outerspace walkoff /gear

[skibum1087]

Hey all, I am headed to leavenworth tonight to get on outerspace tomrrow for the first time. I had a few questions. First, it seems like it has been dry most all this week, does this route have a reputation for seeping late into the spring or should it be alright. Second, are sneakers needed for the walk off or would it be not to awful in climbing shoes. Lastly, as far as fixing belays goes is it all pretty standard i.e a variety of gear choices are will I be faced with making anchors in a lot of horizontal cracks where I'll have to place all of a certain number of cams in the horizontal leaving me with nothing in that size to lead with? Any input would be great, thanks a lot.

 

-Spencer

[AlpineK]

I don't know current conditions, but as far as shoes goes bring something to walk off in.

 

You could walk off in rock shoes, but you'll hate it.

[genepires]

walked off in rock shoes when we dropped our pack from the 3rd pitch. hurt real bad walking down.

 

should be ok and if there is wet areas, it would be on the last pitch which is very easy anyway.

 

I believe that most of the anchors can be made with passive pro, bring some hexes and tricams if you know how to use them. I would say that bring a standard rack with extras of hand size for the last two pitches would be good. extra 3 or 4 would be good and even then you may feel "run out" but it is a nice hand crack with sweet chicken heads for feet.

 

let us know how it goes and have fun.

[max]

Gear: I brought the rack I usually climb with (I replaced half my draws with 2' runners) and fine, maybe wished I had a few more cams. But I wouldn't carry more next time. FYI

 

 

[DPS]

The first time I climbed Outer Space it poured rain all night long. Woke up the next morning and the route was dry. My guess is you should be ok unless it is actively raining on you while you climb.

 

I have found having extra pieces in the #1 and #2 Camalot sizes is helpful, but not absolutely necessary. Hexes in that size range work well.

 

Shoes are nice to walk off in.

[fenderfour]

The walk off will most definitely be wet. There are a few slabs that might be sporty.

[fenderfour]

The walk off will most definitely be wet. There are a few slabs that might be sporty.

[selkirk]

Walkoff shoes :tup:

 

Extra pieces in the #1 camalot size (cams, hexes, tricams, chalkstones, whatever) (2nd headwall pitch)

Extra pieces in the #2 camalot size (cams, hexes, tricams, chalkstones, whatever) (1st headwall pitch)

 

[archenemy]

The first time I walked off that I was chased by a goat. I actually jumped down the slabby rock (before the boulder and the tree--the goat was there and started charging me) into that little gully and then slid down the steep ravine thing on my ass and elbows. So you can actually get down really fast--even in climbing shoes. You end up with a lot of gravel and blood loss though...

Be sure to start early so you are the first one on the climb! Have fun!!!!

[G-spotter]

And don't forget to go slowly so that 8 or 9 parties are stuck behind you, so they can start posts complaining about sloe climbers on OS.

[chucK]

Last time I climbed it the only bolted belays were the top of the first pitch and the base of the first crack pitch. So you'll want some gear for belays. Most places there were many options for placements, but if I recall correctly, for the belay at the top of the second crack pitch you might want a cam or three in the off-fingers to small-hands size.

[Blake]

I'd say that on the final two pitches, keep your eye out for door-knob shaped chickenheads you can hitch, and protect with them. It'll help you save your cams for later on, plus it's just a fun thing to do, and one of the route's more unique elements.

[ericb]

I saw reference to a #4 earlier....We were barely able to use our #3. Better to bring extras in the #1 - #2 range. A couple long slings are nice for the pitch before the 2 money headwall pitches as rope drag can be an issue.

 

Also - I don't see it mentioned, and haven't personally experienced it, but I hear ticks are really bad up there this time of year.

 

Edited April 19, 2007 by ericb

[skibum1087]

Thanks a lot for the info guys, I can't wait to get up there tomorrow.

-Spencer

[eldiente]

Yep Extras on the 1" and 2" size are the ticket. I seem to recall using 2x .75 on the undercling pitch.

[tlinn]

 

Bring an extra #1 and #2

 

Are the chickenheads really big enough to tie off? I don't remember them being that big...

 

Best advice is to use really, really long runners on the pitch after the crux...I guess this is like pitch 4? I don't remember specifics but just remember to bring long runners for this pitch or the rope drag will kill you.

 

 

[G-spotter]

The Canadian Descent is a really quick way down from Two Tree Ledge.

[ScottP]

Do canadians often bail from Two Tree?

[DPS]

Do canadians often bail from Two Tree?

Not on purpose.

[telemarker]

Bring an extra #1 and #2

 

Are the chickenheads really big enough to tie off? I don't remember them being that big...

 

Best advice is to use really, really long runners on the pitch after the crux...I guess this is like pitch 4? I don't remember specifics but just remember to bring long runners for this pitch or the rope drag will kill you.

 

 

Surprisingly enough, the headwall pitches protect well with med to large stoppers and hexes, though it's nice to have 2 #2 camalots or equivalent. P4, head straight for the short corner, don't get suckered out right, and rope drag will not be a problem.

 

Finally, one can rappel the route these days. So much better than the walk off. Double rope raps down the climber's left of the headwall to 2-tree ledge, scramble down to the anchors at the end of the "regular" first pitch, then a 60m rap to the ground.

[selkirk]

Are there slung trees or bolts and chains to rap from?

[tradclimbguy]

We just hit OS last Sunday. Beautiful sunny day but a bit chilly.

 

The approach is clear. One or two patches of snow to cross but the logs are there across the stream so all is good.

 

The route is completely dry, no water anywhere on the route really, just a small patch of snow at the base to scramble across.

 

The walk off is also completely bare too. We changed to tennis at the top and did the scramble without issue although for such a popular climb I'm always surprised at how crappy the descent is.

 

As for bolts we only found 3 total. 2 make up the crappy anchor at the top of pitch 1. One of which is a crappy button head, the other a small nasty bolt too. Then the third bolt is on top of the pillar you climb to get into the headwall pitch. We belay about 10ft left of the pillar with small finger size gear but the bolt is good to protect your second up the other side of the dihedral.

 

You can use a #3 and a 3.5 but don't really need them. The headwall pitches really aren't that good in my opinion either. There is one splitter hand section thats really only the last third of the first headwall crack. I'm probably spoiled though on good climbs but I'd give the whole thing about a 2 out of 5 stars.

 

Either way it's a fun outing. We had two #2's and that was more than enough but I might run things out a bit more than I should. We brought half a rack of nuts but didn't set any and doubles in finger to hand in cams.

 

We planned to do OS and Orbit but got stuck behind a slow team too. The wall would go easily in a few hours but when you get crowded on the belays its tough to keep the pace up.

 

Lots of ticks too. Use a bit of deet and do tick checks and you'll be good.

 

Have fun.

 

 

[tradclimbguy]

Are there slung trees or bolts and chains to rap from?

 

No. There are some nasty slings left over down the first gully of the descent.

 

We did see an anchor of some sort off to our left from I think the 5th pitch.

 

I'd never do it, but a rap line down the face would be pretty nice. You could get down in probably 4 easy rappels and be setup to run the face a couple more times. That descent sucks. It's just too much focusing for me for too long trying not to trip Then again I'm old.

[mattp]

I gotta say, I always thought the climb was overrated at ***** but Tradclimbguy is the first guy I've ever heard say that the headwall pitches are not great. Those are what you go there for. The rest of the route is mediocre, in my opinion (the crux traverse is fun), but I can't really think of two pitches in a row of moderate climbing like that that are in a better setting on a crag climb in Washington.

[spotly]

Can you do single rope raps on climbers left without interfering with other teams climbing the route? I'm guessing not, since people do the scramble descent but thought I'd ask.