Slick Rock

[spotly]

Forecast for McCall looks nice for this weekend. Can I expect the routes on Slickrock to be free of running water this time of year or still too soon to drive all the way down there? Anyone know what it looks like right now?

[splattski]

It's a 9 mile ski to Slick Rock. McCall currently has over 3' of snow on the ground.

I've not been to Slick this year, but based on previous experience would expect a large (4-8') wall of snow standing perpendicular to the rock where the avalanches break.

 

[spotly]

Thanks - I'll find drier stuff at Post Falls.

[mccallboater]

This will be the first weekend since January that Slick rock did not make a killer ice climb. About 4 pitches of fat ice on the left side. Sort of looked like a less steep Weeping Wall a la Icefields parkway. But the main route face has been sliding with every snow fall.

[mccallboater]

I've been skiing up there every other weekend or so and wishing I had someone to climb it with.

[spotly]

I don't imagine it's changed much in the last few weeks as far as access? I found this topo - does the start look right? Seems it would be further left by the single dark black line?

 

Hey Kevin K, you took a whipper in there somewhere didn't ya. That should leave a lasting impression

 

[shapp]

The start to the original route is to the left up a left crack - traversing right accross a right trending dike (runout) to a dish/two bolt belay. Someone for an unknown and uneeded reason decided to retro bolt several of the original route belay stances. There is a bolted start to the right (shown on the photo above). There is also a route that goes more or less straight up from the bottom to the 2 wide cracks in to the right of the origional route (you can see the wide cracks in the photo above). and a runout mixed route to the left of the original route. There is lots of oportunity to explore other new/forgoton lines too.

Shapp

Edited April 29, 2008 by shapp

[mccallboater]

In answer to your weather question, I'm sure the face will be covered in wet, given that McCall is starting to get it's first few days above freezing, plus there is still about two feet of snow on the level in town, and about six feet on the level up at Slick Rock. Lots of ice coming down around now up there. You still need a snowmobile or about 3 hours of skinny skiing to get to the base. Hotel McCall's webcam is good for local condition checking. Hotel McCall webcam

[shapp]

regular route topo published in R&I in the 1990s (I think)

climbed this twice and also climbed once more or less straight up to the double wide cracks to the right of this route.

[spotly]

Good stuff - thanks. I'll check back in....September? LOL

[sobo]

regular route topo published in R&I in the 1990s (I think)...

You are correct, sah! R&I, in I believe 1991. I have a copy of it stashed in one of my gear crates.

[archenemy]

Thanks - I'll find drier stuff at Post Falls.

Right on! Post Falls is where I cracked my rib on a rock sticking out of a climb I doinked off of. Love that place.

[spotly]

Thanks - I'll find drier stuff at Post Falls.

Right on! Post Falls is where I cracked my rib on a rock sticking out of a climb I doinked off of. Love that place.

I see the Mounties are scheduled for a cleanup out there. Perhaps they can be convinced to remove those annoying rocks from the routes -

[sobo]

Thanks - I'll find drier stuff at Post Falls.

Right on! Post Falls is where I cracked my rib on a rock sticking out of a climb I doinked off of. Love that place.

I see the Mounties are scheduled for a cleanup out there. Perhaps they can be convinced to remove those annoying rocks from the routes -

I thought that was only at Dishman...

[spotly]

Nope - they'll be at PF first thing in the morning picking up trash and placing logs for errosion control - then BBQ and climbing after.

[sobo]

I was referring to the glue-on gym holds being only at Dishman.

At least, that's what I thought you meant by "those annoying rocks from the routes" comment.

[spotly]

Doh-I'm slow. And I'm a day off too. Cleanup is on Sunday 10ish.

[spotly]

How's Slickrock looking now - wet crack, dry crack?

[mccallboater]

Should be accessable after this week's hot weather. The snow berm from the plow in my yard finally disapeared yesterday. It survived through the soltice! A new record.

[mccallboater]

I'll be up there this weekend. Hope the creek crossing isn't epic.

[sobo]

So? How wuzzit? Get any pix?

[mccallboater]

I got a call from Sandpoint friends, giving me and my daughter 9 hours to throw our shit together to jump on a 7 day Middle Fork of the Salmon river trip that had a cancellation opportunity. All other life functions come to a skreeching halt when that happens. We pulled it together along with another great couple from McCall, just getting back home last night about midnight. Seven days of bliss watching my 18 year old daughter go from a good class III kayaker to a very solid class IV kayaker. Great weather, great company, perfect water levels...wow. So Slickrock will wait for another day. I saw a rope team on it on the day before we left though. Huckleberries should be starting to ripen up there in a week or two.

Edited July 14, 2008 by mccallboater

[sobo]

Sweet! Way to make Dad proud, eh? Love it when the young'ns do that.

[mccallboater]

Now, this weekend, is the time to be there. Any takers?

[powderhound]

What kind of potential for new routes exist out there? Looking for a new area to start working on some more Alpine projects.