Jump to content

[TR] Squire Creek Wall - Skeena26 8/3/2013


Otto

Recommended Posts

Trip: Squire Creek Wall - Skeena26

 

Date: 8/3/2013

 

Trip Report:

As my regular partner and FA artist was away on business, I had a chance to climb last year's route with some new friends. This is an amusing benefit of spending all my climbing time hammering away at one objective all year - bringing up some folks to see how they appreciate it. Kellie and Ken were motivated to have a good time on some new ground, and I'm pleased to say we accomplished that.

 

With the forecast chance of precipitation at 70% on our approach day, we drove up in Kellie's small sedan packed with three bikes in the rain. We hiked up in declining mist in three hours. I had just met Ken, and he turned out to be a full suspension Mt. biker who rode right down the new rock steps in the landslide. Astonishing to me, when asked about it later he hadn't even noticed it.

 

The hike up went well as we made camp after only three hours of travel. We relaxed after setting up the tent, as this photo shows, with the three liter bag of fine wine gone nearly flat.

DSCN3115web.jpg

 

Up at 6:30, and not raining at breakfast time, I was glad to see the forecast holding true. A small pool of water sat in my dinner plate, but I knew the fog would lift and we would get sun this day. We moved out at 9:00 after racking up.

 

Ken's knee was mending from some normal, for him, trashing so Kellie led all 12 pitches. She said she really liked the last pitch, with its patina, the crusty cracks and the gear placements. While Ken did all the belaying I took 200 photos, trying to get off to the side and above. A rare treat, to shoot someone other than a gnarly grizzled man who doesn't want to be seen anyway.

 

The first pitch has a technical, smooth couple of moves at the start.

DSCN3126web.jpg

 

A study of the infamous Primal Scream in the rising cloud.

DSCN3156web.jpg

 

Pitch 2 crosses this short overlap.

DSCN3161web.jpg

 

Working the knob.

DSCN3172web.jpg

 

Pitch 4 moves along the wide overlap and then crosses it.

DSCN3173web.jpg

 

DSCN3180web.jpg

 

DSCN3187web.jpg

 

Pitch 5 with admirable downpressure technique.

DSCN3193web.jpg

 

DSCN3201web.jpg

 

Ken and Bill following.

6_Ken_and_Bill_Following_web.jpg

 

Pitch 7 is a good one with small knobs at 5.8.

DSCN3207web.jpg

 

Hand work. The Sun has finally broken through.

DSCN3224web.jpg

 

Pitch 11 During the upper pitches, the large white snag signals the topout.

DSCN3257web.jpg

 

Pitch 12 There is good pro to the left of the overhang.

DSCN3267web.jpg

 

At the top, Kellie and Ken were all smiles.

DSCN3288web.jpg

 

Happy the Sun has warmed it all and we're on top.

12_Ken_and_Bill_at_the_Top_web.jpg

 

Thanks to tanstaafl and ken4ord for allowing me to relax and have a fine couple of days with good appreciative partners. May the good times continue to roll!

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Standard single rack to 4".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 18
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

that is NOT primal scream. It is JUST another EASY way up. Primal Scream was 'named' because of a host of reasons, by way of Ken Strong. P.S. is a way up that i had been looking at for over 25 yrs before Ken and i did it, ALL solo free, the very first time. The first 1.5 OR so pitches of the this FIRST and hopefully LAST bolted route on the south wall kinda uses the start of Primal Scream. Where this goes left, Primal goes straight up staying on the ridge all the way up. It is VERY EASY and can be very easy to protect where you want to, OLD SCHOOL way with nuts. aka ... VERY EASY (dont' need big balls). I have done WAY over a dozen 'ways up' on the south wall. Several, where this '26' bolted route goes. Still wondering why it is named skena26.... do 'you' know why Ken named it Primal Scream? great story ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Otto and tanstaafl it was a most excellent weekend. I had been wanting to go up into Squire Creek and somewhat intimidated by stories I had heard about the area. I was pleasantly surprised in what I saw and what we climbed. Good times for sure, it was great to be back on the PNW rock again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

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...