[TR] Darrington- Exfoliation dome - Blueberry - Attempt 5/14/2006

[mountainmatt]

Climb: Darrington-Exfoliation dome - Blueberry - Attempt

 

Date of Climb: 5/14/2006

 

Trip Report:

My girlfriend and I left late Saturday afternoon to head up to Darrington with plans on camping near the trailhead and heading up early the next morning to climb Blueberry on Exfoliation dome (10 pitches, 5.8).

 

After a good nights rest, we headed up nice and early to the start of the climb which we had scouted out the day before. We went up the first section of granite slabs that were still covered with a great deal of pebbles and sticks from avalanches that came down during the winter. We made it to the next section of slabs that were completely covered in wet moss and a lot of water. When attempting this path, I fell and slid down into the steam. We decided to head for the woods and bushwhack the remaining portion of the approach. This turned out to be a really bad idea. Hundreds of small scrapes and branches in the face and a couple hours later, we were near the start of the route. We then started making our way up what we thought were the easy slabs to the start of the route (mind you that we were off route of where the trailhead lets you out). I decided to rope up just incase the climbing was harder than it looked. This turned out to be a good idea. 2 60m pitches later on what I would call dirty, sandy, terrible climbing (5.7 X) we were at the start. Unfortunately, we had wasted so much time in the approach that it was too late to start up the route. We attempted to get to the base of Westward Ho, but there was a great deal of snowing making the approach dangerous in trail running shoes.

 

Gear Notes:

Some slings for the trees. Wished I had long pants on.

 

Approach Notes:

The road was clear for a high clearance vehicle all the way to the start of the approach (where the road is completely destroyed by avalanche debris). If you do not have a high clearance vehicle, you will have to park where the stream washes through ~0.5 miles from the "trail" start. Climbing this route by bushwhacking through the trees is not recommended unless you have a great deal of spare time and enjoy scraped legs, arms, etc.

[catbirdseat]

I've been up the Granite Sidewalk half a dozen times as early as March and have never had as much trouble as you folks did. You'll get it next time.

[mountainmatt]

I figure it was just some bad luck on my first time. The route looks absolutely spectacular though, I can't wait to head back for it

[chucK]

Are you sure you went up the correct wash? That is, did you head up the second wash that crosses the road or the first?

 

I'm saying this because the Granite Sidewalk is pretty damn clean. There may be sticks and sand on it from the winter, but there's not really much moss. The only place where there is moss is right at the very start, but your report indicates you encountered this stuff above the first section of slabbage.

[catbirdseat]

We made this same mistake, Toast and I, the first time. We went up the third wash actually, now that I think about it. We finally figured out it was the wrong one, went back down, found the right one (with Matt's hubcap), went up and climbed the Blueberry route even with a late start.

Edited May 15, 2006 by catbirdseat

[mountainmatt]

There were three washes that covered the road. The first of which was passable by a high clearance car (~0.9 miles from the road fork). I did not go up this route.

The second wash (the one we went up) was where the road was impassable due to avalanche debris (tons of trees, dirt, rocks). On this route you could go several hundered vertical feet until the slabs were all covered in water (~1.3 miles from the road fork). When walking through the forest near here, I found an old nalgene as well as orange flagging tape near the road.

The third wash was made almost exclusively of downed trees. I walked well up that route and found the slabs too wet and covered in moss to proceed (~1.4 miles).

Did I hit the wrong start?

[chucK]

Second wash is the one! (unless I have always missed one )

[mountainmatt]

So I did hit the right start?

[mattp]

The second wash starts out with about 200 yards in a nearly level stream-bed, then you start up slabs that begin mossy and dry out within 100 feet or so, leading to a small pool with a water groove feeding it. I'm guessing you may have found a bit of moss where you step over the watercourse about 30 feet above that pool, and maybe that is where you bailed? Did you get past where there is a waterfall into a large pool and you have to travel on leges on the left?

[chucK]

Fuck if I know.

 

Second wash sounds correct.

 

Mossy and 2 pitches of 5.7x does not.

 

Blueberry Route is the yellow line. Note the rectangular rock scar just to its left.

[mountainmatt]

Did you get past where there is a waterfall into a large pool and you have to travel on leges on the left?

This is the exact spot in which we departed into the trees. There was no good way to get around the waterfall/slab area. I had intended on getting back to the slabs, but when we tried a few hundered vertical feet later, the dirt slope was a little too steep to get back.

[mountainmatt]

Second wash sounds correct.

Mossy and 2 pitches of 5.7x does not.

The mossy 5.7X was because we were on the wrong side. As we hadn't gone up the slabs, we were too far left (I didn't know this) and thought that I would go up the slabs to the left (my mistake).

[mattp]

Just below that waterfall, you climb a little tree to gain a bench on the left, then you follow along the left side of the "grotto" that the fall drops into, climbing up some slightly wet and grassy ledges to reach another short tree climb left, and then a trail cuts back right to reach the clean slabs above.

[mountainmatt]

A lot of that section seemed to be washed away, but I may not be remembering correctly. There was a lot of debris in the area and the route may have changed a little during the winter thaw out. But since I have never been there, it will take someone else heading up there to confirm it. I have pics of the route and the surrounding area, however I can't seem to figure out how to put pics up. Lil' help?

[mattp]

You can attach a picture to a post, by clicking on the appropriate button when you enter your post. There is a file size limit that is pretty restrictive - 100k or something - but which allows a large enough picture to show something for the purposes of conversation. To get the picture to display, you then have to go back, view your post, click the attachment, copy the URL for the JPG file, and then edit your post to insert the tags to show an image. It is clumsy, but it works.

[catbirdseat]

Just below that waterfall, you climb a little tree to gain a bench on the left, then you follow along the left side of the "grotto" that the fall drops into, climbing up some slightly wet and grassy ledges to reach another short tree climb left, and then a trail cuts back right to reach the clean slabs above.

This was NOT obvious the first time we went up there, but we figured it out. It is right before an impassible waterfall. There is this knarled cedar on the left with branches that bend down just like a ladder.

[mattp]

If you miss the ladder, you find yourself in the grotto next to a swimming pool, and there is a set of grassy ledges on the left that goes at about 5.0.

[klar404]

Is there any chance you got a look at the snow conditions over on Three o'clock? Would love to hear about that....

[Julia]

Hi everyone - Matt's girlfriend here.

 

I'm positive we were on the right route (second wash-out). We did get to the base of the right climb and we were in the right spot, it was just too late. The slabs were really wet. Remember, it was a high snow year, and the snow stuck around pretty late so it will be different that it's been in previous years. Also, I'm not as confidant walking on slabs as Matt is and most of you are so with some water and moss, I was getting pretty sketched out (especially after slipping and sliding down ~2 feet). Those of you who feel better walking on slabs may have an easier time. And we didn't see the trees we were supposed to climb (we didn't know should have been looking for them) so we opted for bushwhacking which made the approach considerably longer and we just didn't get to the base in time to climb the route and get back to the car before it got dark. The climb looked clean and perfect if you can get there.

 

3'oclock rock looked totally fine and clear too - including the approach. We even drove over the the start of the approach hike just to check it out before we left and it looked fine.

 

Now let me see if I have more success adding pictures than Matt did:

 

Here’s Matt almost to the base of the climb. The snow to the right of the climb heading toward Westward Ho – it’s more slick and steep than it looks.

 

I'm pretty sure this is looking toward 3’oclock rock from the base of Blueberry.

[mattp]

Thanks for the pictures. The second one shows Green Giant Buttress. 3:00 rock is about 30 degrees to the right.

 

Better luck next time. You'll probably cruise it.

[Blake]

Julia, the lighter colored rockfall scar tht Chuck mentions is visible in your first pic.

[Julia]

Thanks - I got a little mixed up looking at the pictures when I put them up. I'll have Matt go through them and find the ones of 3'oclock rock when he gets home.

[mattp]

Meanwhile, you've answered the question of the person who was asking about "Dreamer" last week.

[Julia]

Yeah, I know. Like I said, finding the climb was not our problem. Once we got there, it was obvious where the route was. The approach was our problem. We didn't bail on the climb because we couldn't find it, we bailed because we had a hard time with the approach and we got to the climb too late.

[shapp]

The real question is why you would wear shorts. Only goat ropers and pole smokers wear shorts at Darrington except Hanman, who is not a pole smoker but rummor has it has roped a few goats.