first ascent Green Creek Wall- Evil Twin Arete - F.A. 5.9 III

[Blake]

Climb: Green Creek Wall-Evil Twin Arete - III 5.9

 

Date of Climb: 10/10/2005

 

 

 

 

Trip Report:

 

Yesterday David Trippett (AviTripp) and I finished the climb of the Evil Twin. It wasn't fantastic weather, and up high, not fantastic rock either. David lead some wet thin, hard stuff that took major guts.

 

 

The first pitch begins at the very toe of the rock, and followed a solid vertical crack system for nearly a full rope's length.

 

The crux involved chimneying-becoming-stemming before turning a roof just before the belay. The pitch ends at the shrub atop this roof, just left of the light-colored rock.

 

 

From here, the next two pitches were steps of low-mid fifth (fun finger cracks) with amounts of easy scrambling between. We simulclimbed these.

 

Pitch 4 is a wide crack, then a broad slab leading to a headwall, with chimneys on the left and right. Take your pic... both about the same difficulty. Left side protects better with smaller gear.

 

 

 

Definintely a good pitch.

 

 

From here we belayed the next pitch in the rain, and I lead out right then back to the ridge crest. Tougher and funner climbing could likely be had by going a more direct way. After a bit more simulcimbing, we got to the base of a steep, soaked corner. Large slabs of smooth green rock lead to the ovious dihedral.

 

 

I belayed from the shelter of a nice roof, which guarded me from falling rain and rocks. Several times I almost suggested David try to put pro in and lower off, but I held my tongue. His lead through the toughest climbing of the route, and then the most friable rock, definitely made me glad to be on tope-rope.

 

 

 

The top couple hundred feet were 4th and low-fifth that we simuled as well. The rock quality deteriorates up high, definitely a lot more exposed to the elements up there. We hit the arete's high point, then did a mostly down-climb descent to the west.

 

 

The schwack out to the trail couldn't have ended soon enough, it was almost headlamp time in the forest. Green Creek is a beautiful stream.

 

Gear Notes:

Medium rack up to 4"

 

I forgot a 3.5 dmm cam somewhere on the top two pitches. It's probably forever lost to humanity.

 

 

Approach Notes:

In early October '05 the Nooksack River changed its course, and the bridge now ends 1/2 way across the stream. Wading back through the water by headlamp was really fun.

[tyree]

Nice job!!! Its nice to see some other Hamsters playing out in the backyard.I was scoping that line out when Darin and I were getting rained on battered with falling rocks and my rope got chopped. How was the approach for you guys? It would be nice if there was a trail back there but then again it keeps out alot of the rif raf. What did you think of the rock quality on your route? I would go check it out but i leave for the Valley on Fri. You should still check out the Mythic wall, I think its the best line out there. Nice job and hope to run into you around town some time. Tyree

[Blake]

We left the trail at its 3rd switchback, just after a small stream ~1.5 miles in. Pretty heavy bushwacking followed, but we crossed straight down to the valley floor, and up the far slope before turning left. Our reurn route was a little more circuitious and "exploratory."

[layton]

wow, that's so cool we're getting some cool "alpine" route in near bellingham. and man the scenery Can Not Be Beat!!!!!!!

[Blake]

sorta like an Alpine Desert in there though, eh?

[Billygoat]

[layton]

yeah, isn't it weird. like a worm-hole into the sierras or something. should be good for a few months. that place gets HOT

[Rad]

Nice report and photos Blake.

 

Has anyone placed fixed gear out there yet. Should we grid-bolt it or leave it unblemished? Can you guess my vote?

 

Anyway, keep on

 

Rad

 

ps. I take it you're out of the Stehekin bakery for the season. My family and I were nibbling the goodies up there a few weeks ago. Yum!

[Blake]

yeah, i left Stehekin a week ago. I'm sure i was there when you were there though. No fixed gear up there unless you count our rappel runners. It should be noted that the next group to climb Evil Twin will encounter a teal runner Paul Klenke left atop Devore Peak last may, and that I bootied last August.... someone else take it and keep the thing moving around.

[dberdinka]

Cool. Looks like some great pitches. The approach I described and the approach you took seem to differ significantly, maybe it's time for some flagging.

[layton]

or a machette?

[jshamster]

Yeah, some flagging could be good, but ya gotta earn the Green Creek cirque.

 

Having flirted a bit with the route Blake took, and taking pretty much Darin's route exactly, I think staying above Green Creek & crossing closer to the talus is much easier.

Getting back has seemed to be a crap shoot both times I've been out there.

Bottom line is that it is really easy to get out there if you can just maintain the schwack. It's short.

 

Nice job guys. I was definately eyeing that line.

 

[tyree]

or a machette?

or a fucking riding lawnmower and some chainsaws, mabey we could build some motocross trails too

[goatboy]

PLEASE be sure to paint white dots on the landscape, periodically, to indicate where the "trail" goes (and distinguish it from nearby campsites and "user trails."

 

THANK you.

[layton]

we should really get a good trail in back there....for winter time fun too (imagine the skiing potential!!!!)

[dberdinka]

we should really get a good trail in back there....

 

THAT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA. On second thought even flagging it is a bad idea. The best aspect about that area is that it REALLY IS WILDERNESS where as every other valley between B'ham and Shuksan has a fat trail and a parking lot full of Subarus to match. The schwack is only an hour at most and pretty tame by NC standards.

 

Let's leave it as pristine as we find it.

 

 

...though obviously that might be tough for you Layton.

[layton]

there is no wilderness when we have airplanes, helicopters, and satilites...only the perception of wilderness. so might as well not bushwack.

[dberdinka]

There you go again, you're a Nihilist. THE MAN BELIEVES IN NOTHING!

 

Furthermore that's bullshit. Wilderness is not neccesarily unknown it is simply not impacted to the point where a human presence is evident (to one extent or another) in the landscape.

 

While GoogleEarth might allow you to have some limited knowledge of every square foot of the planet, satellite photos and even airplane rides aren't going to reveal the best line for schwacking into the Green Glacier Basin. That knowledge has to be earned through effort, careful thought and maybe even some luck. To simply hike in there with your eye's glued to a trail at your feet would diminish the experience.

 

Plenty of trails out there to follow already, lets enjoy the challenge of what wilderness is left!

[Dru]

I don't like to hike. It makes my legs big and heavy. Build a chairlift.

[EWolfe]

Nice send, and great pics, Gents.

 

See, the key is: You have to be enough of a masochist to be a purist.

 

Then perspective is omnipotent.

 

The unfortunate side effect is that, the masochism goes away, but not the puritanism.

[olyclimber]

masochism is the purist ethic. the human condition is suffering, and true climbing is never about comfort. it doesn't matter if your a puritan or not...you must suffer...then you will see the light. Through suffering, and never through comfort, you will find grace.

[Rad]

There is no spoon, but there will be a trail.

 

Here's how it will happen:

 

1 - A few people go and tell others how great it is and how to get there.

 

2 - More and more people will go. A crude path will be carved out if the impact of their footsteps is stronger than the vegetation growth and various modes of erosion. The path will be direct, prone to erosion in places, and may have braids in confusing or difficult sections.

 

3 - If the area is featured in a popular guidebook this will increase its use, particularly given its proximity to populated areas. The path may be worn into a more prominent trail. If the erosion and braiding are bad, certain users may decide that it's worthwhile to build and maintain a proper trail. Perhaps no one will improve the trail and it will continue to evolve with use.

 

4 - At this point there will be an established climber's trail that follows the consensus route to the climbing area. This might be just like unmaintained access trails that now lead to and from many climbs (South Pickets, Eldorado basecamp, Snow Creek Wall, Baring, Kaleetan, Index town walls etc etc). Is that bad? I don't think so.

 

5 - Natural forces (landslides, vegetation growth) may erase the trail over time if its use falls below a certain threshold (is Dome in this category?).

Wilderness is sacred.

 

Please remember that we didn't inherit the earth from our parents, we borrowed it from our kids.

 

See ya out there.

 

Rad

[EWolfe]

I wish.

 

Seventh Generation is a fine perspective!

[Blake]

thanks again for going David, I still owe you some Casa Que Pasa.

[layton]

is the route still a III 5.9 or did it get any harder up top? about how long would you say it is?

nice!