Leavenworth Cragging, 2-Sport Weekend 4.26.14

Aaron really wanted to get a two sport weekend in - that is, a weekend where we climb one day and ski one day. It was the last weekend Stevens Pass would be open, and Sunday looked like the better day for skiing. Leavenworth was looking a little wet so we planned to head to Vantage. As the weekend neared, the unthinkable happened - the forecast for Leavenworth actually improved! Aaron's friend Luke had just moved out from Minnesota so even if it rained, we figured Leavenworth could be a cool place to show him. We could hike or potentially find some dry rock in Tumwater Canyon or at Peshastin for climbing. At the last minute we convinced Sara to join us too. We loaded up the Jeep for it's last mountain adventure, and took off Saturday morning with the all important stop at the Sultan Bakery for breakfast along the way. We rolled into Eightmile Campground and set up camp. Luke had only climbed indoors a couple of times so we needed to teach him how to tie in, belay, and have him get used to climbing on rock. We figured we should start out easier so we settled on XY Crag. I decided to lead the X Crack with the left finish. I had done it a couple years prior and remember the exit being a little thin as the crack peters out. As Aaron describes me, maximum gear - minimum placements. I racked up and managed to place a whole 3 pieces on the way up. I really tried to find a place for a fourth piece before pulling over the top, and despite the goading from the crew on the ground about slinging the little bush, I refrained and just pulled the move instead.

[Left] My lead on X Crack - Left Finish (5.7) at XY Crag
[Right] Luke on his first outdoor route, we made him clean the gear too

Sara taught Luke how to tie a rewoven figure 8 and he was soon on his first outdoor rock climb, even getting the painful introduction to foot jams in cracks. Luke did great and even cleaned my gear as he went. The next step was teaching him how to belay. Aaron and Sara went over it before Sara started climbing with Aaron looking on as Luke belayed.

[Left] Luke learning how to tie a rewoven figure-8. [Right] Luke learning how to belay

After we had all gotten a lap on that crack we decided to head to Bruce's Boulder. We were trying to tell Luke about smearing and I thought the 5.5 slab route at Bruce's Boulder would be a great climb to force him into smearing and learning the capabilities of his rock shoes. There was one group on the easy crack at Bruce's Boulder learning about gear placements, so the slab route was all ours. Aaron had Luke help him set up the top rope and then taught Luke how to rappel. It was nice in the sun and Sara found her favorite spot - the scoop in the rock.

Great day along Icicle creek, Sara lounging at Bruce's Boulder soaking up the rays

I somehow got designated as the slab climber (I guess that's what you get for being the worst crack climber of the group) and I top roped the slab route first to talk about smearing. It was my very first outdoor climb so the route holds a little nostalgia for me. Luke did pretty well on the slab route, and it was a good change of pace for the crack climbers.

Climbing the slab route (5.5) at Bruce's Boulder

Next we walked across the street to Barney's Rubble. There was one other family there on the 5.8 and 5.6 cracks so Aaron started by leading the 5.7 face climb, the slabby face with the horizontal cracks. Aaron made quick work of the route, pausing for a second at the crux slab section near the top. Luke cleaned gear again and the rest of us took a lap as well.

On the Face Climb (5.7) at Barney's Rubble

I was last up so I grabbed the rope and anchor and moved it to the (climber's) right. There was a route behind a large rock that I had never noticed before. Aaron couldn't remember what it was rated so I dropped the rope and rappelled down. It looked like a really fun, easy crack so I pulled the rope and decided to lead it. We guessed it might be a 5.4 crack. Aaron was the last one up so he grabbed the rope and walked over to the 5.8 crack and dropped it on that.

Climbing the 5.4 Crack behind the really large rock

I was hoping to do a little better than the previous week but I still couldn't figure out how to get in the crack without lie backing it. Sara belayed me this time though and gave me a super friendly belay which was nice, even helping to pull me up the rock when I was above the crux. I was laughing so hard from getting pulled up the rock that I had to stop climbing for a bit, after that I got a normal belay. It was a challenging climb but Luke eventually got through the crux.

Aaron belaying Luke on the 5.8 Crack at Barney's Rubble

After everyone got a lap, we pulled the rope and I led the 5.6 crack. Since I didn't feel great on it the prior week, I wanted another shot at it. I even wore my new shoes. My feet slipped a couple of times but overall I felt a lot more confident. Everyone took a lap on that crack as well, then we packed up and went to Alphabet rock.

Climbing the 5.6 Crack at Barney's Rubble

Aaron wanted to lead Dogleg Crack (5.8+). He had led it a couple of years ago and remembered it being challenging, so he wanted another go at it. He led it without any issues, making it through the traverse and then up the crack. Sara had belayed so she wanted a quick break to rest her neck from looking up, so I got the responsibility of cleaning the route. I got up to the traverse and started across it, walking with my feet in the crack. I fell out of the crack and went cheese grating across the face. It took me a bit to get back in the crack and finally into the vertical crack. That was a lot more solid with good foot jams. I made it to the top but wasn't happy about my climbing. Luke climbed it next, then Sara cleaned it and walked down climber's left since there were no chains. We figured we had gotten a pretty good day of climbing in, especially for Luke since it was his first day outside. We went into town to grab some sausage for dinner, stopped for a beer at Icicle Creek brewery, and then came back to camp.

Aaron leading Dogleg Crack (5.8+) at Alphabet Rock

We woke up about 7:15a on Sunday to pack up camp and hit the road. It wasn't raining on us luckily, but we soon drove into the weather as we headed up towards Stevens Pass. We got breakfast burritos, or burritos with whatever food they had left that day (fries, etc). Unfortunately the fairly good weather went away not long after we actually hit the slopes. We started up skyline but it was really windy so we decided to try and head to Tye Mill, only all of us failed to notice the sign in the Hogsback lift tower that said it was closed. We did a few laps down Hogsback, went back to Skyline, and eventually went to Big Chief. Conditions were getting worse as we were getting more wet and the precipitation seemed to be tiny ice pellets that stung you in the face as you skied down. We had gotten 8 or 9 runs in by lunch time, and instead of getting lunch, decided to call it the shortest day of skiing ever and went home instead. It was still nice to get a few laps in on the slopes before the season ended though. Overall a successful two sport weekend!