[TR] Three O'Clock Rock- Big Tree 1 and 2000, Corn

[chucK]

Climb: Three O'Clock Rock-Big Tree 1 and 2000, Cornucopia, Magic Bus(?)

 

Date of Climb: 4/18/2004

 

Trip Report:

Spidey running it out

 

Negotiated climbing day at a very late hour (9:00 pm the night before) and made a vain attempt to dredge up a partner. Being realistic, I started plotting solo plans, but amazingly the mysterious Spiderman replied and I had a partner. CC.com rocks .

 

Things looked bad and wet on the way there, but it turned out to be a great day for climbing. This is a lesson for you: If the weather looks like crap, just go to Darrington!

 

We started out on Big Tree 1. Fun crack climbing! Lesson #2: if you want fun crack climbing, just go to Darrington!

 

After the first pitch though you get that Darrington effect. No, I'm not talking about the tricky topography that makes the rock above you look black and licheny but below you look clean and white, I'm talking about the way it f88ks with your mind. When you're at Darrington you will often be climbing slabs and you have to be able to trust your feet. Well this "effect" I'm talking about happens on low angled routes with features (like Big Tree 1, p2). You romp up these features and you get OK, just OK, gear then the features end, and you start to freak out. Funny part is, you are usually only on like 5.6 slab, but you get so used to the features, you forget how to trust your feet. Anyways, that's my excuse for all the whining on Big Tree 1, pitch 3 .

 

ANYWAYS...Big Tree 1 is cool, fun, bring a rack of singles to 3". Then we did Big Tree 2000 which is more the standard D'Town fare, bolts and continuous friction in flatty knobs and dishes. Two fun pitches from the top of Big Tree 1, p1.

 

Cornucopia! Excellent climb. Low variation takes three old bolts on small fun slab to fun fun fun easy flake. Then a couple of excellent slab pitches. The third is especially great, long, sustained and a bit heady.

Cornucopia p3

 

Finally we went exploring out on the left side and tried this mystery climb with a ton of knobs. Old bolts, so could be serious if you fell, but pretty easy. We did two pitches. They were ~5.6, 5.8. Looked like the climb continues?

Magic Bus?

 

It finally started raining for real, and Spidey's feet hurt so we went home.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

stoppers

single cams to 3"

might want double TCU's

 

Approach Notes:

Road is easily passable with my high clearance 4WD. There are a couple places you might need to carefully nurse a "regular" car over. If you got a choice, go for the high clearance ride.

[Alpinfox]

 

That last picture (magic bus?) is really cool and makes me want to go to Darrington.

 

MMMmmm..... Knobs....

[catbirdseat]

I didn't need to see that last picture. I was already jonesing to go to Darrington.

[spiderman]

Nice TR Chuck. It's been a while since I've targeted slabby routes. There was nothing but good climbs, good times. I'll be back there or Static Point for more slab action in the very near future.