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[TR] Static Point - Sparks 5.8, Kill da Wabbit 5.10D, Fudd Hat 5.10A 6/25/2010


David Yount

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Trip: Static Point - Sparks 5.8, Kill da Wabbit 5.10D, Fudd Hat 5.10A

 

Date: 6/25/2010

 

Trip Report:

 

Static Point – Sparks 5.8 ***, Kill da Wabbit 5.10D ***, Fudd Hat 5.10A ***

06.25.10 Friday

 

Hike 90 minutes to base of the route Online then put on rock shoes. Scramble right, use the assist sling to cross a blank section which is much appreciated considering we’re carrying our full packs.

 

P1010362.JPG

 

Continue further right, to the Lost Charms Tree. Rack up and lead the 5.6 approach pitch to Spencer’s Spaceport ledge.

 

P1010364.JPG

 

The anchors are on the far left side of Spencer’s Spaceport ledge, about 15-feet above the bottom of the ledge.

 

P1010365.JPG

 

Continue scrambling right, passing the route Shock Treatment, then scrambling up the right side of Spencer’s Spaceport, low 5th Class.

 

P1010377.JPG

 

Finally reaching the Old Milwaukee Tree (picture of the tree, shot from several pitches above).

 

P1010378.JPG

 

To the right of Old Milwaukee Tree is a triangular black roof. On the right of this roof is a water course, this is the beginning of the route Besides Fudd 5.9 * 3 pitches

 

P1010379.JPG

 

But our route is even further right, and begins lower, than this. We rappel from near the Old Milwaukee Tree, down to the bottom of the granite tongue. Scrambling further right to reach the base of the route Sparks 5.8 *** 3 pitches, which climbs the right side of a left facing corner.

 

P1010382.JPG

 

That is a long approach! It takes us 90 minutes to begin climbing Sparks, after we reach the route Online. It took us 90 minutes to reach Online from the car. This is the newest full route at Static Point. Mark Hanna put it in 2003. I climbed it October 2009 and really enjoyed it.

 

Alex and I are in the clouds, visibility is less than 300 feet. The clouds and fog are so thick that the rock is damp. Damp slab is nobody’s pleasure but I’m here to climb and I’ve just put in considerable effort to be here. Exactly here.

 

I start up and get the first bolt. Conditions are building, moisture is coming out of the air and appearing on the rock. It’s not raining. No rain is falling. But the cloud is so thick we’re inside saturated air. The moisture on the rock begins to thicken until it begins to flow. I take a few steps up past the bolt. Small rivulets of water are coming down the wall, everywhere. I take another step, my foot slips immediately. I can tell it’s going to continue and likely get worse. My next bolt is maybe 25 feet up. Forget it. I can’t climb this route in active water. I downclimb, take my sling off the bolt and downclimb to the ledge. There is now a deep puddle of water that has collected on the ledge.

 

It feels like maybe it’s raining. It’s just after 7:30AM and things are slowly getting worse. A big day, sidetracked by a little water.

 

We retreat to several trees with healthy canopies. The ground remains dry by the tightly packed foliage overhead.

 

P1010383.JPG

 

It’s not really raining, nothing is falling. It’s like being inside a cloud where water droplets are forming. I scout about, finding a small space beneath two large rocks, large enough to stuff the ropes and rack inside.

 

P1010393.JPG

 

Our gear is protected.

 

And we wait. Since neither of us got more than a few hours sleep, we both crash. A couple hours later we wake and notice the clouds lifting, the air feels less damp, the rock no longer flows water.

 

I pull the rack and ropes out from beneath the rocks and we scramble to the base of the route. The rock is wet, but drying. Good enough. The route follows a 1-inch white dike, up and left. It’s wet to the first bolt, but no slips. It’s damp to the second bolt, no slips. Then a long runnout….. not looking great. As I remain cool and work the dike for all it’s friction I encounter a small pod within the dike. I fiddle in a Green Alien, but it’s less than ideal, so I add a Yates Screamer; makes me feel better.

 

P1010402.JPG

 

I get the third bolt, then it’s up and left, ending left of the healthy bush.

 

P1010403.JPG

 

The anchors sit above a ledge, left of the bush. About 150-feet of climbing and 3 bolts, oh and 1 piece of pro. Yep, that’s Static Point.

 

Alex steps up onto the smooth slab with the featured dike and enjoys sunshine on dry rock.

 

P1010410.JPG

 

Looking up at Pitch 2 which is also 5.8, ends on the rightside of the bush. Pitch 3 ends on the rightside of the tree. Alex climbs up the dike, passes an overlap, then 8-feet later gets the bolt.

 

P1010415.JPG

 

Two more bolts and Alex reaches a small ledge to collect his thoughts.

 

P1010418.JPG

 

Looking down, Pitch 3 ends on the rightside [climber’s] of the tree. Pitch 2 ends on the rightside of the brown bush. Pitch 1 ends on the leftside of the green bush.

 

P1010420.JPG

 

Alex beginning Pitch 3 which is 5.8, working up the dihedral then out right and finishing on rightside of the tree.

 

P1010426.JPG

 

The end of the route reaches a tree, which is on the Broken Band, also called Long Ledge.

 

I scramble left along the Broken Band, reaching the anchors for the top of Fudd Hat. There are no anchors for the top of Besides Fudd, guess you would veer left on the Broken Ledge and finish Besides Fudd at the Fudd Hat anchors. These anchors also serve as the beginning for the most excellent 2 pitch route Kill Da Wabbit 5.10C/D, as well as the 2 pitch route Total Fudd 5.11D A0.

 

P1010440.JPG

 

Alex starts up the face, the first 2 bolts are common to both routes. Kill Da Wabbit heads right, towards the tree at top and Total Fudd heads left, towards the block at top.

 

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After 3 bolts and 2 pieces of pro, Alex encounters the crux of the pitch. You see the anchors far right.

 

P1010455.JPG

 

After the 4th bolt, he finds his solution, traverse 8-feet left, go up…..

 

P1010458.JPG

 

then traverse 30-feet right.

 

P1010462.JPG

 

The 5th bolt is new and gives the leader something to focus on as they’re moving right, moving right, to those anchors, so far away, to the right.

 

P1010471.JPG

 

The pitch concludes with a wonderful finger flake. Some people are wary this flake eats ropes. I don’t believe there have been any positive reports, and there are rappel rings at this anchor. So, maybe yes, maybe no.

 

Top of Pitch 1 of Kill Da Wabbit, seen from beginning of Kill Da Wabbit on the Broken Band (Long Ledge).

 

P1010475.JPG

 

Looking up Pitch 2

 

P1010478.JPG

 

There are 3 bolts, then a ledge. Then 5 closely spaced bolts. Then a long runnout to the anchors. Here, Alex is passing Bolt 5 on the steep rock with very little to grip.

 

P1010505.JPG

 

Approaching Bolt 6 with smears and a single crimp

 

P1010510.JPG

 

Past Bolt 6, the crux position 5.10D

 

P1010513.JPG

 

Reaching Bolt 8 and the jog to the anchors.

 

P1010514.JPG

 

The anchors as we found them at top of Kill Da Wabbit

 

P1010521.JPG

 

How we left them

 

P1010522.JPG

 

When rappelling you might consider hooking up with the middle anchors of Total Fudd. They are down and left. This would avoid the middle anchors of Kill Da Wabbit which has the finger flake beneath it. Alex is rappelling from the middle anchors of Total Fudd

 

P1010532.JPG

 

These anchors are below a roof, below the rock that sticks out above [the curious cube]. 3 bolt anchor.

 

P1010533.JPG

 

We reach the Broken Band (Long Ledge) and then rappel Fudd Hat, down to the Old Milwaukee Tree. Next we choose Fudd Hat. Alex takes the first pitch

 

P1010534.JPG

 

He was expecting 5.8 like the 3 pitches of Sparks which are all 5.8 but evidently not all 5.8 is created equal, at Static Point. The 5.8 on this pitch was mentally gripping and somewhat of a challenge route finding.

 

P1010536.JPG

 

He reaches the anchors on a ledge after clipping 4 bolts. Then I start up Pitch 2. Looking down part way up Pitch 2

 

P1010539.JPG

 

The nature of Pitch 2 and Pitch 3 of Fudd Hat is sustained. Somewhat steep slab, almost nothing to grab, just smear and march upward.

 

P1010545.JPG

 

The crux of Online is discreet and short lived. The crux of Kill Da Wabbit is discreet and short lived. But these 2 pitches of Fudd Hat don’t let up, just keep on smearing

 

P1010546.JPG

 

We reach Broken Band [Long Ledge] and rappel the route, down to Old Milwaukee Tree. Then scramble down to Spencer’s Spaceport. A rappel from the anchors on the left side brings us to Lost Charms Tree. Further scrambling and we reach the trail at the route Online.

 

P1010562.JPG

 

This 5.4 slab to the first bolt of Online looks so incredibly easy I put on my rock shoes and sprint standing up to the first bolt. I do this three times, marveling at how my day of sustained 5.10 slab has recalibrated my mind to what is easy.

 

I hope to see some people Saturday 9:30am (July 10) at the parking area to help with some trail work.

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/967459/Static_Point_Work_Party_07_10_#Post967459

 

 

 

 

Approach Notes:

After the two Work Parties end of 2009 there's no more bushwhacking. This crag is open for business.

 

Fill out a registration card at the Olney Pass bathrooms / registration. Write in "climbing Static Point" under the "other" option.

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Glad you liked Sparks, good work on the link up- That dike was really fun, actually similar conditions with the drizzle on the FA. I seem to remember the pod on P1 took a pretty good pinky or red tri cam. Hoping to get out on the 10th, but may have family in town....

 

That smeary crux on Fuddhat is one of my favorites, just keep on paddling :grin:

 

MH

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Awesome report!!!! It's so great to hear from someone who spent all day above "Old Milwakee Tree". What a place, huh? Static Point; "smooth all over". "Slap and Pray" originated here, all for good reason. "The goodness that is Static still provides".

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  • 2 years later...

 

 

In general climbing is good from March to early November, but never on sunny summer days at Static Point.

 

 

September, 2012

Before you drive out to climb at Static Point it's easily worthwhile to place a phone call to ask if the South Shore Gate is open at Spada Resevoir. The gate is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from May 1 to October 31, except for 1) roadwork, or 2) dangerous conditions. And in my experience it's not rare for them to decide there exist dangerous conditions, and they have roadwork to perform every year during Spring to Fall.

 

The Snohomish PUD contols the gate and their website will give the gate's status. But the actual page with the gate's status is buried in several layers of choices and the navigation is not intuitive nor descriptive. But here's the URL as of September 2012:

http://www.snopud.com/PowerSupply/hydro/jhp/jhprecreation/jhpsultan.ashx?p=1500

 

425.783.1774 Karen Bedrossian (or her subsequent replacement)

425.783.8804 Barry Chrisman

 

If you don't reach either of them you can call the main number and seek other suggestions from the operator

425.783.1744, or 877.783.1000

 

option 0 to speak to an operator at Snohomish PUD and ask them about the current status of the South Shore Gate at Spada Resevoir. Ask the operator for the direct phone number and the full name of the person they will connect you with, for your records.

 

If the gate is closed, you can still climb at Static Point, just add 3 miles of casual downhill mtn biking or hiking.

 

Sometimes you must park at the registration station at Olney Pass if the right gate, South Shore Road, is closed. The right gate is the South Shore Road, take this. The three miles (on road Nf-6129 around the reservoir / lake) to the decommissioned spur road is gently and consistently downhill (fast and easy on a mtn bike). When you arrive at a large bridge (crossing the inlet to Spada Resevoir), the spur road is just past on the right and is blocked by several boulders and a large snag placed crosswise. Park here. You used to be able to drive part of this spur road, but now you park in a pullout on the South Shore Road.

 

You can climb all year long at Static Point. Several routes were first climbed in January. The granite slab faces south and dries relatively quickly. In the winter when it's a sunny day the climbing can be at it's best, as the friction of climbing shoe rubber reaches it's maximum at 49F, I've read. If the South Shore Gate is not opened and if there isn't snow at the 2000-foot Olney Pass, then a casual 3 mile downhill mtn bike ride accesses the old spur road (this spur road can be biked for a few minutes but quickly turns into hiking only because of 21 deep gorges cut into the road).

 

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