Jump to content

[TR] Castle Rock, Leavenworth - Several 6/10/2012


mattp

Recommended Posts

Trip: Castle Rock, Leavenworth - Several

 

Date: 6/10/2012

 

Trip Report:

Good times at Castle Rock today.

 

This is one of the first placed I visited in Leavenworth, decades ago, and it remains one of my favorite. Great climbing with fantastic views, easy access, and the top of the rock feels like a small mountain summit. Here is Shawn, topping out on the ancient classic, Midway. Midway.jpg

 

On the lower part of the Rock, Stephen led Brass Balls. Here he goes on the lower of the double overhangs.

BrassBalls.jpg

 

There are good climbs to be had at Castle Rock!

 

For those inclined to do Midway, check out my topo. I would recommend avoiding the chimney on pitch 2 that is shown to be the way to go in all modern guidebooks. It is not the way Fred and company went in 1948 and it is not the best way to go today.

 

midway topo.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

This place is trad.

 

Approach Notes:

As easy as it gets. There are good trails leading 5 minutes to the lower Castle Rock, and 20 minutes to the upper Castle Rock. Walk off from the top.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 13
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Nice Matt! I agree, Castle Rock has it all. Back in the day we'd go there 3 weekends in a row, climbing everything up through the nines. Then we'd head up to Midnight and repeat. It usually took me a trip to the valley to get ready for Brass Balls. A lot of those routes are old friends. It's like going to Thanksgiving dinner with the relatives. I'd shake my cousins hand and remember what a cool dude he was. On Castle, you grab that crux jug on (insert route name here) and think: yeah...I remember you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just the other day my 8 month pregnant wife and I hiked to the summit and had a picnic. We soaked in the incredible views, made some new friends topping out on Angel Crack, and sat there day-dreaming about our bun in the oven. Just never gets old heading up to castle, even if you don't climb an inch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Matt,

In your topo, you say Midway Direct goes straight up from the jello tower step across. It's true that if you go to the top of the shallow dihedral...at about 50 feet it blanks out. But from that spot, if you traverse left, there is some lovely face climbing protected with small wired nuts (5/16 inch) that takes you up to easier ground and joins, eventually, with Angel. It's only 5.6 or so climbing, but very steep and exposed...a great "girlfriend" route. The holds are big incut gym type holds. Super fun climbing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, Mark. The variation called Midway Direct is good "girlfriend climbing." It is not a good beginning leader variation, though. I could refine that drawing a bit but I tried to show the fact that you have to move left when that corner above Jello Tower runs out.

 

I used to climb the "Direct Direct" a lot. I can't remember for sure but I'm wondering if there was another bolt on it in the 1980's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...