Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 "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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorianlee Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Very cool route and beautiful rock. Whats it rated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 I thought I would add a photo generally showing our line of ascent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollinWoods Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Nice work! I love the names. Chickenshit Gully... Haha/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 Nice work! I love the names. Chickenshit Gully... Haha/ I wish I knew more about the history of the feature names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Was this the scenic approach to CS gulley? Or the only approach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Photo of portion of black gully of death, left side of photo. Note nice white fresh rocks stacked in the gully, Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 I see it now. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainsloth Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Buy rattle and slime, if you already have it, there is a good labeled topo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainsloth Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainsloth Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 seriously... maybe i will try emailing him again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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