PRINT: Rock Climbing in Clamshell Cave, Central-East Cascades, Wenatchee, & Leavenworth

Clamshell Cave

Washington > Central-E Casca… > Leavenworth > Icicle Creek > Clamshell

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures Details

Each year, the USFS monitors for raptor nesting.

A pair of golden eagles regularly nest on Bridge Creek Wall. When in effect, starting January 1, PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB or travel within 1/2 mile of Bridge Creek Wall. As a reference, the climb Condorphamine Addiction is just outside of this 1/2 mile buffer, and is OK to climb still. The closure extends through August 15, but there is active monitoring to determine if the seasonal closure can be lifted earlier.

In 2014, there was an active pair of peregrine falcons at Snow Creek Wall, but no official closure was put in effect due to the location of the falcons. The site will be continually monitored with changes or removal of closures updated as necessary.

Description

Clamshell Cave hosts a variety of moderate climbs, including some enjoyable moderate cracks. Most of the lines are either trad lines or require trad gear. It is easily possible to toprope most of the lines by scrambling around the right side of the crag. Most routes end at bolted anchors. The hangers on the anchors seem to come and go, a definite nuisance since options for gear at the top of the crag aren't great. Be prepared to use the anchor on a neighboring route.

Getting There

Park 5.4 miles up Icicle creek canyon and look for a trail on the north side of the road (just past the wood sign on the right, look for a fist-shaped boulder). A well-traveled and sometimes braided trail reaches the base of the crag in 10-15 minutes. Note: stay left at the fork 5 minutes in (should cross a creek 30 yards after), or you'll end up at Central Park (ropes)/Mitchell Plateau (bouldering).

Routes from Left to Right

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 78 ● Clamshell Crack Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 35 ● Forty-Four Fifty Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 16 ● Stolen Thunder Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 4 ● Natty Light (aka Natural Light) Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 21 ● GRTC Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 6 ● Eagle's Way Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 9 ● Eagle's Prey Trad, Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 48 ● Noisy Oyster Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 25 ● Keep Clam Trad
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 7 ● Happy As A Clam Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 4 ● Big Kahuna Burger Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 30 ● Shrimp Salad Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 1 ● The World Is Your Oyster Trad
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c V0- 4- 19 ● Cube Crack TR, Boulder

● Clamshell Crack

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

● Forty-Four Fifty

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad

● Stolen Thunder

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport

● Natty Light (aka Natural Li…

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport

● GRTC

5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport

● Eagle's Way

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport

● Eagle's Prey

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Sport

● Noisy Oyster

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

● Keep Clam

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad

● Happy As A Clam

5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

● Big Kahuna Burger

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad

● Shrimp Salad

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

● The World Is Your Oyster

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad

● Cube Crack

5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c V0- 4- TR, Boulder

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Clamshell Cave Crag

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

ScottH

The anchors on this crag have hangers, but (strangely) no quicklinks for lowering. I have seen ropes get stuck when people attempt to pull them after rappelling, necessitating a hike around to the top of the crag. If anyone is so inclined, adding quicklinks to the anchors would be a nice improvement to the area. Jun 21, 2007

James Pierson
Bellingham, Washington

Does anyone know the name of the small crag below Clamshell Cave? You walk around the right of it then up around the back of it before making that final turn up to Clamshell.

There are a few bolted anchors at the top of the crag with some short crack lines on the left and few longer lines to the middle-right. There is a big pine tree at the base on the middle-right (yeah, I know - big pine tree at the base of the crag, that'll really narrow things down). May 31, 2017

Marko Pavela
Olympia, WA

James Pierson - I heard a guide referring to this as the "Guide's Wall." Last time there I climbed a few of the routes on it and found none of them to be recommendable. Hope this response is still helpful 3 years after your original Q. Sep 30, 2020