Darrington first timer....

[Frankazoid]

So I haven't climbed d-town before and I am trying to plan a good long day climb with a friend. Whats a good intro to darrington route for a 5.10 slab climber, with minimal route finding difficulties? Buddy wants to do dreamer, but i'd rather do that first with someone who knows the route and its variations. Any Ideas? How are the route finding challenges on blueberry rt on exfoliation? How about the decent route, strait foward? room for an epic on that? Gracias

[mountainmatt]

Silent running is probably your best choice. Easy approach (minus road issues), straight forward pitches, plus there is a nice 10b finishing pitch if you are enjoying the slab.

 

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[Frankazoid]

Nice. definetly on the list. any others?

[genepires]

if silent running goes well, try total soul right next time.

 

If you got time after silent running, try the kone route on the buttress to the left. 3.5 pitches and IMO a little more "spicy" than silent running.

 

 

 

How are the route finding challenges on blueberry rt on exfoliation? How about the decent route, strait foward? room for an epic on that?

 

for exfoliation dome, just getting to the base can be a challenge. Some thousands of vertical feet of 20 degree slab walking, where a slip will be.....bad. There are a couple detours around bad spots too. Just have to keep you eyes open to find them. (think climbing trees and roots for one) Don't even think about it a day after a rain storm. Sticky rubber approach shoes are good.

I've descended dark rythm or whatever the route to the left of blueberry buttress is. There was one rope eating section. always room for epics.

Edited May 10, 2011 by genepires

[mattp]

Dreamer is presently a long walk. The base of the climb is 2 1/2 hours or more from the car.

 

Three O'Clock Rock and Exfoliation Dome are both closer.

 

Take my topo and I don't think you'll have any route finding problems on the Blueberry Route. Smoot shows the finish incorrectly.

 

www.mattsea.com/darr

 

To descend from the top of the Dome the "standard" descent route starts off to the south then four or five messy rappels of roughly half a rope length to reach cleaner slabs below. It is better not to skip stations on the first four of them because there are loose rock and bushes.

 

If you stop at the Blueberry Terrace and your packs are at the base of the Blueberry Route, the best descent is to rappel of the south end of the Terrace and then you'll probably end up with some funky intermediate rap or you can traverse over to Westward Ho.

 

From the Terrace I think that Dark Rhythm, which is what Gene suggested, is not a good rappel route because of the rope eating flakes on pitch 4. Any of the three routes left of that are better, but they don't leave you back at your pack at the base of the Blueberry Route.

 

If you are a 5.10 slab climber, try Dark Rhythm, Rainman, or Jacob's Ladder.

 

 

[obwan]

To bad the approach is so long to Dreamer, one needs an alpine start for a long day, but it is a cool place. I've not been to Exfoliation, but the descent/rappel sounds sketchy - Three O'clock is OK.

If you have not been to Static Point, that has some good slab climbing also - especially on the Spaceport side, such as "The Curious Cube". But alas, the approach has gotten longer.

[genepires]

getting to dreamer (without the recent road damage) seems short compared to static pt.

[hanman]

The Exfo Dome descent down Westward Ho is very straightforward now. 30 M raps off good anchors have replaced the tree tat cedar jungle adventure. Once at the head of Westward Ho, the raps are long and straight, depositing you at the base of the west buttress

 

 

MH

Edited May 10, 2011 by hanman

[hanman]

I think we need some DTown stoke-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tyson.g]

Hanman speaks the truth regarding the raps down the Ho.

I don't know why you would do the Blueberry

route if you are a 5.10 slab climber.

Although it is fun.

Westward Ho route is way fun and you would be lined up for the raps. I would reccommend going farther than the 4 pitches and continue to the tree on the ridge. The view over the other side is sweet.

If you can ball up more than I, which should not be too hard you can make the final 1/2 pitch to the top proper.

 

Check out my signature link for some pics of the Westward Ho route.

 

[rocketparrotlet]

Blueberry route is great. I thought it was a fantastic route, and the approach only takes about an hour. The granite sidewalk isn't that steep, I ran down it in sneakers with a backpack. I wouldn't want to go there if it's wet though. I found the descent to be the hardest part, but pick a descent and stick with it and it's not too bad. The other routes on Exfoliation Dome look even better, but I'm not that good of a slab climber yet. Maybe this summer.

[mountainmatt]

Thanks for the stoke Mark, damn I miss Dtown (and summer)

 

 

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[obwan]

Talk about some awesome D-Town "stoke"! Incredible photos and nice granite. Thanks hanman.

[mattp]

For a summit climb I would recommend any of the other "modern" west side routes over Westward Ho (the original West Slabs route, or 23rd Psalm in its original incarnation, might not be good choices). The top pitches of Westward Ho - which are really not part of that route but a completion of the former west slabs route - are unaesthetic to say the least. If you go this way and find yourself intimidated by that last pitch to the summit, though, simply walk around the corner to the right and you will find a traverse ledge leading around the summit and allowing you to climb up from the north.

 

Also, I would recommend climbing to the top if you climb one of the routes leading to the Blueberry Terrace. Those last pitches are fun and the summit is definitely worth a visit.

[Frankazoid]

Definetly... I wouldn't climb so many pitches and leave without taking my shoes off at the top

 

The reason I threw bluberry rt out there is because my partner might not be able to do a sustained 5.10 rt. I wouldnt hesitate for a second to lead jacobs ladder, or do Roan wall with another partner who is familiar with the area. Thanks for all the ideas... So what do you guys think might open up first? (dryness-wise)

 

I almost wanna say that it seems like I should climb d-town with a local for a day or 2, and then bring my buddy out...

[mattp]

My guess is there is probably still snow on the top of the Dome. For that reason, I'd bet Silent Running would be drier right now.

 

Mountain Man Doug on Silent Running, early season when there was still snow on Exfoliation Dome.

[mattp]

Hanman belaying his buddy UncleBeeman on Jacob's Ladder, pitch 3.

[mattp]

If you are ready for 5.10 slab climbing and multi-pitch climbs, and if your buddy is ready to follow those climbs, you'll do fine. A climb of the Dome, or Green Giant Buttress (Dreamer) have a bit of a mountaineering kind of complexity involved in that the climbs themselves involve at least some routefinding skills and they have long and not simple descents, so if you or your buddy might be concerned about either of these factors it'd be a good idea to head for Three O'clock Rock.

 

The routes in Squire creek, which we have not been discussing here, also involve some more "mountaineering" type challenges. These are excellent climbs, though.

[Frankazoid]

Ya I just want to avoid what my friend Dave did. Dave, who was climbing GGB (also first time to d-town) got off route and ran out 60m of his 70m rope. Apparently his belayer had around 30 ft of rope left, before he had clipped a single thing. Not even kidding about that one. To be fair though, he did say that the topo flew out of his hands at the second belay.

[mattp]

Take an extra copy of the topo!

 

I can't imagine where your buddy was if he climbed 200 feet without clipping a single piece of pro. Seriously, he must have been trying to avoid cracks and bushes. Anyway, none of the routes that are recommended involve anything like this. On many of them you'll find 30 foot runouts on climbing that is two number grades below the given grade for the climb, though. And this certainly CAN render such climbs serious or potentially quite dangerous for climbers used to sport climbing.

 

Like visiting any new climbing area, it is a good idea to start a grade or two below your standard lead proficiency until you have a sense of the area.

[bwwakaranai]

So much Granite! To te mo yoi!

[Frankazoid]

I hear ya, Matt. I dont think he had many slings, or pro to begin with. and before they headed out I was thinking it sounded like a bad idea. anyhoo... Im sure an extreme case such as that isn't common.

[obwan]

 

Frankazoid,

I almost wanna say that it seems like I should climb d-town with a local for a day or 2, and then bring my buddy out...

 

Sounds like you are getting what MattP is trying to pass along, to keep you from having a bad day. It's a fun place but helps if you go with someone who has been there, to save all the off route issues.

[Frankazoid]

Frankazoid,

I almost wanna say that it seems like I should climb d-town with a local for a day or 2, and then bring my buddy out...

 

Sounds like you are getting what MattP is trying to pass along, to keep you from having a bad day. It's a fun place but helps if you go with someone who has been there, to save all the off route issues.

 

That would be ideal.

[shapp]

bring the velcro gloves for the new sheep lover! Hey frank name these walls!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not Darrington, but it gets me excited!

Edited May 11, 2011 by shapp