Darrington

[miller]

Aint never been... I assume that the "North Buttress" is north facing and therefore may be a bit more out of the sun...

 

Anybody who has climbed there this time of year care to fill me in - am I going to fry up there? AM or PM sun exposure?

 

Thanks a lot!

[mattp]

The "North Buttress" at Three O'Clock Rock faces NE. It gets morning sun, and indeed it CAN fry on a hot day. On an only moderately warm day, it is not too bad. It goes into shade about 3:00 pm.

 

Even on the hottest days, you can find nice cool and generally shaded climbs if you start early -- but Three O'Clock Rock is not where you'll want to look. The west-facing routes on Exfoliation Dome are shaded or partly shaded in the morning.

[Clampooner]

Check out mattp's web page for a decent amount of info on darrington.

 

My $0.02: if you don't like slab, yer screwed. I don't know much about 3 O'Clock Rock, but I've been on Green Giant Buttress and Exfoliation dome and did get roasted in the sun. Fun area, much different from the oter cragging areas around washington.

[miller]

Thanks for your reply. Are things that close together - i.e. could I start off on Exfoliation Dome in the morning and then just wander over to the North Buttress later in the day, or is there a bit of hiking involved?

 

Thanks again!

[Clampooner]

Take a look at that map on the web. These areas are not close to each other. Each wall is a few minutes drive on dirt (4wd) to shitty (Honda) roads. IMO this is alpine cragging. Semi-involved approaches on visible (but not color dotted) trails, long routes and multiple points to get mixed up in for a first time out. This isn't Index, L-worth, or N. Bend. I'd say pick one or two things max that you want to do and leave early in the am. Exfoliation dome will take most of a day, longer if you get mixed up on the descent (which I did). Never been to 3:00 rock, but the distance between there and exfoliation seems like more of a drive than a "wander".

[mattp]

Clampooner is right that you probably are not going to want to climb Exfoliation Dome in the morning and plan on going to Three O'Clock Rock in the afternoon. The climbs on Exfoliation Dome are a lot like a small mountain climb, with an approach and descent that are not trivial and the peak itself makes a worthy objective. If you go to the summit of Exfoliation Dome, the West Slabs descent is relatively straight-forward but never-the-less it involves about ten rappels and opportunities to get confused or get a rope stuck. And then you have to scramble back down the approach.

 

The Comb Buttress or Three O'Clock Rock or Baloney Dome offer more of a cragging experience.

[ScottP]

Without knowing your skill level/experience, I'd suggest for your first time go to 3 O'Clock Rock. There are stellar routes there, with minimal commitment, at a variety of difficulties. You can get a good look at Exfoliation Dome from there to see what sort of experience you will have if/when you go there.

Silent Running, Under the Boardwalk/Kone, and Cornucopia are three I suggest as openers.

Have fun. It is truly a unique and enjoyable place.

[layton]

Todd,

 

Watch your cornhole out there buddy.