marc_leclerc Posted May 3, 2010 Posted May 3, 2010 (edited) Trip: Leavenworth - Icicle Creek Area - Outer Space and more... Date: 5/3/2010 Trip Report: So Tamara, Scott and I drove down to Leavenworth Fri night and crashed at 8-Mile campground. I tried to sleep for a few hours without much success then got up at 6:00 and ran a couple laps at the Classic Crack area... but I was still a bit nervous. My plan was to on-sight free solo 'Outer Space' on the Snow Creek Wall. I first heard about this classic route a couple years ago and somehow managed to plant the seed in my head that I was going to solo it one day, even though I was nowhere near mentally capable of doing so back then. I had been getting psyched for a while and finally felt ready go up there and solo the route. I knew Dane had soloed it a long time ago so I asked him for some beta, and he kindly offered to walk in to the route with me and take some pics. He picked me up at 7:00 and after picking up a parking pass in town we walked up the trail towards the route. Just before the climbers trail goes down to the creek Dane stopped so he could shoot pics and I continued. I missed the turn of in all my excitement and ended up bushwhacking back up and right to the base of the route wich cost me lots of time. I was boiling hot after jogging up to the wall so I took off a couple layers, put on my rock shoes and started up. Immediately passing two parties starting the first pitch. A few minutes later I was starting up the left hand crack off two tree ledge, the climbing was steeper and fun, and very soon I was taking a no hands rest and peering accross the infamous traverse. I found the awesome feet below the crack and crossed into a decent but flaring left hand jam in the pocket. It took a couple minutes to committ to the move, but soon I was underclinging on massive jug flakes and jamming perfect locks up to the final face moves of P3. From there the rest of the route went off without a hitch, great face climbing on crazy knobs, cruiser jamming. The moves off Library Ledge were exhillarating, when the crack thins and steepens, the feet petter out and you have to pull a wee bit while 700ft off the deck! I couldn't stop smiling. When I hit the flake right at the top of the wall instead of traversing below it I pulled the overlap on huge jugs with a fun dynamic move getting over the lip.. not at all hard, just freaking awesome. But you have to remeber to look down before you pull it, and giggle at the exposure At the crux move... [video:youtube]v=NyWtODXHCzY Doing the traverse... Done with the traverse... stoked for the rest of the route. pics and vid by Dane! 30 minutes later I was back at the base of the route, and I found the proper trail out and finished the walk out with Dane. After a bit of confusion I found Tamara and Scott as well as friends Mark, Josh, and Stewart. We went to Classic Crack and I put up a TR for everyone. Tamara and Mark found it hard with their tiny person hands, Josh found it hard becasue it was his second time trying to rock climb, and Stewart freaking walked it with his eyes closed. I tried 'Doing the Dishes', a 5.12 TR problem right of classic crack, and fell off the micro edge crimping moves. So I cleaned the TR anchor and rapped down. When I rapped down I found a better edge and promptly decided to try again and sent! Felt like a nasty sandbag for sure. Next time i have to get a sprinting belayer and lead the thing! Tamara on Classic Crack.. Malcom makes quick work of Deception Crack, with its tricky pro and slick flaring jams. The other guys went to climb R&D and had some sort of mini epic where Stewart got sick, Mark got a cam stuck, and Josh was just stoked to have done a real multi pitch climb. They ended up leaving becasue Stewart was throwing up and stuff unfortunately... The rest of Sat and Sun was spent bouldering and soloing around. Some highlights included Tamara on-sighting the Hueco Problem, which she basically campused with her eyes closed... sending Ressurection, V8 in a couple tries, and Tamara sending The Classic, a V2 highball with a crux top out, second try too. Her send was very epic... being over a foot taller than her I can just reach up to big holds at the lip but Tamara had to grab some little crimp and throw for some intermidiate sloper thing then finally get the jugs at the end... all the while at least 15ft above the pads. Nice Send! Then I got owned by a V3 at Barney's Rubble that took me like 45 minutes to send.. and Tamara almost sent the thing before geting shut down by the stupidly weird top out. Walking in to Mad Meadows The Peephole - V10, a truly outstanding problem! Tamara casually floats accross 'The hueco Problem' Working 'The Cloaca', the powerful V11 topout to The Hueco Problem.. didn't quite get the last move, something to work on next time! Tamara sends 'The Classic' a tall V2 with the crux right at the top! The Sword, this problem never dissapoints! [video:vimeo]11437630 Tamara on Alcove Left.. she almost got it! This is the V3 that took me more tries than Ressurection - V8 and Pimpsqueak - V9 combined! Some 5.9 crack at Barney's Rubble... We checked out Pishatin Pinnacles hich was sick... we even climbed The Tunnel, a crazy 5.6 that goes through a hole in Orchard tower.. so weird and awesome. We didn't climb anything remotely tricky though, the sandstone was crumply in places and we didn't want to die from pebbles breaking and stuff Peshatin Pinnacles! The drive home was uneventful, other than getting searched for drugs at the border... Scott got all mad at the gaurds and Tamara treid to keep everything chill.. while I just stood there and asked dumbass questions to the already pissed off guard about what happens when they swipe your passport and stuff such a rad trip and I'm stoked to come back soon! The 'Tamara' pose.. ! Edited May 4, 2010 by marc_leclerc Quote
sobo Posted May 3, 2010 Posted May 3, 2010 Marc, Once again, I commend you on your ascent of Outer Space. On-sight solo... truly remarkable, man. :tup: Quote
Pilchuck71 Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Right on Marc. Oh to be young and bold again....capable too! Quote
rocketparrotlet Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Let's go to Index...You KNOW you want to send City Park! And great trip! It was really cool to see you again. Awesome job on everything. Quote
telemarker Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 To begin that crux traverse feels sooo comitting, roped or otherwise. nice job! Quote
TamaraSlade Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 The 'Tamara' pose.. ! More like the "I'm greasy and tired" pose... Quote
cbcbd Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Pics are up now Sweet, as usual Climbing-mag-worthy (or should I say Gripped-worthy). You guys don't mess around. Quote
DPS Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Very nice photos. The strategic placement of the climbing honey no doubt helped. Quote
Crillz Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 :tup: Nice send on OS. Good description of that greesy hand jamb too! Quote
LostCamKenny Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 i wouldn't even try those boulder problems without a rope - holy fawk, man! Quote
BirdDog Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Congrats on the solo, Marc! Nice TR as well, great shots! Quote
hafilax Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Nice Mr. Leclerc (pronounced like Leclair for our American friends). Your TR's are always inspiring especially for a never has been like myself. I swear I'm coming out to Harrison Bluffs one of these days to watch you warm up on my projects. Quote
RJRiha Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 Nice photos!!! Good work on those boulder problems...I can't even THINK about doing those problems. Thanks for posting the one of me on Deception. Quote
sobo Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 More like the "I'm greasy and tired" pose... No worries... you're still hawt. Quote
Off_White Posted May 4, 2010 Posted May 4, 2010 pronounced like Leclair for our American friends What, not like Lei-Clerk? Huh, whodathunkit? Thanks for the Canuckistani elocution education. Oh yeah, and clearly, the kids are alright. Quote
denalidave Posted May 5, 2010 Posted May 5, 2010 who smuggles drugs INTO canuckistan?!? Yeah, I like they way the ask if they can look around for any guns, eh, and then they proceed to look in my ashtray and in the visor mirror... No, I keep the AK-47 in the glove-box, eh... Nice work Marc! Step aside Sharma, there's a new kid in town. Be careful out there, especially at the border! Quote
marc_leclerc Posted May 6, 2010 Author Posted May 6, 2010 Let's go to Index...You KNOW you want to send City Park! checked it out on the drive home.. looks sweet... and hard! Quote
marc_leclerc Posted May 6, 2010 Author Posted May 6, 2010 Just don't free solo it. hahahaha! I would be amped if I could 'free' it at all... Quote
telemarker Posted May 6, 2010 Posted May 6, 2010 Honestly and truly, I don't mean to take away from your OS solo climb, but: What do your parents think? All free soloists eventually die doing it. Just curious, that's all... Quote
summitchaserCJB Posted May 6, 2010 Posted May 6, 2010 Just don't free solo it. hahahaha! I would be amped if I could 'free' it at all... true. Quote
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