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Colchuck Balanced Rock

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West Face 

Colchuck Balanced Rock

Submitted By: Jesse James on Mar 13, 2006
Administrator: Peter Franzen
Views: 327 page views

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Description 

This rock has some of the best alpine rock I have ever climbed. But its still alpine, so there is always loose stuff.


Getting There 

From the Colchuck Lake, head up Aasgard pass until you are about 400 feet above the lake. Head left through dense bushes to the obvious gully leading up to Colchuck Balanced Rock.



Featured Route For Colchuck Balanced Rock
Following the 5.9 corner, which was the top of P1 for us.<br /><br />The steep 5.10+ crack, 5.7 chimney, and 5.9 corner link into one 55m pitch.

West Face 5.12-  WA : Leavenworth : Colchuck Balanced Rock
This is possibly one of the best free routes around in a spectactular setting staring straight at Mt. Stuart.I would recommend roping up for the initial scramble to reach the base of the climb. It is easy, but very loose.P1 Fun but short finger crack(10+). P2 Easy chimney (5.7). P3 Long corner to a nice belay (5.9). P4 Easy pitch up to the base of a clean dihedral. P5 This pitch is a great long hand crack that is often wet, but it is still no...[more]


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By jonah
Aug 7, 2006

This route is total carnage. Sooo good, but the pitches are HARD, and the approach is exhausting bushwhacking if you do it wrong. It's not rated like Squamish or the valley - way stiffer. The "5.8" chimney above the 5.12 "crux" is so much harder than anything on the route.

But it is worth doing if only for the long 5.11 dihedral (11b/c?). No stopper moves, but zero rests for 190 feet of tight hands in a steep corner. Spectacular.

Bring a 3.5 Camalot, 1 #3 (two might be nice, though not necessary), 3 #2s and doubles below that. YOu gotta build anchors, so while this seems like a lot of gear, the pitches are long and the anchors eat up gear.