WA Pass climbs 5.8 and under

[olyclimber]

what are your favorite climbs 5.8 and under up at WA Pass?

[Alpinfox]

 

Yer momma.

[olyclimber]

Shut your butt fox.

[Alpinfox]

 

When you gonna go out there Olympia climber? I'll go with ya and show you all the sweet shizzle that no one knows about like the south arete of SEWS. SHhhhhh!!!!!

[MCash]

5.8 - SW Buttress of SEWS

5.7 - North Face of Concord Tower (direct variation)

5.6 - Beckey Route on Liberty Bell

5.4 - South Arete of SEWS

[olyclimber]

July 24-26 with that guy from NC.

[Alpinfox]

NF of Concord and South Gully (aka "arete") of SEWS are crap. Beckey route is crowded as hell.

 

SW rib/buttress of SEWS is Bring a #4 camalot.

 

You should do Petit Cheval too. I haven't done it yet.

 

1) check out CC.com for Poster Peak- Blue buttress. Beckey calls this Pica pk in the Reg book and lists vague reports of routes. No doubt his are first ascents but the local history of these offers more recent beta. Search here and on NWMJ for info and photos.

2)Spontaneity Arete on le Petit Cheval. Search CC.com. Better quality than S arete of SEWS. This may be construed as shameless self promotion of a route I helped establish but it is still a fine route for intermediate rock climbers to learn skills in a pretty uncommitting alpine setting. And no waiting in line after walking all the way to SEWS.

3) S Butt of Cuttthroat. I think it was mentioned.

4) N Ridge of Cutthroat. Longish approach from Rainy pass but easy cross country travel in beautiful country. The ridge is great fun and moderate. Use the W approach the E side gulley to the notch is 200' runout of bad rock at around 5.8 (ask me how I found this out while guiding).

5)Avoid the W ridge of Cutthroat except as a descent od last resort. This climb should be saved till your route finding skills are better honed. Some very poor rock in places if one is not careful with route selection. I don't wear a helmet often but I do on that route!

6) A step up from beginner but super quality (the best long moderate at WA pass) is the W butt of Paisano on Silver Star. If your are ok with 5.9 gear (short crux) it is a stellar route and when linked with the normal N face of Burg makes the hike very worthwhile if long day. Beckey barely mentions it in the old book but I think he is using the updated info for his new edition.

 

These might get you started and let you figure stuff out yourself while getting to know the lay of the land up there.

 

Good Luck

Scott Johnston

[Bill_Simpkins]

Rapple Grapple

Over Exposure

[Dru]

July 24-26 with Chaps

[dbb]

S Buttress on Cutthroat

and I second yo' mama... wait, that doesn't sound quite right

[Alpinfox]

 

OH OH! I thought of a good one.

 

The on Lib Bell.

[dberdinka]

S Buttress on Cutthroat

IS ASS I haven't done a less inspiring route at the pass.

 

The North Ridge on the other hand is sweet, particularly once you get past the start. Figure out an approoach from the west side to avoid some crappy rock on the east side getting to the notch.

[catbirdseat]

I've heard some say the Cave Route on Concord Tower sucks and others say it's okay. What say you?

[selkirk]

The Cave route isn't bad. Just be prepared for the 5 ft section of flaring, bottoming, slightly horrifying off-width on the first pitch . Where the first set of cracks traversing up and to climbers right ends, you need to go up and slightly left, to access the second hand crack (which is pretty nice), but the transition between the two sets of cracks is a bit interesting. I distinctly remember looking around, thinking there must be an easier way. Then reaching into the offwidth thinking, there must be a handhold in here somewhere. Followed by the realization, as I kept stretching, that my feet were no longer good, and I still didn't have a hand hold . Ye olde, jam yourself into the crack and wiggle technique seemed to work out OK though. And it protects at you feet, so not too sketchy.

 

After that it was very pleasant

[mattp]

I'm with Berdinka on the S. Buttress of Cutthroat. I know it remains a popular route, but I don't understand why.

[goatboy]

I've heard some say the Cave Route on Concord Tower sucks and others say it's okay. What say you?

 

Cave route is fun -- the first pitch (as described) has its moments, but the pitch coming OUT of the cave and up to the small perch-like summit is very memorable and unique.

 

The view of Lib Bell from there is great, and will illuminate other routes, such as Rapple Grapple.

 

My list (not in any order):

 

1) SW Buttress SEWS, descend S Arete

2) Beckey Route (if not crowded)

3) Rapple Grapple (if Beckey is crowded)

4) NF Lexington is short, but okay and has a fun 5.7 layback pitch -- only worth doing as part of a larger program (i.e. last climb of the day sort of thing)

5) I enjoyed what I did of the N Ridge Cutthroat -- the S Buttress of Cutthroat was loose and "flawed" as Nelson puts it. I wouldn't recommend it.

6) Kangaroo Temple has a nice 5.7 route

7) North Face of Burgundy (tricky routefinding, but good route)

8) Nearby (but not at WA PASS) Black Peak has an enjoyable, though loose at time, NE Ridge route at 5.8 or so

 

Good routes, but harder than 5.8 include:

 

1) NW Corner NEWS

2) Direct E Buttress, SEWS