good late october moderate mulipitch based out of seattle?

Hi all

I'm visiting the area for my first time for a week (landing this Friday).  Headed down to Smith for a few days then back up to Seattle.  Curious what's in the area that's not going to be covered in snow (or require snow skills).  I'm originally from Arkansas so I'm not really used to reading snow levels and things.

I've been looking at the Snow Creek wall at Leavenworth but been a little scared away by tales of sandbags.  Is there anything else around? i'm also looking at Index (Aries in particular).  i'm open to cragging too (Index, Tietons look great), but would love to get some longer stuff in 

A few thoughts:

Define "moderate" and you'll get better answers. Assuming in the 5.8 range? What's the maximum level you are comfortable with? 

This is also a tough time of year for Seattle. October is the best month for most of the country, but alas not in Western Washington. We are transitioning into the wettest portion of the year. If you get lucky with dry weather it is great, but don't depend on it. Driving over to the east side gives you much more reliably dry conditions. Leavenworth is drier than the west side, and Tieton is drier than Leavenworth. Vantage is the driest of them all but the climbing sucks. Smith is quite dry too. Index tends to be one of the wettest areas around.

If you are going to Smith anyway, you could consider spending the entire trip there. A few days in Smith is not enough to sample it properly, in terms of getting used to the style and the sheer quanitity of climbing there is to check out. The climate at Smith is much, much drier than around Seattle, and the weather should be excellent.

For trad cragging in the moderate grades, Tieton is very good. Royal Columns has the best concentration of 5.5-5.8 cracks I've seen just about anywhere. And the concentration of 5.10 finger cracks at the Bend is outstanding. It is pretty desert-y over there, and you'll likely have good weather. Also, it is pleasantly halfway between Seattle and Smith, so it is a good stop on the way to or from Smith.

The are various options for moderate multipitch in Leavenworth. Snow Creek Wall is excellent, though it sounds like that may be harder than you are looking for? Castle Rock is another popular choice (https://www.mountainproject.com/v/castle-rock/105790784), with shorter multipitch. People say it is a bit sandbagged also (I can't comment on this one way or the other).

Prime Rib of Goat (https://www.mountainproject.com/v/prime-rib-of-goat/107730934) over in Mazama is a popular fully bolted, very accesisble long multipitch. It is non-alpine, but could be a bit chilly in late October. Would depend on the day. It tends to be windy on that wall, so that could make things cold.

Fresh snow down to 4000' this weekend, with more cool/wet weather ahead, so anything alpine is starting to get snowy.

this website is good for forecasting snow levels.

right now it's set for up north but just click the map where you want to be and it'll pull up the relevant info

http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/forecast/Default.aspx?zone=WA567

.....Smith has lots of long routes. Take another look at the guidebook.   Should you venture to Seattle.  Leavenworth has many crags close to the road which should be dry.  Not very long multi pitch but multipitch all the same.  Try Castle Rock, Carson Crag, Icicle Butress.  Outer space is sandbagged for 5.9.  But if your balls are feeling big that day just go for it. Great route. 

In Leavenworth, Linking lower and middle eightmile buttress together gets you 6-7 pitches with only a little bit of walking. 

You can do the now standard 1st pitch of tree route (a stiff 5.7 to bypass the dirty "chimney") followed by an easy scramble pitch and an amazing 5.6 third pitch. 

Walk 10 minutes uphill and do stump route (5.6) for 2 pitches, then straight up the crack of Hello Kitty (5.9) for the 3rd pitch.

 rap hello kitty, and enjoy the 15 minute hike back down to the car....or keep going up and do another couple pitches in the upper 8mile

Hi Jay, 

You might also check out Three O'Clock rock at Darrington. It is on the west side and thus prone to be wet this time of year, but some routes may dry out fast. 

What are you comfortable leading? I've never thought of the moderates on Snow Creek Wall as being particularly sandbagged. I second that Icicle Canyon is one of the best places to be on a crisp fall day.

I never thought of Outer Space as a sandbag for 5.9, hell I was able to follow it after climbing for all of 4 months. Two falls, both when over cammed placements came out and I barn doored, didn't fall making any moves on the route. That was at a time when I had climbed ONE 5.9 sport pitch cleanly before. It's easier to follow than Orbit, less sustained, and harder to screw up IMO.

Another good option if you want a low stress multipitch is Condorphamine Addiction. Further up the icicle, very generously bolted and not heady to lead. Perfect to push into the 10- range on slab if that's near your limit. South exposure is nice also. 

R&D is fun short romp in the easy trad category also. 

Jon Nelson wrote:

Hi Jay, 

You might also check out Three O'Clock rock at Darrington. It is on the west side and thus prone to be wet this time of year, but some routes may dry out fast. 

darrington???  sheeeiittt, that's about the only place wetter than index this type of year...

go east young man, go east.  outer space is a really fun route.  maybe ride the lightning on goose egg mountain (i guess that is kinda south....).  

slim wrote:

darrington???  sheeeiittt, that's about the only place wetter than index this type of year...

go east young man, go east.  outer space is a really fun route.  maybe ride the lightning on goose egg mountain (i guess that is kinda south....).  

True, Slim. 

On the other hand, it does have the multi-pitch moderates Jay was asking for. And it is a beautiful spot when one does get lucky with the weather. 

I guess another idea would be Castle Rock in the Tumwater. 

slim wrote:

darrington???  sheeeiittt, that's about the only place wetter than index this type of year...

go east young man, go east.  outer space is a really fun route.  maybe ride the lightning on goose egg mountain (i guess that is kinda south....).  

The kone and broad daylight tend to dry pretty quick. I'd link into broad daylight over the great arch though, the 5.9 friction moves on the traverse at crack on the kone tend to seep. Makes for a spicy lead and follow.

Ride the lightening, all i remember is flexing nubbins of choss flakes on the first part. That dihedral was fun, but we bailed after the pitch above to go to the bend. It looked so dirty.

The moderate index ultra-classic is Davis Holland Lovin' Arms.