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Peak Mountain 3

Outer Space

FA Fred Beckey & Ron Nicoli - 1960
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

Probably the most popular route in Leavenworth. Starts at the base of Snow Creek Wall and follows fantastic features up through the main shield to the top. This can be crowded, but it's a good place to chill and look at the view. Pretty easy to identify this route on the wall, because of the long, well-cleaned crack splitting the upper headwall. Follow that crack down to a ledge with a big cedar growing out of it. The regular start is the ledge/dihedral system about 80 feet right and 100 feet down from the end of that ledge.

P1-P2 (5.7): An easy corner/scramble to a ledge. From the ledge, traverse down and left to the huge ledge with the big tree; you'll probably have to do a little easy simulclimbing to do this as one pitch. There's also several fun variations starting further left that are a bit harder, but would allow you to pass a really slow party on the first pitch.

P3 (5.9): From the ledge, either head up a steep crack with juggy flakes (some are a bit hollow) or start from the left up a dihedral. Either way, you end up at a roof. Step out to the right (this is airy and fun, with great pro) and follow the crack out right until it heads up again. Be careful of drag. Belay on a nice sloping ledge.

P4 (5.8). Head up and left on an easy slab peppered with knobs toward a right-facing dihedral. Get into the dihedral (crux of this pitch), top out, and traverse left to another ledge. Watch out for rope drag on this, too. Longer than it looks.

P5 (5.7). The money pitch. Go up the obvious crack that splits the shield. One of the most enjoyable pitches in the world, I think. You'll giggle the whole way up. It's 130 feet long (?). You can jam in any of the bomber, perfect jams along the way, or if you get tired of that, step onto the stair-like knobs peppering the face. Sublime. And it ends on a perfect ledge with a separate crack to set an anchor. Gear wise might want to bring triples in hand size as its easy to run out of gear here

P6 (5.9). Keep following the crack. A little "bouldery" crack move gets you off the ledge, then it's cruiser jamming to the top. Getting all the way to the top in one pitch from here will stretch a 60m rope. You may have to stop on the slab to bring up your second before you actually hit the top and trees. Don't sweat it, though. There's room for gear everywhere.

From here, there is a rap route, or scramble down the gullies on the left (as you're facing the wall). Follow the cairns all the way (well marked).  Once you hit the tree rappel station there is an option of continuing to walk off (much easier IMO), just continue to follow the cairns

Protection

Cams up to a #3 camalot with doubles in hand size will sew this puppy up. Rack o' nuts and some long slings. Sensible shoes for the descent.