[TR] Snow Creek Wall - Outer Space & Iconoclast 4/27/2014

[telemarker]

Trip: Snow Creek Wall - Outer Space & Iconoclast

 

Date: 4/27/2014

 

Trip Report:

My buddy Loren Foss and I couldn't decide on a rematch with a ski tour of Mt. Cashmere vs. a day of sunny cragging on Snow Creek Wall. It's the classic WA springtime dilemma: Ski or Climb? Or both? You saw the title of this TR, so you know what we chose.

 

And why go all that way up there for just one route? Iconoclast is always a good challenge early season and usually shows me my relative climbing shape.

 

We started climbing Outer Space by 9:30am up the RPM roof, easily one one of the best of the 3 options to 2-Tree Ledge. The climbing up to and over the small roof is challenging and sustained.

 

Looking down after just pulling the small roof.

 

 

We zoomed on up after RPM, with the blessings of a nice couple who let us pass. And how can you ever get tired of 300' of perfect handcrack!

 

 

We got to the top after 2 hrs 50 mns of climbing, lounging in the sun and leaving a two course meal of electrolytes for the SCW locals on top.

 

We zipped on down, had a brief break, then had to cajole sore toes and legs back into action for Iconoclast. The route is kinda like Hyperspace Lite with three very, very good pitches of memorable climbing: Psychopath, Yellow Wall and the traverse pitch out onto the shield chickenheads.

 

Loren following Psychopath.

 

 

The slightly overhanging Yellow Wall pitch is probably the highlight of Iconoclast, and always has me coming back for more each year.

 

And the runout climbing on the shield after the traverse is equally as engaging.

 

 

Once again we caught a break when a couple on Library Ledge allowed us to climb by them. All said and done, with not a lot of downtime, we topped out after 3 1/2 hours of climbing.

 

As for ticks, there were a couple but certainly not in the number Cfire and I encountered two weeks ago. I pulled one off the back of my neck. Their numbers are tolerable now and should not deter anyone from heading up SCW.

Edited April 28, 2014 by telemarker

[dave schultz]

Good news about the ticks. Thanks for the report - looks like another great day.

[telemarker]

It was a beautiful day out, with a bit of a biting breeze.

[Woodcutter]

I dunno if I agree about the ticks, we were pulling them off all day friday, up 'til bedtime when my missus jerked off a big one!