[TR] Darrington- 3 O'Clock Rock - Total Soul 10/13/2010

[JasonG]

Trip: Darrington- 3 O'Clock Rock - Total Soul

 

Date: 10/13/2010

 

Trip Report:

I just wanted to put another TR plug into the database for Darrington and specifically the Total Soul route on 3OCR. MattP, Dave Whitelaw, Don Brooks, Mark Hanna, and many others are to be commended for their tireless work in support of Darrington Climbing. Between new routing, and advocating for continued FS road maintenance, their efforts over the years are much appreciated. The area can handle a lot more traffic than it now receives, so I hope everyone reading this goes out and climbs a route in D-town soon (and writes the FS in support of access)!

 

OK, here's our story: Tired of the unrelenting weekend rains of September, Curt contacted me last week to see if I could get away on a midweek climbing jaunt. Being an out-of-shape, off-the-couch, dad type these days, I was a little apprehensive about the length and grade of Curt's first choice- Total Soul (~8p, .10b- I think). I shouldn't have been it turns out- a little finesse and technique go a long way on slabs (It wasn't all without struggle though, I did slip a few times). I think I may be a convert!

 

Anyway, the climb is really fun and safe with a mixture of bomber bolts and good natural gear- all belays are bolted too. Funnily enough, both Curt and I thought the hardest single couple of moves came on the last short pitch (rated .10a), but the bolts are right there. Kudos to Curt for leading all of the harder pitches, it was a good way to ease me into "D-town slab dancing". Enough blabbing, hear are some photos . .

 

Curt on the third pitch:

 

Curt at the end of the "Rubber Soul" pitch I think. This was a sustained and impressive pitch given the history of it.

 

Nice views abound when climbing the route, here's Exfoliation dome

 

Gotta love the little touches like this:

 

And the bomber rap rings:

 

Midweek, the climb felt as wild as the sign implies. We were the only party on 3OCR that day:

 

A trip to Darrington isn't complete without a stop at the Shell station. Good people watching, you may spot the yahoos in this photo:

 

I should add that if anyone is going to climb Total Soul before the snow flies, we forgot Curt's #3 BD camalot clipped to the first belay (the last rap bypasses this station). Beer for anyone returning it to its rightful owner! And while Curt was the rope-gun on this trip, I would be remiss if I didn't point out the kid-gun making the whole thing possible- my understanding wife, who stayed at home with the two wee ones (2 years and 6 months) while I goofed off in the hills. Thanks!

 

Gear Notes:

two ropes for rappels, pro to 1.5", beer at the Shell Station

 

Approach Notes:

Maintained trail right to the base of 3OCR. Road is 2WD to Squire Creek Pass TH. Write the Darrington RS in support of keeping this road open (and the spurs)!

[mountainmatt]

Awesome

 

 

.

[JasonG]

I should have made it more plain that this is really, really good route- four stars!

[mattp]

I'm glad to see some Darrington stoke on here.

 

The Rubber Soul pitch was a blueberry pull during all early ascents. The crack had been dug out for pro in a couple of spots but it was all vegetation and somewhere in the middle of the pitch there was a "belay tree," no more then 1" diameter and 2' high. It had rap slings on it when we dug out the crack in 1998, and we took the entire thing home, with the slings still on it. Jim Nelson hung it on the wall at Pro Mountain Sports for a couple of years.

 

The crux on the last pitch is made much easier by clipping the crux bolt and then stepping down and left before moving up and back right to reach the next bolt.

 

Topo: pdf file

[benmurphy]

right on boyz...all around fun climb, that one!

[hanman]

 

I love that place in the Fall. And the Spring. And the Summer. And the Winter. Great climb! Let's hope for minimal road damage over the next few months eh?

 

MH

[JasonG]

Thanks for the history lesson Matt, good stuff! And thanks for the bit of beta on the last pitch . . .

 

I can't wait to go back to back and try some of the other routes Curt pointed out in the area. As Mark pointed out, I hope the winter is relatively kind to the road . . .

 

 

[summitchaserCJB]

great climb. nice stoke.

[curtveld]

Really a fantastic climb - thanks Matt and Dave! And a fairly moderate one - for tall guys, hardly a move harder than 10a if you find the best lines thru the cruxes. Which I clearly didn't do on #8.

 

I retrieved my #3 camelot, but you will find use for a couple 2-3" cams on pitch #4. That must have been pretty weird yarding on and slinging bushes to get up that thing BITD.

[mountainsloth]

marvelous route! kudos!

[Phil K]

Jason- you cut your hair!

[JasonG]

Well, it is falling out anyway (darn kids), so I decided I might as well get used to having less hair.