[TR] Squire Creek Wall - Oso Rodeo 8/5/2012

Otto · August 7, 2012

Trip: Squire Creek Wall - Oso Rodeo

Date: 8/5/2012

Trip Report:

On Sunday, Yale Lewis and I attempted the first one-day ascent of the (unrepeated?) route Oso Rodeo on Squire Creek Wall. After climbing twelve pitches in the morning, we were turned back by the record-breaking heat of that day. With thirst barely slaked by the brown water dipped into our bottles from the frog pond at the Pool Hall, my partner's hands had started to cramp up. There is no shade on the upper wall, nor water for refreshment, so with disappointment we had to give it up.

We gave it a good shot, moving steadily up the beautiful white granite of the low pitches in the early morning hours. We learned what it will take to make the successful Rodeo-in-a-Day, making an Alpine start at the creek crossing, moving up through the forest by headlamp and racking up in Otto's Grotto at first light. The sun did not directly hit us until the crux seventh pitch, the Black Roof, at around 9:00. So we knew we had a chance with all that remaining daylight, but it was not to be.

Getting set to place two small cams in the crack at the start of pitch 3.

Yale approaching the route's first 5.10 spot, the overlap on pitch 4. That sweet, flat slab below him was the scene of my first drilling on lead on this route, two years ago, and I pass it with great affection. The slab was so low angle that I had to lean far forward into the drill, reducing the angle of my foot to the rock, causing great fear of slipping off. Laughable now, as it can't be more than 5.5 or so.

Pulling the move on pitch 4. The camera just missed Yale pasting the left foot up high on a smear.

Relief to be up!

We were swapping leads until I gave my partner pitch 5. Delicate smears pass the curving edge just below Yale here.

There are some nice smooth friction moves on the short pitch 6.

Here's Otto getting set for the fearsome mantleshelf on the Black Roof. It was getting hot and I couldn't pull it clean, mea culpa. I found a cool undercling pocket in the shelf, so using it and the quickdraw I made it A0 to the foot ledge. On the FA last year I was able to do this move, but it still intimidates.

The pure friction moves through these three bolts are fantastic. This is from a tour de force of skillful wayfinding by DavidW.

Yale moving into the sweet slab on pitch 8.

After I scummed up pitch 9 we joined the true slab masters, the froggies of Pool Hall. They jump off the rock slope, snag a fly, and kerplop back into the pool.

Posing for their photo shoot for the upcoming calendar, "The Frogs of Darrington". We filled our water bottles here, and proved that chlorine tablets will stop mosquito larvae from wriggling around.

After many attempts to smear up the start of the amazing pitch 10, Yale gave up and went around. This is not the route. He connects up with it at the fifth or sixth bolt after a long runout. Don't do this; climb straight up to the bolt directly from the bivy site next to the frog pond. The moves are fabulous, just do it on a cool day.

Two more pitches got us up the the U-shaped ledge. On pitch 12, Yale found the third bolt had been hit by a rock in Winter and was missing its nut and hanger. As it is bent over, we'll have to drill a new hole, but he was able to use a wired nut on it and continue. But on the ledge, in searing heat, we gave up. With a turn-around time of 12:30 we had more than enough time to go to the top and descend before dark. This is the wild scoop ledge atop pitch 8.

We stopped into the Forest Camp bivy site to pick up the garbage we left last year. Someone had found it, opened up the bag to look inside, and left it open to the weather so it was half full of water. Whoever you are, I'm sorry to disappoint you when you found only empty plastic bottles and a tarp; but really, you could have closed it back up. Anyway, we removed it better late than never.

The approach boot track to Slab Daddy and Oso Rodeo has taken some Winter abuse. Near the top, a huge log now crosses over and one has to bend low, which I hate; a bypass can be made around it to climbers left. Also, for the two years DavidW and I were doing the traverse to Oso Rodeo, we watched with interest a "widowmaker" branch hung in a cedar tree. It has now fallen, and nearly covers the boot track but is easy to avoid.

There is a lot of good slab climbing to be found on this route. Because it starts as a long finger of rock down through the trees it appears brushy, but with the sole exception of pitch 11 with its "Wet Spot", the climbing is always out in the middle of clean, wavy granite. It was a pleasure to watch, and learn from, the creativity and "eye for the line" of DavidW as he guided us into the best parts of this big wall. Thanks David, and the others who helped, for fulfilling two years of the climbing life.

Our original TR for this route remains here: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1044503