What to do at Index?

[texplorer]

So I'm heading up to Index tomorrow for the first time and (I know Ive asked before) what are the classic routes that I just have to do there. I am mainly interested in .10 to .11 free routes (not bolted).

 

Oh, and what guidebook should I get for the place. I already have the crappy smoot washington thing.

[DPS]

Godzilla-Slow Children, Davis-Holland, Roger's Corner-Breakfast of Champions, Princely Ambitions, GM, Heart of the Country.

 

The Sky Valley Rock book is pretty nice.

Edited April 22, 2004 by danielpatricksmith

[mattp]

You can download Clint Cummins' guidebook at this site. Darryl's book is better, but if you just want to visit the place once, the old Cummins book will serve just fine.

[DCramer]

Lower Wall

 

Godzilla to Sloe Children is nice.

 

Try Jap Gardens to 10% - - To my mind the best crag route in the State. The slab pitches have some bolts but you still need pro. An old anchor midway up the slab has been removed.

 

Climb Thin Fingers or Shirley and then traverse over to NA Direct. Super cool climbing. First pitch of NA Direct is 12c but a very short aidable crux.

 

Upper Wall

 

Davis-Holland to the STP is good. STP was within the last month the subject of a TR.

 

Clay - the first pitch is awesome! Everything from Fist to fingers.

 

If you are just coming for a weekend don't buy a book just look at Clint's online stuff.

 

DC

[eric8]

shit i was going to recommend a few but the guide book arthur just stepped in

 

anyway here is chucks page his recommdations are good

[DCramer]

Ok I thought about it and considering the time of year. The STP may have a wet crack and the very top of Clay may be damp. So maybe the LW is a better choice.

 

 

Sadly Index seems to be not very popular lately - well with the exception of a select few routes. This creates a spiral of dirt and more neglect and more dirt and more....

[chucK]

You might want to check out Zoom. It's got some bolts, but you'll probably be placing some gear too.

[matt_m]

Ok I thought about it and considering the time of year. The STP may have a wet crack and the very top of Clay may be damp. So maybe the LW is a better choice.

 

Sadly Index seems to be not very popular lately - well with the exception of a select few routes. This creates a spiral of dirt and more neglect and more dirt and more....

 

When I was up there - the crack wasn't wet but it had some dirt in it - made the off finger that much harder - tried to clean it out a little on the way down but a good brushing is probably due

 

Lovin Arms was a little wet 2 weeks ago before you got to the chimney - not bad.

 

I love index - just need to keep goin there to get stonger! more than willing to help keep stuff clean - just need to get there more so i can explore the other routes

 

luckily - i've got a few friends that are dying to get on things like swim, STP etc - all those upper wall route look awesome - jsut need to be climber to be cleaned!

[j_b]

centerfold on the diamond is a nice 3-pitch climb (4 if broken up). it has a few bolts, especially if you do the first pitch variation.

[Wallstein]

Shirley to Narrow arrow direct!!! Full value, varied, and hard traditional climbing. One of the best crag routes in WA. 11c, 10b, 10d, 10. The first 5.10 at index. Classic. You could bring a 4.5 for the last pitch but just bring a 4 camalot and run it out. Thats what the old dads did.

 

Jap gardens to 10%. excellent climbing. Some steep crack, a little thin fingers, and some awesome slab. pitches of 11c, 11b ,9+ 11b/c. You can toporope a Its a Dogs Life, (11c) on the way back down.

 

If ya tick both in a day its kinda like the rostrum of WA.

Although both climbs are horribly neglected they are managing to stay pretty clean.

[RuMR]

i would also recommend shirley to narrow arrow!!!

 

Thin fingers is a great warm up for that setup...and big toes isn't too bad either...

 

Hey Mike, what is dog's life????

 

Oh yeah! congrats on the first pitch of Narrow!!!!!!

[chucK]

Nobody mentioned Sagitarius yet. Seems like Tex might like that one.

[lancegranite]

Shirley is hard!

who climbed the first pitch of NAD?

[daler]

Natural Log Cabin- one of the best routes ever!

Bat skins 1st pitch- Mostly easy climbing with a 2 move crux!

 

these two pitches are way good. go do them are you will die!

 

[thrutch]

Rumr, From what I hear it was the 2nd pitch of Stern Farmer that went down.

 

Anything West of Thin Fingers can be reached by doing some rope work/traversing,if the ground up option seems a tad much(ala Mr. Polish Bob).

[RuMR]

nope...mike just sent narrow recently

 

-werd on da street!

[Wallstein]

Rudy, Its a dogs life is an alternative to the second pitch of jap gardens. From the anchors on top of p1 step left onto a small ledge and climb the crack on the far left. It is shown in darryls book. He recommends bringing pins if you want to lead it but it can be protected with grey tcu's and 3 and 4 hb's. Its short but it packs a punch. its kinda a test in gear placing skills. It just got a super scrub down so its pretty clean. Have you done Stiff kittens. Thats also a good one to do up there. also just scrubbed.

 

I think you heard wrong rudy. I did do the second pitch of stern farmer though. One big mega pitch through the corner and exit right out the roof. One of the best pitches I have ever done. 165 ft of varied strenous climbin. It can also be done exiting left at the roof and climbing to the jap garden anchors, easier this way. You and tim should get out there and tell me what ya think.

[TimL]

From the parts of it I tried in a rain storm its a super good, mega pitch. Good job on the proud send!

 

I'll have to get after it after I get back from the valley.

[TimL]

Marginal Karma is good, its right next to Breakfast of Champions.

 

Jap Gardens first full pitch. Iron Horse is super good. Best "full value" way is to lead up Iron Horse, step right at the anchors and go up through the Sagitaurius 10a corner, then step right again at the achors and pull the Sagitaurius roof. A super good mega pitch. You'll need a 70 to get off or 2 60's to TR.

 

The inner wall also has Toxic Shock which is good and Even Steven which is even better.

 

And of course, Thin Fingers is a must do.

[texplorer]

Thanks for the input everyone! See you there minana. I am ready to get my whoopins.

[texplorer]

Well, My first outing at Index was a pretty spectacular one. I would liken it to my first day at the cookie in yos but this time I was strong enough to send some of the classics.

 

It was a no falls weekend for me but I pretty much did the "easier" stuff. I got to lead every pitch of zilla to slow children. Damn that last pitch on Slow Children pitch is really sweet. Next we headed over and I did Thin Fingers which I thought was easier than Slow Children. I finished with a TR on Sagitarius.

 

On Sunday we did Davis-Holland to lovin-arms. . .well sort of . I did the chimney of lovin arms and mistakingly missed the traverse right and went through some mossy, loose shit and topped out on moss. Lovin Arms was totally dry though.

 

Next time I will have to suck it up and try jap gardens or maybe iron horse. I will be back!!!

[jkrueger]

... mistakingly missed the traverse right and went through some mossy, loose shit and topped out on moss.

Too much Oregon route finding.

[TimL]

Glad you had a good time!

[thrutch]

I think without a topo getting sucked further up the chimmeny is more promenient then most climbers like to admit as the traverse looks slightly improbable.

 

It sounds like you had a great weekend and no matter what that is what counts the most!

[lancegranite]

oh buddy...we went straight up the chimney, never again.