Obstensibly 7 pitches long, Condorphamine Addiction is one of those routes that everyone has something to say about, and not all of them good. One thing that everyone will say is that the route is overbolted, and they're right-- it's often possible to clip a bolt and back clean the one below it from a single stance. This a distraction from the quality of the climbing, which is a shame. Condorphamine Addiction packs some enjoyable moderate pitches and two excellent friction crux pitches into a long climb that ends in a commanding position high in Icicle Creek canyon.
I'm giving this route 4 stars for it's aesthetic position in the canyon, for being a long and enjoyable multipitch sport climb, for interesting climbing on (most) of the easier pitches, and two crux pitches that hold their grade. It's probably worth fewer than that, but I couldn't bring myself to give it 3.
The climb could be done in 7 30M pitches and I've described the climb that way below, but no sane person would climb it that way. We combined P1&2, 3&4, and 5&6; I think it would be possible to combine any 2 pitches with a 60 M rope. It may be better to split P5&6 so each leader gets one of the hard ones. Find the start of Condorphamine Addiction near the far right side of the buttress.
P1. A short 5.8 pitch leads up to a set of anchors low on the face (yes, those anchors).
P2. From the end of P1, climb up and into a corner (trickier than it looks), and make a series of interesting 5.9 moves up to a nice belay ledge. (5.9)
P3. The dog of the climb, this is a short section of class IV and 5.0 climbing up and left on ledgy ground.
P4. Head up on a face angling to the right. 5.8/5.9.
P5. The first crux pitch. The crux involves interesting stemming and friction moves in an imposing and steep position. 5.10b
P6. From the top of the 5th pitch continue up on 5.10 climbing to a crux section on delicate edges (5.10b). Combining P5&6 gives close to 200 feet of quality 5.10 face climbing.
P7. Climb fun 5.5 terrain to the top.
To descend, rap the rotue. With 2 60M ropes, you can speed your descent and have more flexibility to avoid ascending parties.
Protection
Lots o' draws. If you are combining pitches remember to bring extra draws, skip bolts, or back clean periodically.
There is an alternate start to the first pitch of this climb which is located just to the left and shares the anchor. It is Opus of the Condorian Kind (5.10a), and a good way to increase the difficulty of the route.
Overbolted, but I didn't think the route was that bad. I have taken friends to climb it for their first multi-pitch and they enjoyed it. Instead of 7 pitches you can string pitches together to make it 4.
I recently heard that a single rope rappel off the backside of the rock will get you to the ground. You can then hike around the right of the crag back to the base.
By elmo mecsko From: White Salmon, Washington Nov 4, 2006
I agree, this is an excellent route to do, or take someone up, if you are teaching or practicing multi-pitch proficiency. I took a climbing partner up this route as a refresher before we headed to Prussic Peak in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and it helped her confidence up high in the back-country.
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