best wall at index for kids

[mountainsloth]

i am trying to figure out the best wall at index for a group of kids. most climb single pitch under 5.9.

 

I am convinced there is no such wall out there, but i figured i would check the community.

 

What'cha got for me?

[clee03m]

Can they climb Index 5.9? You probably know all this.

 

Lower town wall has some 5.9's and under. Princely Ambitions 5.8, Godzilla 5.9, Roger's Corner 5.9. GNS's first pitch is easy, but you won't make friends hogging that first pitch.

 

The country has trad climb going up the door that is 5.7. I think GM is 5.9 though first pitch is not really worth doing.

 

Toxic shock is 5.9 and across the way is a 5.7.

 

All in all, not really ideal for group of kids, I think.

[boadman]

Private Idaho has quite a few 5.9 & under single pitch (with a 70m rope) routes. They would actually be reasonably easy to set top-ropes on too, if the group doesn't have a ton of competent belayers. The grades are stiff, like usual though.

 

There are two 5.8s on the right side that are particularly fun and mellow.

[shaoleung]

Exit 38 has a ton of stuff under 5.9... worth the drive to take the kids there. Far side's probably best. Check on closures too... I hear there are some birds nesting somewhere up there.

[markwebster]

clee03 is right. Index is not a good area to take a bunch of kids. The easiest route there is the 5.5ish approach to the railroad bolts at the free area over on the left. But setting up a TR there for a bunch of kids would prevent people from rapping off.

 

Why don't you leave earlier and drive to the Peshastin Pinnacles? No one ever goes there and there are a ton of slabs you could set up top ropes on. For the last couple springs I've seen a school bus full of kids show up there and set up a couple top ropes on Martian Diagonal. You could also do it at Sunset Slab. Kids love friction climbing.

 

You won't anger other climbers...'cause no one is there...but there are a lot of fun climbs there.

 

Oh...how about Spire Rock in Tacoma? It's another climbing area ideally suited for kids, and no one goes there, so you wouldn't have to fight with the "real" climbers.

[mattp]

I'd go for summit wall at Mt Erie. Gorgeous, easy to set up, and a bunch of climbs in your range.

 

Check with Anacortes land managers about groups, though.

some info

[mountainsloth]

i agree with all of you, but guiding in a national forest (x38) is no longer legal (talk to your congressmen people!)

My group has already been to peshastin, vantage, mt erie, and tieton this season, index is our last stop. We may change this in the future. Spire rock is man made and not what we are about.

The crags we have visited are the only worthy crags for kids that are not in a nat'l forest or park and I would love to make index a worth while trip but want to do so without messing with the climbing community (aka me and all like minded people, i know i would be pissed if I stumbled into the lower town wall to see a group of kids hogging GNS).

I will probably go out to my private idaho or possibly k cliff.

any other ideas are welcome, keep them coming, but keep it index, i know the rest of the crags of washington.

[mattp]

Given that clarification, I'd recommend Private Idaho.

 

But if you could handle slightly longer climbs (two pitches and you'd need at least two leaders) I'd recommend Great Northern Slab even though you have rightly expressed concern that this might be "in the way" of other climbers. The standard route passing the railroad bolts is - what? 5.6? A route starting with Sickle Crack, to Taurus, to the last pitch of Great Northern is the best beginner route in the area, in my opinion (5.7). The Lizard, (5.8) is good (most climbers avoid buttlips chimney which is 5.8d), and you can do Rodgers Corner off to the right (5.9). I have taken large groups of up to ten kids on climbs 2 to 4 pitches and while there is a lot of sitting around involved they have enjoyed it.

 

You may get in somebody's way, so some management and some diplomacy will come in handy. But I think that if you are fairly thoughtful about it and maybe exercise a little charm you can take a group of up to ten kids there for a day and not cause too many problems. Some climbers you meet will not agree, for sure, but I think your kids have as much right to climb there as do anybody else.

 

It is a matter of trying to be cooperative and not acting like you own the place, in my opinion. And, if you have not practiced managing a group of kids on a multi-pitch climb, it may be a very tedious thing just to climb a two pitch 5.7.

 

I also think even your most gifted students that may have climbed a 5.10a 25 meter route at Exit 38 are likely to find Taurus' second pitch amusing. You head out under an overhang with no apparent easy way up, then magically pull up and find a jagged crack on a steep "slab" with a lot of exposure where they really get a sense of being on a cliff. The final moves, up a lower angled slab, are not trivial either though still 5.7.

 

I have taken a lot of large groups on multipitch climbs, 5.2 to 5.7, and they've had a good time on them.

[keenwesh]

k cliff at index, 3 or 4 5.8's and 9's. There are a couple 5.10s that weren't too sandbagged. not many people go there, it's on the right as you head to the inner walls.

[Peter_Puget]

I'd say Toxic Shock area.

 

How is guiding not legal in a NF?

[mountainsloth]

Thanks for all your thoughts. Although I have led kids multi-pitching, only a couple are ready and/or have done them before. After scouting a few crags yesterday, I think I was right in thinking Private Idaho, K Cliff, and toxic shock area will be best.

I stand corrected about x38. We could go there and will keep that in mind for next season.

Guiding is not legal in NF because there are not enough rangers to patrol areas and are afraid of the environmental impacts larger groups can cause without regular check ins.

 

[Peter_Puget]

So it's just the guiding of larger groups that's not allowed. Just how big is your group? Give 'em snips and have trim along the trails!

Edited May 9, 2012 by Peter_Puget

[mountainsloth]

yea, i wish it was that easy, but schools, guiding companies and the like are all forced to work state lands and crowd the national parks. pretty frustrating.

[Peter_Puget]

Still not sure I understand ....

Forest Service Site

[mountainsloth]

"Outfitters and guides require special-use permits to operate on national forest land."

What they don't tell you is how limited this actually is and very few are allowed these permits

[TobiasT]

I'd also suggest Private Idaho - you can TR both pitches of Magic Fern with a single 60m rope. I'm not sure if you can walk to the anchors from the top but you can definitely reach the anchors of SCIS.

Edited May 12, 2012 by TobiasT