[TR] Darrington- Squire Creek Wall - Slab Daddy to Pitch 11 10/28/2013

[JasonG]

Trip: Darrington- Squire Creek Wall - Slab Daddy to Pitch 11

 

Date: 10/28/2013

 

Trip Report:

Excessive Approach Beta Warning

 

You'd think with the excellent information out there about Slab Daddy that the approach would be somewhat idiot proof. Although, after leading Caleb on the Squire Creek scenic tour earlier this week I'm afraid to say that no, no it isn't. At least not for this idiot.

 

Caleb and I had traded emails for more than a year, looking to get out together. He climbs a great deal harder than myself, but luckily he recently retired from crushing, and was ready to stoop to my level. With Indian summer in full effect I convinced him to make the drive south, he had never climbed at Darrington!

 

I did a bit of research (not enough) and figured the first half of Slab Daddy would be a fine outing for us to get to know each other, see some big trees, and climb a few pitches. In the end, this turned out to be true, but we took the long way. What is usually a 1.25 hour approach, we turned into a 4.5 hour tour, as we walked too far up the road, crossed the creek in the wrong spot, and wandered way up on a good climber's path to the Illusion wall (?). At least we had time to get to know each others' back stories.

 

Once we realized our error, it wasn't too hard to retrace our steps to the road and down valley to the correct turn off. Soon we were matching the trail to the description and huffing it up the beautiful old growth to the base of the route. Steppy, fun climbing with good anchors leads upwards to the aptly named Balcony Bivy and our high point for the day. While the full 22 pitches of Slab Daddy will appeal to some, I think many would enjoy the first 11 pitches and I would recommend this climb to folk looking beyond the typical 3 O'clock, Exfo, Green Giant routes. Thanks David and Co. for putting it up!

 

Here are some photos so you won't make the same mistake we did.

 

You want to see this rock at the stream crossing:

 

Looking upstream from the correct crossing:

 

Once you cross the stream you will be here looking up the swath to Slab Daddy. It ascends the prominent water stream in the center right of the photo. The climber's path heads out left through the ferns into the big timber:

 

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Mainly draws (14) to top of Pitch 11. Small rack if want some gear for the scrambling and low fifth class part that is a pitch or two long. Two ropes for descending. Helmet. You may want sandals depending on stream flows. We were able to rock hop

 

Approach Notes:

Don't follow us. Look for the obvious trail a few hundred feet past debris flow/creek about a half mile past major landslide (no culvert, nor cedar foot bridge). David's description from there is spot on.

[Woodcutter]

How is it that everyone else manages to have cool coloured ropes!

[bigeo]

That's funny. A few years ago, a partner and I were heading up to climb The Holy Grail (RIP Chris), found the log crossing Squire Crk after following the trail, marked by a cairn, right after a creek cuts the old road (just like our beta said). Never found the wash on the other side, but made our way up through the forest and then brush, angling climber's left. Decided eventually that we had gone too far in that direction and headed back the other way. When we were dirty, tired, frustrated and ready to give up, I spotted a bolt. Turns out, we were somewhere on the third (if I remember correctly) pitch of Slab Daddy. Managed to climb about 15 pitches, even though it was almost noon by the time we roped up. Great climbing. I have been meaning to get back up there and finish it. Maybe next year...

That Caleb sure gets out a lot for a "retired" climber.

Edited November 3, 2013 by bigeo