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McHale's Navy

Trad climber

Panorama City, California & living in Seattle

May 24, 2013 - 01:37am PT

Nice tale, I'm going to have to take the hike - seems like I would have by now. What's the Beckey Route - I did not see it at Mtn Project - will have to search. I found this fun story at Climbing about Greg Child;
http://www.climbing.com/route/index-club/

1991 — Rise and Fall, 5.12a/b, multi-pitch sport; Greg Child and Andy DeKlerk
“I almost died on that route,” says Greg Child. The year after achieving renown for his ascent of K2 sans oxygen, Child teamed up with Andy DeKlerk, an accomplished Himalayan alpinist from South Africa, for this six-pitch sport route on the Upper Town Wall, the second multi-pitch sport route in Index. The route features highly technical, quintessentially Index moves: ticky-tacky, arty, delicate crimps and foot matches on micro-features on high-angle granite slab. “Quite surprising how many small holds there are on those cliffs,” says Child, “albeit covered in moss.” Amidst a final wire-brushing and drilling, Child was temporarily distracted and rapped off the end of his rope. He hit a ledge 16 feet below, fell 25 feet farther, then barrel-rolled down the forested slope, landing in a blackberry thicket. Spitting out blood, Child took stock: he had a broken right ankle and was alone, 25 minutes up a very steep climber’s trail… and it was getting dark. Child inched over to the climber’s trail and began a three-hour combat-crawl through the pitch-black forest to the parking lot, then drove one home one-footed, using his left foot for the accelerator, clutch and brake.

OK - I see Beckey Route is Town Crier route

Darryl Cramer

Social climber

May 24, 2013 - 01:41am PT

It has only been in recent years that I’ve realized that we too, were ancient ones.

Not to make you feel old but I have often imagined what is was like when you did the FA of Green Dragon or free climbed Godzilla. Bruce mentioned something about the 2nd pitch of Green Dragon falling away after the FA. Do you know the story there?

Even with all the new routes there are still some amazing cracks that have yet to be climbed let alone free climbed.

mastadon

Trad climber

crack addict

May 24, 2013 - 01:54am PT

Darryl,

I’ve posted this picture before but it’s at the base of the Davis/Holland route after the second pitch of the Beckey route fell off.

The second pitch was a perfect 2” hand crack in a perfect 90 degree corner. We were all appalled when we hiked up there one spring to find the pitch in pieces on the ground. We had all rigorously pounded pitons in that crack.

mikeyschaefer

climber

Yosemite

May 24, 2013 - 01:56am PT

Darryl, I've actually done STP as well but I didn't list it as I figured it was more of a variation. And ya i should probably go and do beat box, though since it doesn't top out I never considered it a a real UTW route. Its more of cragging pitch, same as Tempituous which I did list for some reason...

And then there is the Klewin route, Golden Arch, abraxas, and Dana's arch. maybe I'll get around to those some day.

Darryl Cramer

Social climber

May 24, 2013 - 02:09am PT

Mick -

It would be easy to add finishing pitches to both Tempituous and Beat Box.

Don -
I don't know how I missed that picture, Don. Thanks for the repost. I bet that would have been a sight to see.

MisterE

Social climber

Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2013 - 10:15am PT

Nice writing, Mastadon.

I have always wondered what the LTW looked like BEFORE they quarried the steps to the capitol from there...and how many more good climbs went missing.

mastadon

Trad climber

crack addict

May 24, 2013 - 10:37am PT

I had a link to pictures of the LTW from the early 1900's when it was a quarry but can't find it. Maybe someone else can.

Here's a picture looking over towards the Beckey route. The scar in the lower right is from the tower that was the second pitch that fell off.

kennyt

climber

Woodfords,California

May 24, 2013 - 10:39am PT

Nice thread. More pictures!

Darryl Cramer

Social climber

May 24, 2013 - 11:02am PT

Search for Pickett at the UW Library Special Collections for lots of early Index pictures.

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

May 24, 2013 - 11:04am PT

That old "I wonder what's up there" feeling may be gone from the UTW, but it is still available for anyone willing to make the hike up to Zeke's Wall. It's a couple of miles closer to Seattle, and until two years ago had an approach not much different from the UTW approach. The road in has been gated now, so there's an extra 40 minutes on the logging road, but it's definitely worth it.

kennyt

climber

Woodfords,California

May 24, 2013 - 11:06am PT

looks like good weather everyday.

Darwin

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

May 24, 2013 - 11:20am PT

Way to go for the jugular kennyt!

This thread has been inspiring enough for me to contemplate getting of the couch and going up there again, but: It's rained daily since May 13th (i think).

Darryl Cramer

Social climber

May 24, 2013 - 11:50am PT

Here's a picture of a fairly new route taken on a rainy day.

MH2

climber

May 24, 2013 - 12:04pm PT

Yes, Darryl. That will surely bring on the crowds.

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

May 24, 2013 - 12:40pm PT

Don, a very nice reminiscence and homage to stump humping. So nowadays you
don't walk straight up? And as for the crowds I don't ever recall seeing
anyone else at the Lower Wall. LOL! And, seriously, I suppose that nowadays
you can even get an espresso in Index? In the 'good old days' I went into
the Index tavern with the same mindset I went into similar 'establishments'
in Darrington, Forks, or Pinedale, Wyoming; be very particular in your choice
of words and don't stare at the denizens.

fluffy

Trad climber

May 24, 2013 - 12:50pm PT

Great thread. One of the finest crags I've ever visited. Davis Holland > Lovin Arms, Centerfold, Slow Children, Rattletale and on and on. Nice camping by the river, brilliant cracks splitting flawless stone. Took a huge winger running out the top of Slow Children when my girl mistook my falling for pulling up slack to clip...fell past the belay. Of course the train was going by at the time and large caliber guns were being fired at the shooting range while I was cruxin...classic Index.

Thanks for the pics and stories. What a special place.

SeaClimb

climber

May 24, 2013 - 01:21pm PT

Mikey,

Drew is getting psyched on some of the new route potential you pointed out to him. He's getting SB fired up too.

Drew's been saving his pennies...he's about 2/3 the way to a drill now. I told him i'd pay for the hardware but he had to buy his own drill. I figure he'll take extremely good care of it if he pays for it.

He was super psyched last summer!

Cheers
Rudy

Darryl Cramer

Social climber

May 24, 2013 - 01:46pm PT

Rudy - keep him on the cracks while his fingers are thin!

Here's a list:

Quadruple cracks on Lions Tigers and Bears
Soul Finger
The mini City Park crack breaking off from Robins Ramp ( might be too hard)

Btw - Erik and I abandoned a slab project on the way to the mid wall. Just to the right of behind the green door. I bet drew could knock it off in an easy day. We left it with a point or two of aid. Fully bolted and ready for anyone.