redlude97 Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Kind of a last minute plan to head to leavenworth for some camping/climbing but I hear it can be packed. Was going to head out Friday afternoon to secure a spot in icicle if possible or tumwater. For those that have been there in previous years, do I have a shot, or will it be too packed? Any other good places to camp that aren't too far from the climbing? Quote
telemarker Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 (edited) Dude, you have absolutely no chance. Don't even bother. Climb something at Exit 37 or Infinite Clips. And by all means, spread the bad news to all your climbing colleagues in the greater Seattle area. Edited May 23, 2012 by telemarker Quote
Crillz Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Plus, it's pretty much that time of year where getting back to the wetside at the end of a weekend, especially holiday, takes a good portion of the day stuck in traffic. Hours even... Quote
DPS Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 There are a number of 'non sactioned' bivi areas. There is a large pullout half way up the road to Mountianeer's Creek TH that can acommodate a number of tents. Way down the Icicle is a 'camp site' that is simply a large parking lot dedicated to RVs. If you can sleep in your vehicle (station wagon, truck with a canopy) you can use it but there are no bathrooms or ammenities. I hate to spill the secret, but I'm sure most people know you can camp under the big bridge that spans the Icicle Creek. Quote
Tyson.g Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 And by all means, spread the bad news to all your climbing colleagues in the greater Seattle area. The ticks are really freaking bad right now too! My buddy pulled forty seven (47) off his left ankle alone. Poor bastard is damn near out of blood! My other buddy got bitten by seventeen (17) baby rattlesnakes all at one time! Luckily he had been slowly building up an immnunity to rattlesnake poisin over the last few years. Quote
G-spotter Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Wow! Tyson has two (2) friends. Chestbeater. Do they know about each other? Quote
Tyson.g Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 not friends g-spotter, just buddies. My only true friend is loneliness. Quote
Pete_H Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 If you go please tell all the pad people that bouldering zones aren't campgrounds / drum circle areas / bonfire party zones, etc. Back in the days of Larry the Tool I used to loath him, but at least he kept the order and the riff raff out. Quote
jon Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 If you go please tell all the pad people that bouldering zones aren't campgrounds / drum circle areas / bonfire party zones, etc. Back in the days of Larry the Tool I used to loath him, but at least he kept the order and the riff raff out. We still have a stack of LtT stickers. Are these collectors editions now? Quote
redlude97 Posted May 23, 2012 Author Posted May 23, 2012 There are a number of 'non sactioned' bivi areas. There is a large pullout half way up the road to Mountianeer's Creek TH that can acommodate a number of tents. Way down the Icicle is a 'camp site' that is simply a large parking lot dedicated to RVs. If you can sleep in your vehicle (station wagon, truck with a canopy) you can use it but there are no bathrooms or ammenities. I hate to spill the secret, but I'm sure most people know you can camp under the big bridge that spans the Icicle Creek. Yea I know most of the various free camping available, but so do a lot of climbers. I also know the ticks aren't too bad right now, I was just there last weekend and didn't encounter any. I am a yuppy seattleite, but I spend enough weekends in leavenworth to know how things go. I was more wondering if the number of people will be insane, heck the parking lot above barney's rubble was the busiest I've seen it this past weekend(Outdoors for All and SAR practice didn't help) and we still managed to have a good time Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 the place to go is the Mole. N Face. You'll be alone there. Go for it! Quote
wetslide Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 This is when having a cabin 30 minutes from Icicle becomes awesome. Quote
Tyson.g Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 This is when having a cabin 30 minutes from Icicle becomes awesome. And the address is? Quote
wetslide Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 For you, maybe. But the rest of the interwebs..not so much. Quote
Tyson.g Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 I actually prefer to move uphill away from the masses and sleep in the dirt. It would be a pity if I got any softer than I already am. Wait a minute, Wetslide are you flipping hitting on me? Quote
max Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 the place to go is the Mole. N Face. You'll be alone there. Go for it! I'm consistently surprised how little physical effort is required to exceed the "quit and turn around" threshold of most people, even "climbers". I'm not boasting. I don't get out that much. But the times I've worked, I've consistently been alone. Quote
Tyson.g Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 the place to go is the Mole. N Face. You'll be alone there. Go for it! I'm consistently surprised how little physical effort is required to exceed the "quit and turn around" threshold of most people, even "climbers". I'm not boasting. I don't get out that much. But the times I've worked, I've consistently been alone. - yep! Quote
laurel Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 Last year I climbed Outer Space on Memorial weekend and I think we were the only ones on Snow Creek Wall. Maybe everyone thought it was going to be too popular? Quote
Sol Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 They've already gated the icicle, filled to capacity.. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 There will 500 Mounties, boe-alps, and WAC students there. Best to avoid the place this w/e. Quote
markwebster Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 The campgrounds will be full, but dirt roads around Leavenworth almost always lead to open forest service land where you can camp. Regarding crowded cliffs...I doubt it. There still aren't that many trad climbers around. Yeah, the sport routes get busy but trad, or old school areas like Castle and the Pinnacles should be fine. Any cliff with more than a half hour approach will be ok, Givler's being the exception. Quote
Crillz Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 The campgrounds will be full, but dirt roads around Leavenworth almost always lead to open forest service land where you can camp. Regarding crowded cliffs...I doubt it. There still aren't that many trad climbers around. Yeah, the sport routes get busy but trad, or old school areas like Castle and the Pinnacles should be fine. Any cliff with more than a half hour approach will be ok, Givler's being the exception. Mark is right - a little approach will thin out the crowd big time. So will climbing routes above 5.9. Hi Mark . Quote
telemarker Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 Ok, here's your ingredient list for a crowd-free day in Leavenworth, in particular, Castle Rock: P1: Mr clean P2: Brass Balls P3: No Such Thing As a Free Lunge (if this pitch has a que, then climb Dans Dreadful Direct) P4: return to lower Castle and climb Squeak of the Humiliated P5: Finish up on Midway, which should now be free of climbers! Chances are good you may not havre to wait in too long of a line. Post pics! Quote
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