Rebecca, Ryan and I climb Outer Space (III 5.9) on Snow Creek wall

On a rainy weekend in the beginning of October my wife Rebecca, Ryan O'Connell and I drove over to Leavenworth to climb Outer Space on the snow Creek Wall for an upcoming Classic Climbs article and I needed some photos. While I have climbed Outer Space many times I was extremely excited to climb it with Rebecca because for all the climbing she has done in Washington (And all the sometimes burly, loose and run-out routes we try together) she has never climbed Outer Space. It was raining in the parking lot when we arrived but only lightly and with an improving forecast we decided that it might even be a good thing and less crowded.

 

 Ryan and Rebecca on the Approach to the Snow Creek Wall, even from a great distance the awesome head wall crack is obvious.  I was excited to climb with both Rebecca and Ryan again something the three of us hadn't done since the previous October for our 2:20 hr ascent of Town Crier (IV 5.9 C2)

 Here Rebecca is following the end of the famous "Outer Space" pitch, named because of the airy traverse out over a roof and the threat of a big fall might land you in Outer Space. You can tell by Rebecca's layers it wasn't that war.

Above is Rebecca leading the First of the two amazing head wall pitches,

Another head wall shot of Rebecca,

Do these ever get old, this pitch certainly doesn't

Rebecca topping out the pitch.

Rebecca belaying Ryan up to Library Ledge

 Rebecca and Ryan sitting on the comfortable and exposed Library ledge. Library Ledge splits the two 150ft head wall pitches in half and takes small cams, a blessing for sure otherwise you need even more #2 and #3's

Rebecca and Ryan discussing something on the top of Snow Creek Wall

Rebecca and Ryan disagreeing on which way to go or where something is or .....?

Am I the luckiest guy in the world or what

The Southern Man (IV 5.12a or 5.10a C1)

The Southern Man (IV 5.12a or 5.9 C1) was put up by Mark Allen, Joel Kauffman, and Leaghan Falley in August of 2008 at 5.9+ C1 and Freed by Bryan Burdo and Bobby??? in Sept of 2009 at 5.12a. Bryan spent 3 days cleaning the aid pitches and called them so of the best free climbing at the Pass, this was something I had to check out. The route follows the normal Direct East Buttress (DEB) of South Early Winter Spire (SEWS) for the first 4 pitches, then when the DEB goes right on a bolt ladder, The Southern Man breaks out left on a series of corners, going up a 130' 5.10a pitch, then the first ascensionest did a 105ft aid pitch followed by a 195ft aid pitch, Bryan Burdo broke it up (as most free climbers will likey do) into 3 "hard" pitches, each around 100ft long and all stopping at small stances.

 I hiked up to do the route with Tino Villanueva on Sept 29th, the day before my birthday (Yeah!!!!). We had just climbed SEWS less than 12 hrs early completing the Liberty Traverse the previous day. We where stoked to climb in the sun!!!!

 Tino starting up the first pitch of the DEB, Tino lead the first block, climbing the first 4 pitches in 2 pitches (with a fair amount of simul-climbing) with each pitch averaging about 250ft. Way to go Tino 

 Looking up at the corners heading up and left that marks the point where the Southern Man leaves the DEB.

 Tino following pitch 5 (5.10a) which was really fun climbing on Solid Rock. Tino has a pretty heavy pack on. We went heavier than we needed to (In retrospect) because of the cold temperatures of the previous day we brought a ton of cloths, most of which we didn't use while we were in the sun.

 Me starting up the 5.12a pitch (Stoked to have no pack on, thanks Tino!!!), I made some attempts to free climb this pitch, but certainly ended up aiding on some gear, its pretty incredible, super splitter, steep and sustained, 105ft, 5.12a, bring lots of finger and small finger sized pieces and some med sized nuts, there is a nut fixed by BB at the crux, leave it, you'll be stoked it's there, belay and the next takes 4" piece, leads to a small stance.

   Tino had a heavy pack (freaking heavy, WTF did we have!!!) and claimed he hadn't been climbing enough (plus too much guiding, though he almost sent Rainy day woman (5.12a) a couple days after this trip). So after some talk back and forth to save time, to stay out of the burtal shade and to prepare for our single day push of T-Trip in mid to late October he decided to jug the harder pitches, since he was jugging, I might as well short fix to save time. After Tino arrived at the anchor and put me on belay I tried to free climb as much as possible  but certainly aided on some gear. I'd like to come back when climbing in the shade wasn't miserable and try to send this thing, it really is spectacular, the route might not be as sustained as the passenger, but these three pitches pack a punch. The route is a super splitter 5 stars for sure. The short fixing was fun and it was good to move quickly up steep terrain. The three crux pitches are Steep and go at 5.12a, 5.11b and 5.11b and final short 5.9 section on a long pitch brings you near the summit 15 feet from where the DEB tops out. The route is also good for folks who still want a 5.10a C1 aid route, the aid is straight forward and the wall still steep and clean.

Me climbing on the 8th pitch

The Liberty Traverse (V/IV 5.9)

 

The famed Liberty Bell group Traverse (V 5.9 )

Tino Villanueva and I drove up to Washington pass Sept 28th knowing it was going to be cold (near freezing temps at the pass when we arrived at 9am) and that it had snowed nearly an inch down to around 6500ft the previous day and the snow was still hanging around in most shady places. Tino had been wondering about bolts so we wasted a hour or so talking about them waiting for the temperature to warm up. I had a few moderate routes in the Liberty Bell group to do for the book so we decided with the new snow it might be best to keep it mellow.

 Tino Starting the Third pitch of the "Girl next door"(II 5.9-), this leaves the same belay as the top of the second pitch on the Becky route and climbs the arete to the left of the big third pitch corner

We didn't leave the parking lot until 12:30pm waiting for the west faces to go into the sun. We started off on Liberty Bell, climbing the Girl Next door (II 5.9), claiming what I believe is the third ascent. The route starts at the lowest toe of rock below the Becky route and shares belays with the Becky routes 2nd and third pitches. The route isn't as good as the Becky route but is decent and will clean up with time. The first pitch climbs mostly slabby terrain to ta two bolt anchor even with the start of the Becky route.  Then climbs straight up with a very short 5.9- section and a terrible 5.3 "Kitty litter pillar". Tino has still never climbed the Becky route, whats up with that craziness? After the Girl next door I had to finish up all the variations on the North Face of Concord including one that we had dubbed the North Face "Directisimo" (II 5.8).

 As you can see Tino following below on the top of the "Second" pitch it was snowy and cold.

Tino Belaying back in the sun near the top of Concord Tower, we had planned to simul-climb the whole route but the icy conditions forced us to pitch it out, the steep cracks where fine but the low angle face was very icy and SCARY at times.

 After climbing Concord tower we decided rather than walk down the wet, snowy icy gully it would be "Faster" and more fun to just rap down the South Face of Concord and climb up over Lexington Tower and rap it's south face. Tino on the ridge South of Lexington, this leads to a short exposed third class section which leads to a short 70ft rappel and an easy walk over to the base of North Early Winter Spire (NEWS)

 Tino Walking over toward NEWS after the rappel. After speaking with Larry Goldie I wasn't sure I went the correct way on the last pitch of the Chock Stone route (II 5.7), So I wanting to make sure I got it right. Tino wondered "Do people actually climb up this thing"?. Well they do and Tino was nice enough to climb up it. Larry said go all the way right and I wasn't sure if I had gone "right enough". But it turns out I did but at least we got to bag our 4th tower of the day.

Here I am standing on the summit of NEWS at 6:45pm. Not bad considering we hadn't started climbing until 2pm and everything was cold and snowy.  We decided after rappelling NEWS with the last of our day light that we climbed 4 towers, might as well climb 5. The South West Rib (III 5.8+) on South Early Winter Spire is in my opinion the best 5.8 in the state. It is due west facing and had very little snow on it. Tino and I climbed the route in the Dark with no moon (But spectacular views of the Milky way and the night's stars) justifying it to ourselves as "its good practice to intentionally climb in the dark" and "might as well finish off the traverse". It was just plane fun, while the darkness, temperature and slight dampness made it hardly the 26 minutes Chris McNamara climbed it in in 2009, Tino and I still did a respectable 1:20 on route.

 Tino starting the second pitch "Wavy hand crack" by head lamp, too much fun!!!! Also if you have an opinion on if the Liberty Bell Traverse should be grade IV or Grade V let me know, It takes me longer to do the LB traverse than LB crack, also the LB traverse normally means climbing something on the south face of LB, something on the North face of Concord Tower and Lexington, rapping each of their south faces, then west face or NW corner of NEWS rap the Chock stone route and climb up the SW rib and down the S arete, so 2 grade III's, three grade II's 26 pitches. Took Tino and I 5 hrs in the dark, snowy and cold, but it took us 4 hrs for Clean break (Grade IV+), 4 hrs for Liberty Crack (Grade V)(With Jason Broman) and 2:15 on Town Crier (Grade 4). I also feel a normal team might struggle to complete this in a day, but give me your feed back!!!!!!