[TR] Icicle Creek - The Trudge Wall - New Routes - Red Mamba - Afro Blue 5/26/2013

[Ryan Hoover]

Trip: Icicle Creek - The Trudge Wall - New Routes - Red Mamba - Afro Blue

 

Date: 5/26/2013

 

Trip Report:

It all started as a weekend trip up to Value Village. We hiked in Saturday and climbed as many routes as we could manage, the place is splitter central. Full Boar alone is well worth the hike!

 

Full Boar

 

The Indicator

 

Mike on his Full Boar Onsight

 

Cruiser Cracks

 

 

 

 

 

During this time, we both noticed a steep crack on a reddish wall NW of us, so on Sunday, we decided to take a look.

 

 

 

 

What we found, was endless potential. The wall alone will host as many routes as you can squeeze out of it, not to mention everything bigger and better around it. Everything from thin broken cracks, to overhanging off width, the wall has a bit of everything.

 

The first route we tackled was The Great Divide (#3). We went ground up on the obvious weakness, only to find we were not the first. There was a mangy old bolt that was oddly placed about three quarters the way up. Oh well. The route went at .10-, and was dirty, but still a lot of fun!

 

The Great Divide

 

We set some fixed lines over the steeper side of the crag and started cleaning, top roped some variations, and the routes were stellar! They needed some work, so we decided to head back up for the long weekend.

 

Mike Working on Afro Blue

 

Unfortunately, the weather was lousy, leading to us get less work done then we had hoped. But we came out with a couple of gems.

 

I don't expect these routes to ever get any traffic, but Red Mamba (#1) and Afro Blue (#2) are hands down 5 star .11+ climbs, and were likely the only routes we did that have not been previously climbed.

 

I am not sure who worked here in the past, but given the lack of any development and the approach, we figured we would name the wall and routes. If someone has any other info, let me know.

 

So, I pulled all the moves, but have yet to snag a clean lead on either Red Mamba or Afro Blue. Mike made easy work of both routes.

 

As a heads up, you can expect short but safe run outs and burly moves with gear below your feet. These are definite classics, but you will have to work for em! A mix between tips-thin crack and excellent slab and face climbing.

 

Guillotine L and R are also great solid .10 climbing.

 

Not many lead pics, but hey, we were climbing in between rain the whole weekend.

 

Oh, and Rafael, thanks for the guest appearance!

 

The Trudge Wall

 

(1) Red Mamba 5.11+ PG ***** - FA Michal Rynkiewicz, Ryan Hoover

(2) Afro Blue 5.11+ PG FA ***** - FA Michal Rynkiewicz, Ryan Hoover

(3) The Great Divide 5.10- *** - FA Unknown

(4/5) The Guillotine L/R 5.10 **** - FA Unknown

 

 

 

 

Looking down Red Mamba

 

The Cave Bivy/Belay

 

Gear Notes:

 

There is a water source, and the cave will keep 2 dry.

 

Red Mamba and Afro Blue are 35 Meter Pitches, be EXTRA careful while lowering, The Guillotine routes are not far off. All routes can be topped out with easier climbing. Either rap the tree to Red Mamba's anchors, or walk off.

 

70 Meter Rope

 

(1) Red Mamba 5.11+ PG *****

Gear: (2 Each) 00 TCU -.75 C4, Full set of Nuts and Micros. 3 Bolts

At the undercling, you may feel there is no hope for gear, reach out right and place a perfect #7 BD Nut.

 

(2) Afro Blue 5.11+ PG *****

Gear: (2 Each) 00 TCU -.75 C4 (1 Each) #1 and 3 C4, full set of stoppers and micros. 1 bolt, 4 KB's. Save 2 of your smallest cams for the top!

 

(3) The Great Divide 5.10- ***

Gear: Doubles to 3 inch's, 1 #4 and 5, full set of stoppers.

 

(4/5) The Guillotine L/R 5.10 ****

Gear: Doubles to 3 inch's, 1 #4 and 5, full set of stoppers.

*Tread lightly around the Death Block, I tried to set it free with no luck, there fore the left line was only TR'd. We will take care of it the next time we are up there.

 

 

Approach Notes:

We took a "new approach" following the creek more or less straight up from the wash out just past 8 mile campground. This was hell,I ended up with bruised ribs.

 

The correct approach (which we descended) is to park at 8 Mile Rock, head up past Secret Dome, follow cairns staying on the shoulder left of the creek until you hit a overhanging slabby crag. Cross the stream when it seems appropriate and follow to "The Trudge Wall". 3 hours if you are motivated.

 

The other option, which is likely the best, is to spend one day shredding at Value Village, and take a day trip over to this lovely new crag the next day. 1 hour from Value Village.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Ryan Hoover

[telemarker]

Cool photos! The Full Boar splitter is compelling. I have to climb that someday. Man that granite looks Delish up there.

 

I think I remember Ben Stanton talking about climbing around on that wall at some point in his prolific Icicle wanderings. Not sure...

[DRep]

Yeah Mike! Nice work.

 

Dave

[Cobrien1125]

Guys this is really great! Can't wait for a little exploration, hope not to break a rib.

[blackhead]

very cool

Isn't there already a route named Guillotine in the Icicle?

[jrex]

So awesome....

[Ryan Hoover]

Hell, I'm sure there is a couple climbs named gullotine in Icicle. We just got lazy with the names, and with the death block it seemed fitting.

 

There is a lot of truly great looking climbing in the area, including the bigger and badder Great Polish Towers. We will surely be back for more.

[Sol]

That is one well-stocked bivy for being so high above the icicle!

[Ryan Hoover]

And this picture excludes the gallon of beer Mike managed to haul up!

[JensHolsten]

Psyched to climb up there...thx guys

[crazedmaniac]

just because it doesn't have a bolt, don't ever assume your the ... 'first'. Way back in the late 70,s and 80,s there was a new way of climbing, because of the new thin removable stuff, other than pitons, that made a 'new' style of climbing called .. free climbing. NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF any one climbing there ... Bob Buckley used to get me to drive all the way over there, just to add one bolt on some route he was working on, before i got him his own hilti, during the late 80,s and early 90,s. This was before he found 'vantage', a really old 'secret' place i used to go to in the mid 70,s to hang glide, or rock climb. He went crazy over there with the bolts, then came the 'guide book' .. then came the .....

looks like your having fun.. that is the most important part!

[inacan]

Full on Badassery!!!

 

Looks like it gets pretty direct sun. Zat true?

[Ryan Hoover]

Hey crazedmaniac. Honestly, if it's been climbed before, it wouldn't bother me a bit. Just trying to spread the good word on some fun climbing.

 

At Inacan - It gets some gooood sun.

 

[Drederek]

Thx for working on these great looking climbs, and especially telling us about them. How would you compare the hike up to say Memorial dome or the crystal cave?

[stevetimetravlr]

Really cool looking area, great TR, thank you. Amazing the Icicle holds so many hidden/secrect areas. Just got to be willing to hike I guess.

[rat]

stanton and cappellini did a fair amount of adventure climbing in that area post-fire. dan and i added a good route up what he called "the coyote" (because you can look over at the rabbit ears) that included an improbably moderate pitch up a spectacular arete near the top. i think the coyote might be the last major tower on the ridge above big dome but am unsure without a photo.

 

lots of potential up there. thanks for the tr.

[dkatz12090]

New to the area and would love to climb at Value Village but can't seem any info on it anywhere? Is there a map, list of climbs?

 

Thanks everyone!

 

[dkatz12090]

New to the area and would love to climb at Value Village but can't seem any info on it anywhere? Is there a map, list of climbs?

 

Thanks everyone!