[TR] Tumwater Tower - Normal Route and Upper Notch Route 8/10/2007

[escapeclause]

Trip: Tumwater Tower - Normal Route and Upper Notch Route

 

Date: 8/10/2007

 

Trip Report:

For some reason, Bruce and I climbed Tumwater Tower. It never really made sense before we climbed it and in retrospect, it hasn't made sense since. Tumwater Tower is in a class by itself: not really an alpine route, not really a crag climb. One could be bitter about such an annoying approach for such little time on the rock. You can't even hang your hat on the pride of accomplishment as this gendarme blends into the side of Tumwater canyon. Nevertheless and despite all of these dings, Tumwater Tower is what it is, an obscure and fun adventure.

 

We had three sources to go off of: Smoot's Rock Climbing Washington (1999), Whitelaw's Weekend Rock (2005), and Kramer's Levenworth Rock (2003). In the end, Whitelaw gave the most contemporary perspective and Kramer offered the most comprehensive descriptions. We would have left Smoot's description at the trailhead, but his account included a suggestion of a faint trail along the river. It has been some time since 1999 and if there had been a faint trail then, there certainly isn't one now. If the water level is low, keep to the boulders along the Wenatchee River for the first third of the approach.

Otherwise the entire route is an uncomplicated bushwhack.

 

Even along the east side of the Tower, we failed to observe a single sign of any prior visits: no boot-prints and no goat trails of any sort. The only signs of life were fresh bear tracks headed in our same direction along the river at 7:15 in the morning.

 

 

We never saw a bear, but we did see plenty of dry brush and blackened trees. After arriving at the notch below the "Normal Route", we proceeded to climb the tower.

Bruce lead straight up the face and failed to step right onto the flake near the top. This turned out to be a more committing and tenuous sequence that probably rated a grade higher than the 5.6 line from the flake on the right. By the time we got to the summit, the bushwhack was beginning to sap our enthusiasm. We rapped back to the belay and reconsidered our alternatives. I was all for going back to the Icicle. Bruce still had enough drive to give another route a go. Thank goodness. The Upper Notch Route (5.8) was the hit of the day.

A committing friction move from the thin crack and big air around a blind corner were enough to get my spirits up. The Upper Notch Route made the trip worth the pain.

 

 

Rock Climbing Washington says that there is only one route worth doing, the "Regular Route". However if we had relied on this guidebook alone, we would have missed the real fun. Of course, each author has his own perspective. In the end, the only way to really evaluate someone else's route description is to climb the route onseself. Tumwater Tower continues to entice the curious. Next time you're heading east into Leavenworth on Hwy 2, about a mile from town, take a look across the river and consider the possibilities.

 

 

Gear Notes:

Gear to 4". A single 50m rope is suffient for the rap.

 

Approach Notes:

A 2 hour bushwhack variously called brutal, arduous and painful.

[RideT61]

Thanks for the TR, I've always wanted to do that route, primarily for the setting. I think it would be a great way to spend a day in the fall.

 

I was paddling Tumwater Canyon Saturday and saw mamma bear and 2 cubs about 1/2 mile above town on the road side of the river. They were cute, but I decided to paddle a little farther from shore, 10 ft was alittle too close.