[TR] Squire Creek Wall - Dick Ridge via Chickenshit Gully 8/22/2009

[Pilchuck71]

Trip: Squire Creek Wall - Dick Ridge via Chickenshit Gully

 

Date: 8/22/2009

 

Trip Report:

Smedley and I decided it was high time to return to our camp at the top of Dick Ridge and check on our gear stash.

We left the car Saturday morning under cloudy skies, optimistic that the weather would be kind to us.

We did our due diligince in getting the road work out of the way and then proceeded to work our way up the old trail to Big Tree and the approach slabs.

We scrambled the slabs to Bathtub Ledge and then on up to Hooter Cave.

We traversed Strawberry Ledge to the corner of the Illusion Wall and took two rappells to reach the ground and work our way into the Black Gully of Death.

We worked our way up the gully to a dead end and Smedley led a nice short pitch out and around to reach the traverse to Chickenshit Gully.

We climbed the route using a running belay for all but two short pitches.

On the descent we downclimbed again using a running belay.

We continued downclimbing until the bottom of Chickenshit Gully where we took four rappells to reach the ground and the traverse back under the Illusion Wall.

Enjoy some photos!

SQW overview

 

The Woods Wall

 

The approach slabs above Big Tree

 

Looking up from Strawberry Ledge

 

 

Getting ready to exit The Black Gully of Death

 

Ascending Chickenshit Gully

 

 

 

 

Olympus Ledge

 

Dick Ridge

 

 

 

Three Fingers from Camp

 

 

 

Downclimbing

 

 

 

 

Dick Ridge from the Buttrest

 

SQW Stitch

 

Gear Notes:

Full set of cams, Full set of Nuts, Mountain Runners and 2 100' 8.6 mil ropes.

 

Approach Notes:

Easy Squeezy Lemon Cheesy

Edited September 25, 2009 by Pilchuck71

[dberdinka]

You're my new hero!

 

Nice photos, in fact the best I've ever seen of SQW. You've got some knowledge there that many people (including myself) would like to have.

[Pilchuck71]

"We don't need another hero".........

Shit man it ain't nothing.

I am always willing to share what I know.

Thanks for the compliments they are appreciated.

 

[dorianlee]

Very cool route and beautiful rock. Whats it rated?

[Pilchuck71]

Whats it rated?

Ya know..I am not sure.

It takes me a full day to get to the top of Dick Ridge, so in that light it is a commiting route.

The climbing difficulty varies but the Chickenshit Gully is probably only 4th to low 5th, although there are plenty of variations possible.

Dick Ridge is where things get a little harder. If one follows the crest it is probably in the 5.4 to 5.6 range but if one was to trend to the climbers left things can get more difficult maybe in the 5.8 to 5.9+ range.

The problem with giving grades on this is that it is a huge piece of rock and I doubt any two parties take the exact same line of ascent.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2009 by Pilchuck71

[Pilchuck71]

I thought I would add a photo generally showing our line of ascent.

[shapp]

To any that wish to follow, the Black Gully of Death is so named for a reason. There is significant rock fall down this gully on a regular basis.

 

Sweet photos!

[Pilchuck71]

To any that wish to follow, the Black Gully of Death is so named for a reason. There is significant rock fall down this gully on a regular basis.

Very, very true Shapp!

Unless one is into that sort of thing the Gully is best avoided.

My buddy Ken Strong was actually able to climb up and out of the gully through (as in through-read:speelunking style)a remarkable pile of stacked rocks that were at the same time scary and fascinating.

This area of the wall is certainly one I would not recommend.

Thanks Shapp.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Pilchuck71

[CollinWoods]

Nice work! I love the names. Chickenshit Gully... Haha/

[Pilchuck71]

Nice work! I love the names. Chickenshit Gully... Haha/

I wish I knew more about the history of the feature names.

[dberdinka]

Was this the scenic approach to CS gulley? Or the only approach?

[Pilchuck71]

Was this the scenic approach to CS gulley? Or the only approach?

Smedley and I have been eyeballing a creek drainage that could possibly get one to the very bottom of the slabs that are the terminus of CS gully.

It would add a significant amount of climbing.

 

[shapp]

I might also add I heard through the grape vine that a very large rock fall occurred that would have obliterated anyone approaching in the section of the traverse between the approach slabs and the edge of the illusion wall. This occurred subsequent to your August ascent.

[shapp]

Photo of portion of black gully of death, left side of photo. Note nice white fresh rocks stacked in the gully, Yikes!

[Pilchuck71]

Photo of portion of black gully of death, left side of photo. Note nice white fresh rocks stacked in the gully, Yikes!

Yep -

That pretty much looks like it blocked/obliterated the line we took out of the gully!

[shapp]

No those rocks were there in early August, the newer big rockfall occurred to the west of the illusion wall, over the ledge system, between the illusion wall and the lower approach slabs on the trail before one reaches the illusion wall on the approach.

Edited September 25, 2009 by shapp

[Pilchuck71]

I see it now.

Thanks.

[mountainsloth]

pilchuck, would you like to label some more of the map to give us losers a better understanding of this complex wall? i have been itching for some of that granite for a bit now.

[shapp]

Buy rattle and slime, if you already have it, there is a good labeled topo

[mountainsloth]

i have tried many times, but they never reply to my emails!

do they not want my money!?

if you are out there reading this, i would like a copy of rattle and slime please!

 

[Off_White]

I could always burn you a copy if you promise to send David Whitelaw some money, though perhaps that offer alone will perk up his ears and get you a response.

[mountainsloth]

seriously... maybe i will try emailing him again.

[Pilchuck71]

No those rocks were there in early August, the newer big rockfall occurred to the west of the illusion wall, over the ledge system, between the illusion wall and the lower approach slabs on the trail before one reaches the illusion wall on the approach.

You are right about those rocks being there.

When we exited the BGoD Smed belayed from the lowest of those rocks and we actually climbed right out onto the fresh stack in your photo.

 

[DavidW]

ok ok... I've had computer problems all season and havent made any new copies... I'm back in shape now... or will be soon, so email me again and I will get them to you. a bit late in the season but hey... the rocks will still be there in the spring. Thanks for your continued interest and sorry for the delay!