PRINT: Climb Mad Max, Central-East Cascades, Wenatchee, & Leavenworth

Mad Max

V8+, Boulder,

Avg: 3.5 from 8 votes
FA: Kelly Sheridan
Washington > Central-E Casca… > Leavenworth > Icicle Creek > * Bouldering in… > JY Boulders > Thunderdome

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

Amazingly powerful climbing on a steep roof.

Start low in the cave and move up and out with your best heelhooking, pinching, and core tension techniques. Slap for a good spot on the lip and then prepare to mantle and creep up the slab to the top.

Also try the much harder Thunderdome variation that continues out right.

Location

Straight uphill from the Yosemite Highball boulder. Look for the huge black charred tree that is 10ft. from the problem.

Protection

Crashpads and a spotter or two

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Rob Lewis not at all angry on Mad Max, v7. JY Boulders, Leavenworth, Washington.

Mad Max

Mad Max, Leavenworth

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

jonah

I have heard people say this feels burly now: Ben, Jesse and I were out there last fall and broke both the left hand thumb catch near the lip and a nice foot for rocking over onto the slab. It definitely felt harder after that. Sorry! Oct 26, 2009

Sean Patrick
Mountains, CO

FA Kelly Sheridan Apr 8, 2012

Jesse Firestone

This thing keeps breaking. The good right hand in the middle of the problem has broken, leaving a poor pinch. The move up to the sidepull before the lip and the next move are now quite difficult. Sep 5, 2014

arlo ov
light

Before the 2015 Leavenworth guidebook came out, Kelly Sheridan "re-FA'd" Mad Max and bumped the grade up to V8.

Edit: after putting 6 or so sessions on it, I think I can attest that it's at least V8. In my opinion it's definitely harder than The Lion's Den and Kobe Tai, which are both known as hard V8's in Leavy. Jun 3, 2020

arlo ov
light

Finally did this one. Took 3 years before I could do the crux move to the sidepull before the lip. The move to the lip isn't that hard if you can get the heel hook right. Personally found that heel hook the most technical heel hook I've done. The trick to that one was to very slowly engage it until I had basically reached max engagement on that heel hook before even moving on it. Basically pulling super delicately to super hard in a static body position before even thinking about moving up. Any other way and it just never stuck. Some people like to backstep to the lip but that way is harder imo.

I think it well deserves the V9 grade... harder than every 8 and most 9s for me. Oct 27, 2022