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Thunderstruck

5.12d, Trad, 100 ft (30 m),  Avg: 4 from 3 votes
FA: Zack DeLuca, Chris Simrell
Washington > Central-E Casca… > Leavenworth > Tumwater Canyon > Tumwater Mtn Crest > Punk Rock

Description

Thunderstruck is a remix of two Doug Klewin aid lines "Dirty Deeds" and "Beatin Round the Bush". Three protection bolts were added with permission from Klewin to transform the routes into an excellent free climb on some of the best stone in the area.

Start below the crisp double corner. Get established in the corner, clip a bolt, maneuver your way up into a stance below the finger splitter on the clean white and green face. Finesse the incredible finger crack until a series of small features allow a transition to the rounded seam on the right. Clip two more bolts and hold on through pumpy side pulls and gastons in the orange rock that culminates with a big move to good hold. It's not over yet! Take a look around and remember you're almost in the alpine with some steep blue collar crack climbing to top out this beauty.

Grade is our best guess, feels slightly harder than other comparable new single pitch hard trad climbs in the area. Get on it and let us know what you think!

Location

The obvious steep clean green and white crack on the west face of Punk Rock. Stays shady all day starting in mid-September. Well worth the drive.

Protection

Chris Simrell put in the three bolts that allow Thunderstruck to be free climbable

2x tips to .75, 1x 1 & 2

fresh boostics

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Chris Simrell sorting out the moves and deciding where to put the bolts
[Hide Photo] Chris Simrell sorting out the moves and deciding where to put the bolts
Chris Simrell climbing Thunderstruck
[Hide Photo] Chris Simrell climbing Thunderstruck
Chris Simrell climbing Thunderstruck
[Hide Photo] Chris Simrell climbing Thunderstruck
Chris Simrell adding the upper bolts, Austin Siadak photo
[Hide Photo] Chris Simrell adding the upper bolts, Austin Siadak photo
Thunderstruck
[Hide Photo] Thunderstruck
Thunderstruck. Steeper than it first appears!
[Hide Photo] Thunderstruck. Steeper than it first appears!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Chris Simrell
Leavenworth, WA
  5.12+
[Hide Comment] Thunderstruck feels roughly comparable in difficulty to Karma Crack, Achilles, or Mainsail. The crux is less powerful than the cruxes on any of the above, as the route is less bouldery and more sustained. Those with good fitness might therefore find it easier. The crack switch at the midway point is somewhat reachy. An excellent route in a special place. Sep 28, 2025
[Hide Comment] Based on the topo-I think you used/replaced an anchor that Russ Ricketts and I installed…?
Good line, killer positions. We sent via TR but never returned for lead. Didn’t feel that hard but leading is always different. Oct 29, 2025
Chris Simrell
Leavenworth, WA
  5.12+
[Hide Comment] Correct re the anchor. I messaged Russ in 2022 about it but never got a response. Klewin was enthusiastic about his old aid lines getting a modern update. Nice work on the TR - for clarity sake, you're talking about starting down and left in the corner and then climbing the left splitter aid crack and then crack-switching/spanning to the right aid seam and finishing up thru there, correct? As far as the grade goes, we'd love some folks to lead it and give an opinion. As I mentioned above, it took me a similar amount of time and effort as other Leavenworth and index 5.12/12+ gear routes. Grades are always a bit nebulous. Nov 5, 2025