Tree & Stump Route 10.13.13

I was pleasantly surprised to find sun in the forecast for Sunday. It seemed like fall came in a hurry but apparently it had a few days of sunshine left to give us. Only having started rock climbing again in August and missing most of the season, I'm still in climbing mode while most others are looking forward to ski season. With the nice day, Aaron and I decided to go to Leavenworth for some cragging. It was a great reward after having to work all day Saturday. I agreed to a day of climbing only if we could stop for a breakfast sandwich along the way, preferably one that's larger than my face. We left Seattle about 6:45am Sunday morning and stopped for breakfast at the Sultan Bakery. It was pretty busy with people dressed in hiking pants hoping to take advantage of the gorgeous fall day as well. We were aiming to get to the crag about 9:30am in hopes that the rock would have a chance to warm up a little in the morning sun. I've never been to Castle Rock and I was also still hoping to do the link-up of Tree and Stump Route. As we entered the Tumwater Canyon area, we decided to check out Tree and Stump Route. I had climbed Tree Route once, but after getting a late start from some issues finding the rock, we didn't continue on to do Stump Route. Aaron had done Tree Route twice and had been unable to do the link-up as well due to a slow group on one occasion, and weather the other time. We pulled off the road and grabbed our gear, hitting the trail a minute or two after a group of four.

Beautiful October day in Leavenworth for some cragging

Sara and I eventually found our way to the start of Tree Route after a little bushwhacking, so I was interested to see Aaron's approach. We kept to a trail heading up right and then cut over to the main trail, meeting the other group there. Aaron reached the start, then the other four, followed by me last. The other group was awesome and let us go first. We were both hoping to do the link-up so that was really nice of them. I had led the first pitch when I climbed with Sara, so Aaron thought I should get the second and third pitch this time. It worked out because Aaron quickly led off up the corner of the first pitch while I got to catch my breath from the approach. We brought a pretty full rack with doubles of cams #0.5 through 4, and singles of #0.3, 0.4, 5, and a 6. Aaron had gotten a new #6 so I thought we should bring it - why not, he hadn't gotten to place it yet. Aaron quickly reached the chains at the top of the first pitch and I followed up. Getting into the corner was more awkward than I remembered but it seems things tend to seem more difficult/scary as a follower when thinking about leading, especially with a pack on. I reached the chains and started up the 5.wander second pitch. When Sara led this pitch, she only placed #2's, clipped booty, or slung natural features. In that spirit, I slung one tree and then slung a few small trees at the top for my anchor. Aaron quickly followed and I grabbed the big gear off of his harness.

Aaron at the anchor at the top of pitch 2 and as I head off, up towards the leg eating off width

In my haste to keep moving, as to not slow down the groups behind us, I only managed to grab one of the #4's from Aaron which of course I didn't realize until I was in the off width crack looking for gear. I placed two pieces before I reached the corner. I remembered it being pretty easy to pull around so I looked up and found the bomber, thin flake. Being a ways above my last piece I got a cam in, then placed a #1 just before the off width. I put the #4 in as high as I could, then I got up into the crack. Last time, as I followed this pitch, I kept my left leg out and chicken winged my way up. I knew I'd have to find a more graceful way to climb it this time since I was leading and needed to place gear. I ended up climbing it like a slab. There are some nice little lips in the crack I'd use for feet, but for the most part I stayed out of the crack. I placed the #5 a little over half way up, then I was to the final pull over to the top. I really wanted to place the #6 since I was the one who wanted to bring it, but it was too big. I threw a leg in the crack and pulled over to the top where I found a crack wide enough to place the #6, right below the slung rock I used for my anchor - but hey, at least I placed it! I didn't take many pictures of Tree Route since I had gotten such good ones while climbing it with Sara, so refer to that post for more detailed information on Tree Route.

#6, a foot or two below the anchor

It took us under an hour and a half to climb Tree Route so we had plenty of time to hike up and find Stump Route. We checked the beta and headed off climber's right to get around the rock above us. Middle 8-Mile buttress was above that. We took the path of least resistance and soon found what looked to be the Middle 8-Mile Buttress. We matched the features we saw with the pictures I copied from the book and found the start.

Heading up this little gully on our approach to Stump Route, I think there was easier ground to the right but we went up instead, almost to the Middle 8-Mile Buttress

Since I had most of the gear still from the last pitch, I got the honors of leading the first pitch on Stump Route. We put our shoes back in my little pack and attached the big gear to the outside since we wouldn't need it. From out beta, it sounded like pitch 2 was super short, just to move the belay to the chains so Aaron said to make it to the chains if I could, and he'd simulclimb if I needed more rope.

[Left]: Start of Stump Route. Pitch 1 heads up the blocky terrain to the right of that large block, than angle left to the tree following the obvious cracks up
[Right]: Climbing on pitch 1 just beyond the big block

I started up the terrain, following the main crack up and around the large block. The climbing was pretty easy, but there was a fun step across. It wasn't far from the start but the rock was undercut there so I got to step over some air. I was soon up to the tree mentioned as the anchor for pitch 1. I slung it and continued up, starting to look for chains. The next part was super low angled so I slowly walked towards what looked like the path of least resistance. I didn't see any chains so I continued on, picking a line with a short, exposed traverse across some slab to reach another corner up. I climbed up a bit more and still didn't see the chains. Not wanting to take all of the leads, I downclimbed a little to a corner and built a gear anchor to bring Aaron up.

Terrain above the tree, low angled and blocky. I missed the chains and continued too far climber’s rights

When Aaron made it past the tree, I told him to look for the chains. He spotted them about the same level I was at, but climber's left when I had gone right. He reached me, took the gear, and made a few moves up. There was no great crack to traverse back to the real route, so Aaron decided to downclimb a little from my anchor and lead over to the chains. He placed a couple pieces to protect me on the downclimb and slab traverse and climbed the short crack up to the chains. The downclimb back over to the crack I missed was definitely more unnerving than when I went up, but we made it over without any issues.

Approximate route up, you can see where I went right instead of left and up the crack to the chains

I took the gear back from Aaron for the third pitch up to the next tree we could see. There was a crack up from the chains and a couple ramps to our right. We first thought the route went up the crack but after getting a few moves up and seeing the bolted slab, I decided to try a different way. I started up the ramp, then lowered myself onto the next one just below that led to a crack system up the face. There was just enough of a lip to lower myself from the one ramp to the next.

Ramp from the chains, head up this and then lower to the next one to reach the crack system

Finally I got a piece in and started up the really fun terrain towards the tree. There were some really awesome chicken heads and fun jugs. I slung the tree and brought Aaron up. He decided I could lead the fourth and final pitch too, so I grabbed the gear back from him and set off up the crack from the tree.

Tree that’s the anchor at the top of pitch 3. Continue up the crack passed this and then head climber’s left to the roof

Once at the top of that little section, I headed climber's left towards the roof. On the way up the little ledges I found the most bomber natural jug I have every used, it felt like I was in the gym. I placed a piece below the roof and then started figuring out those moves. The move to get around the roof wasn't overly difficult, it just took a commitment. The jugs were helpful and I pulled myself up onto the ledge just left of the roof and climbed up around it. Easy terrain above that led me to the top, where I slung a boulder to bring Aaron up. Unfortunately he was so focused on climbing around the roof that he didn't get a picture of that section, but it was really fun. We had finally, successfully climbed Stump Route!

Aaron and I at the top of Stump Route

Aaron said he liked Tree Route better, but I think I like Stump Route. Then again, Aaron had to do my made up pitch 2 to get us back on route. I thought Stump Route was fairly straight forward with a lot of fun chicken heads and jugs to climb. We put our shoes back on and started the long descent down. To get down, we first had to continue up a little until we could navigate climber’s right down the rock to the hillside. Then we followed the path of least resistance, thinking we'd find trails only to find what looked like better trails a few feet away. We started down, eventually angling ever so slightly skier's right so that we could grab Aaron's pack that he left at the start of Tree Route. After that we continued down a new trail all the way to the car. I don't think I've taken the same trail yet on the way to or from Tree Route.

It was about 3pm when we got back to the car so we grabbed a snack and headed down the road in search of more climbing. We had tossed out the idea of R&D if no one was on it. Neither of us had climbed it this year, and might as well do another 5.6 multipitch. I had also not found them in the spring after my half marathon so I didn't get to climb at Sam Hill or Surf City. In interest of finding new things for me to climb, we decided to head down the road to those. We left the big gear in the car, grabbed all of the small stuff, and set off up the trail. I followed Aaron up to Sam Hill first, recognizing the part of the trail I had successfully been on during the Spring, I just didn't go far enough to find the crew. At Sam Hill I led Sams 'n Cams, a fun 5.7 flake. There was one other pair just up the wall from us.

Sams ‘n Cams, 5.7 flake

The flake was fun, although I sewed it up pretty well. I managed to sink a #4 nut behind the flake where you step out. The moves weren't difficult, again, it was just committing to them and trusting my feet. It was certainly a thinner crack, in contrast to the off width from the morning. Aaron ran up the route after me and cleaned it, then we packed up and traversed across the hillside to Surf City. There, Aaron had me lead Paydirt, another 5.7.

Paydirt, 5.7

I plugged a cam in from the ground to help protect the difficult start move, then I got up in the crack. It was another thin one and I had to trust my feet on the sticky granite. Aaron warned me that the crack petered out at the top so I placed a #0.3 soon followed by a small C3 cam when I realized I was out of crack. After that it was a short walk up the low angled slab to the anchor. Aaron followed and cleaned the route, throwing the rope down before walking back down. They were a couple of fun 5.7's to lead at two new areas that I now know how to get to. Throughout the whole day I was mesmerized by all of the yellow leaves along Icicle Creek, it was so pretty. Our hike to Sam Hill and Surf City allowed me more time to enjoy all of the yellow. It was just before 6pm when we got back to the car so we headed into Leavenworth to grab some dinner at Munchen Haus before heading back to Seattle. It was a fun day of cragging and I got to tick Stump Route off of my list finally.

So much yellow, yay fall!

View Larger Map Map for this adventure

Climbing at Lower/Middle Eightmile Buttress (left) and Sam Hill and Surf City (right)

Approach up to Tree Route in blue; approach to Stump Route from the top of Tree Route in yellow; and the hike back down to the car from the top of Stump Route in red.

Approach to Sam Hill is in blue; the traverse to Surf City from Sam Hill is in yellow; the the hike back to the car from Surf City is in red.

Climbing Topos

Tree Route, 5.6, 3 pitches:

Stump Route, 5.6, 4 pitches: