Darin Lang, just before courageously bailing on St...
Description
This climb is on Turkey Rock. The first pitch offers excellent moves up disjointed thin cracks with great moves and superb protection. The start begins 10-15 feet right of a huge pine tree, at the base of the climb there is a good lounging rock. Begin the climb by face climbing up the incipient cracks, past a great mantle, and up to two steep small dihedrals. After the dihedrals, find a good ledge for the belay (this is a long pitch). For the second pitch continue up the chimney/crack system until you reach an 20' offwidth section. Place your #5 and go, or walk it up. For an offwidth its not too bad (7). The last pitch exits up a small 5.6 section. Walk off to the right. Last note: You can avoid the offwidth pitch by bringing two ropes and rappelling off some slins on the first pitch.
Protection
Bring double wires, and cams to #1 on first pitch, the off-width section will need a #5
this climb offers varied and sustained climbing, you might want to bring up an rp or two if you're at your limit and want to really sew her up---excellent pro the whole way even though it looks like the first 40ft are going to be spicy.
By Matt Juth From: Evergreen Oct 13, 2003 rating: 5.10a
When I first did this in '99 there were slings off to the right ( around the horizontal crack ) These are now gone. Continue up to the cables to rap off.
As far as rapping off after the first pitch, you can also do a short downclimb to the large ledge ten feet lower than the cable belay and then traverse well to the right, around the corner. There is another anchor from which you can get to the ground with one rope (a 60m leaves you with a touch of down climbing).
Regarding the first pitch, I think this is one of those "no move is harder than 10a" routes. Great sustained and varied climbing. The gear is a little thin if you want to protect the mantle move directly, and if you don't, the fall would be unpleasant.
Turkey Rock
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