Mountain Squirrel » Exit 32

Exit 32, May 14

Laurel — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:34:16 +0000

Sara posted on facebook that she wanted to go climbing on Friday. Um, YES I do. It looked like it was going to be a huge trip, but it ended up being just Sara and Mike. Climbing with new partners is always interesting. This time it was refreshing to talk to people that don’t think it’s annoying that I want to climb more. Sometimes I feel like everyone else thinks a fun day of climbing is getting there late, doing easy routes, and leaving early to get some beers. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I personally would sometimes like to climb hard and stay out all day. This time we did have to leave a little early because people had to be somewhere, but I can’t complain — it’s Friday and I’m outside climbing!

This is also the first time I’ve been at Exit 32 in the morning. The angle of the sun makes such a difference. In the afternoon the sun is behind the wall so it looks kind of dark and menacing, but in the morning it’s all beautiful grays and whites.

Salal and Sara

The highlight of the day was Sara’s redpoint of Son of Jesus. I got to lead it twice, too! I was surprised how easy it felt (except for a moment when I stuck my whole hand in a jug full of mud) since it took me a few tries to get it last year. I would like to claim that it was because got better but I’m afraid that I’ll have to credit buying new shoes, or maybe just having done it so many times. BLM-6 was really fun climbing, but it didn’t feel as good because I felt like I was cheating. I could just barely reach a pre-placed draw to protect a hard move at the 2nd clip (so I wouldn’t have been able to reach the bolt), so I may have backed off the lead if Mike hadn’t left the draw.

Mike

I also got to watch Mike work on a tricky looking 12b (this might be the only route I’ve tried that I haven’t even been able to fall my way up on TR…).

World Wall, Reptiles and Amphetamines, 5.9 sport (TR)
World Wall, Son of Jesus, 5.10c sport (lead) Sara and Mike let me lead this twice! thanks!
World Wall, BLM-6, 5.10d sport (lead) note to self, bolts are positioned for a much taller person, much easier if the draws are there
World Wall, Dairy Freeze, 5.12b sport (TR, didn’t finish)

Exit 32, August 4: Whee!

Laurel — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:51:35 +0000

ok, maybe I do care about numbers

For once, the weather was perfect for climbing. It’s been almost completely dry for 2 months, but the 100 degree heat from last week had calmed down — I don’t think it was even over 70 in the shade. The wall was a bit crowded with other climbers taking advantage of the conditions, including one crazy border collie who was spazzing around trying to catch invisible bugs, but they all seemed to be after the 12’s and 13’s so we didn’t have to wait long for anything.

I think this is the first time I’ve onsighted a 10c, and the first time I’ve even done a 10d (I’m not counting the 2 bolt wonder on Gritscone). Even though exit 32 grades are probably a letter or two soft compared to most places, and of course, these are all sport routes I’m talking about, I’ll take it. Until I have to aid up an 8+ at Leavenworth again…

World Wall, Devil’s Advocate, 5.9 sport (lead) The wall was a bit crowded so this was the only route in the warm up grade range that was open. The best part is the hidden rusty piton.
World Wall, Son of Jesus, 5.10c sport (lead) My first clean no falls lead on this route (I’ve done it with falls 3 or 4 times I think)! The key I was missing was the transition from stemming on good feet and okay hands to jug hauling with friction feet for about 3 moves. In the past I made the mistake of hanging around too long groping for a solid foothold instead of just hauling through the moves. Oh, and there wasn’t any water on the route this time.
World Wall, Girls in the Gym, 5.10c sport (lead) Whee! I’ll pretend I didn’t hear my belayer tell me about the “hidden” jug (what I saw and used was a huge very not hidden hole) and call it an onsight. Fun overhanging really-this-is-going-to-work?? stuff at the top. Hardest part is clipping the second draw on the anchors.
World Wall, Dreaming of a Life of Ease (1st pitch), 5.10d (lead) More rusty pitons! I got my real lead fall in for the day on this one.

Exit 32, June 24: Rainy Day Climbing

Laurel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:22:29 +0000

The worst thing about Exit 32 is the rain. The best thing is that you can still climb in it.

Along with the usual drug- and porn-related route names there are several with water names, like Rainy Day Women and Hang It Out To Dry (unfortunately these are all beyond my abilities so we couldn’t climb them as a tribute to the precipitation). The World Wall is a good place for climbing for a day when the forecasts call for anywhere from 30% to 70% scattered showers — even the low 10 routes are sheltered by the big second pitch roof full of 13s and 14s.

Oh, and we got the same “this parking lot is closed at dusk, we could lock you in but we’re going to be nice and just close the gate” note as we did last week. We got to our car at 9:30, about 15 minutes after sunset. If we were to get technical, while sunset was officially at 9:11, dusk does not happen until 9:52. So it seems they’re getting more serious about enforcing the day use only rules (or at least serious enough to leave notes).

World Wall, Opening Act, 5.9 sport (lead) I saw a slug!
World Wall, Son of Jesus, 5.10c sport (lead) Ok, this time I only fell once.
World Wall, Reptiles and Amphetamines, 5.9 sport (lead) Sometimes it’s nice when something is as easy and fun as it looks.
World Wall, Jug or Not, 5.10b (lead) Goes in and out of a corner then up a juggy/slopey face so I got to do everything: stem, layback, chimney, mantle, chicken clip…

Exit 32, June 17: Son of Jesus (almost, again)

Laurel — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:27:32 +0000

mm, salmonberries (oh, and also climbing)

It’s Exit 32! It’s close to Seattle, so it’s easy to get to after work on a long summer evening. We managed to amass a pretty big herd: Evan, Rose, Sketchy, and I from Seattle, Matt and Brea passing through on their way from Alaska to Colorado, and Chris from Cle Elum. One might notice that this is an odd number, which leaves one spare climber to keep the slugs off the ropes (ah, the joys of climbing on the rainy side). On the tastier side, it’s salmonberry season (red huckleberries, thimbleberries, and raspberries are coming soon). A “chupacabra” apparently broke into my fridge and ate my afternoon snack while I was at work, so I took advantage of a five minute head start up the trail to pig out.

At latitude 47.5N the days are pretty long in the middle of the summer but unfortunately they don’t go on forever, necessitating the usual “hey, who has a headlamp?” conversation. Sketchy usually doesn’t bring his, but he just bought a new ridiculously bright one so got the opportunity to play with his new toy. I had to make him walk in front of me because the shadows it was throwing was completely washing out the less intense blue light from my city headlamp.

British Aisles, The Big Easy, 5.10a sport (lead) Straightforward Exit 32 10a (I can’t really tell the difference between 9, 10a, and 10b here).
British Aisles, Stepping Stone, 5.10c sport (TR) I thought this was the first time I tried it, but when I looked at my post from last year I realized that I did it before, in the dark.
World Wall, Son of Jesus, 5.10c sport (lead) Stemming in a corner is fun because when I run out of holds I can turn around and look some more! I fell at the awkward bulgy crux just like I did last year. I’m telling myself that this time I didn’t fall as many times.

Exit 32, August 7

Laurel — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:13:05 +0000

Sunset is getting early, but there’s still time for the exits Thursday after work. Last Thursday was rained out so we had a pretty good turnout this time: 7 or so, I think. One advantage of Exit 32 over Exit 38 is that there is an actual well maintained hiking trail so the walk out in the pitch dark involves less slipping on mud puddles, kicking loose rocks, tripping over roots, etc. Following on Stepping Stone after dark was a little interesting. The glowing white chalk left on the holds told me _where_ they were but it was hard to tell _what_ they were since the black rock was pretty much invisible.

British Aisles, BLM-1, 5.10b (lead) start looks impressive but isn’t too bad, managed to confuse myself off the ledge 3 bolts from the top even though I’ve done that part twice before
British Aisles, Stepping Stone, 5.10c (follow) led by Ritchie, glad I brought my headlamp up