Time for a recon. Bring a shovel and a chainsaw.

 

i could be down for heading up there and checking out the road nd mabe doing some maintenance if anyone else is interested... anyone know what kinda damage the road has? windfall? slide? PM me if interested in checking it out. i got tomorrow free...

[mattp]

Scott-

Check out my post, two posts up in this thread. Your questions are answered. Sorry I can't go tomorrow or I would -- but my guess is that the F.S. is on top of our immediate concerns here. If only we could get them to maintain the endo fo the road to Green Giant Buttress and the left fork leading to Exfoliation Dome....if you want to do some roadwork, these need a chainsaw, bulldozer, and truckloads of gravel.

[Jopa]

It will be interesting to see how the road to Three O'Clock Rock/Exfoliation Dome holds up after this storm. Those channels after the washout are going to be much worse, that's for sure.