Wet rock at Index?

[rocketparrotlet]

Since I haven't been climbing in crappy weather at Index before, is it even worth it? I'm going to be taking an inexperienced climber to teach him some things, he won't do any leading, but it still requires a greater degree of caution.

 

Will the rock be too wet to be safe, or will it be fine? (Also, will it be any fun?)

 

-Mark

[Sol]

the rock will proabaly be wet until it is dry.

[jshamster]

Great for aid, not so much for free.

[ivan]

aid!!! belayers loooove it

[rocketparrotlet]

I would be going to teach my friend basic climbing skills, aid is not on the agenda.

 

I'll have to see, maybe we could go somewhere else instead. This weather is not nice.

 

-Mark

[Sherri]

Maybe check out Mt. Erie? It tends to be a little drier when everywhere else isn't.

[genepires]

or keep driving to leavenworth. MOstly sunny with a high of 42F which is actually better than last weekend which was very good also. probably a better place for beginners anyway. try roto wall or mad meadows or (heaven forbid it is empty) mountaineers dome among other fine places too.

[rocketparrotlet]

I could go to Mt. Erie. Leavenworth is way too far for a day trip, though.

 

Anyone been to Index recently?

 

Maybe I'll just go next weekend.

 

-Mark

[counterfeitfake]

Where do you live?

[genepires]

from monroe it is 1.5 hours to leavenworth. from monroe it is 1.5 hours to erie. Are you sure that leavenworth is too far of a drive for a day trip?

[rocketparrotlet]

I live in Everett. It's 2 hours to Leavenworth, 1 hour to Index, and 1 hour to Erie. Maybe I could go to Leavenworth with him next weekend for a couple of days, that would be sweet.

 

-Mark

[genepires]

there is not going to be too many opportunities to go out anywhere soon as it is november now. Last weekend was cold but still nice. I hope your trip next weekend works out but I would keep the erie option open if it is not at least partly sunny over there.

 

AN extra hour drive one way is too far for a day trip? Use the windshield time to have good conversation or talk about stuff to learn for your beginner. Leavenworth has much better options for beginers than index or erie.

BTW...bravo for teaching him or her how to climb. Very selfless act that we all should do more of.

[rocketparrotlet]

Yeah, I was worried there wouldn't be much chance for climbing. I'd get into ice climbing/winter climbing, but I don't have the money.

 

4 hours of driving is quite a lot for a single day spent at a climbing destination. The problem is only perpetuated because my friend is pretty poor, and the $20 gas cost to Leavenworth and back is a lot of money to him.

 

I know that Index doesn't have much easy stuff, but I'm trying to teach him multipitch trad. Index seems to be the best for this, since I don't have a Leavenworth guidebook and I've never climbed anything multipitch there myself. There's definitely enough 5.6 and 5.7 at Index to go around for a while at least.

 

I think that teaching is good, because it reinforces the things you have learned and provides you reasons for why you do things a certain way. (In climbing specifically, the reason is often, "because if you don't, you die.") I think that one-on-one instruction is the best way to learn, I wish I had received more of it myself.

 

-Mark

 

-Mark

[RJRiha]

Leavenworth is probably the best location around Washington to learn multipitch trad. Just off the top of my head, there are great moderates on Castle Rock (Midway, Saber, Canary, Fault/Catapult, maybe Saints, but I haven't personally done it), and on Icicle Buttress there is R&D, which is just about perfect to learn multipitch trad on. A trip up R&D followed by Midway would be a great day.

 

In terms of gas, it doesn't cost much more to head over Steven's Pass and into L-worth.

 

And in terms of driving time, 4 hours isn't that much for a day of good climbing....it's 3 hours each way for me, and I do it quite often.

 

[kinnikinnick]

hey mark,

 

zig-zag is a real fun three pitch 5.7 route at mt. eerie. its a good choice for this time of year because the rock dries quickly

[rocketparrotlet]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I have talked to my friend, and we talked about all the possibilities of these three locations. We will probably make it an overnight, and it's good to know there is trad wherever I'm going.

 

I don't have a good guidebook for Leavenworth. Anyone know where I can find one online? We'd probably just head out to Icicle Creek Canyon for some easy stuff, then maybe move up to R&D if he does well. I've never climbed it, so I don't know what to expect. I'll have to wait and see.

 

-Mark

[sprocket]

Castle Rock is a great place to climb but the ratings are a bit old school and the pro can be scarce in places or tricky on some of the routes.

 

R&D in Icicle canyon is pretty ideal for learning, 4 pitches of easy climbing.

 

Finding the starts can sometimes be tricky because it isn't alway obvious exactly which rock formation you want.

 

Might be worth either borrowing or buying the Kramer (sp?) Leavenworth guide or the Weekend Rock guide. Weekend Rock has a lot of climbs within driving distance of Seattle that are all 5.10 or under.

 

Summitpost has some beta

 

http://www.summitpost.org/route/164236/r-d.html

 

Or for Castle Rock

 

http://www.summitpost.org/parent/152633/castle-rock.html

 

Hope you get some good weather to get out.

[rocketparrotlet]

This weather is not looking so good this weekend...

 

-Mark

[genepires]

it is november, unfortunately..

[lancegranite]

It's raining over here.

[LostCamKenny]

the rock will proabaly be wet until it is dry.

outstanding response!

[Bronco]

Great Norther Slab at Index is south facing and now that the trees are losing their leaves, a little sun dries out the rock pretty quick. Good newbie climbing there.