Orbit (Grade III; 5.9)
Snow Creek Wall Leavenworth, WA
July 16, 2004
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Matt's trip report and photos are here.
Matt Mussallem and I climbed the classic grade III route, Orbit on Snow Creek Wall today. Matt drove down
from Canada and we met in Monroe on highway 2 at 5:30am. The weather was predicted to be in the 80F (35C) range, so we hoped
the early start would help us beat the heat. In spite of our careful planning, mother nature still threw us a loop.
On the radio we heard that three separate lightning strikes started three different fires up the Icicle Creek Canyon.
We decided to continue over anyway since there is plenty to climb in the Leavenworth area. I thought back to the last
time I was planning to climb Orbit with Michael and we were rained out. I hoped I wouldn't be skunked again by another
force of nature.
Started climbing: 9:00am, Summit: 4:20pm
From trail at the base of Snow Creek Wall, we hiked left for 200 feet then scrambled up to
a large sandy ledge with a large tree.
Pitch 1, easy cracks to tree with slings, then scramble up corner to belay.
Pitch 2, Up cracks to chimney with awkward exit moves with sloping handholds.
Pitch 3, up face, then LEFT not up and right to large dihedral. Traverse up ramp to left, then to finger
cracks. Good protection. Up to large flat pillar and shrubs. Crack on right for gear anchor.
Pitch 4: Traversed right from shrubs around corner, up face some runouts to small shrub with crack for gear behind it. *
Pitch 5: face climbing up through roofs to ledge with crack on right for belay*
* I can't remember if the 4th pitch was the uncomfortable ledge or if it was the 5th.
Pitch 6: chicken heads up slabs, trending right past roof, runout. Belay in large cave
Pitch 7: from belay under roof, go left, up corner then right up slabs past large pine trees to summit.
After reaching the top, we drank the last few swallows of water that we had saved for a "summit reward". It
helped our dying thirst a little but we agreed that what we really needed was a cool, refreshing Coca-Cola! So with
that torturous idea on our brains to help motivate us, we started the long scramble down. We followed cairns and were able
to locate a rappel bolt about 200 feet above the ledge where we started. After the rappel, we made our way down a
loose gulley then scramble up a little ravine to our waiting packs!
An hour and a half later we were guzzling Coca-colas outside the convenience store at the head of Icicle Creek Road. Ahhhhhhh!
That felt good, but what we really needed was 4 pitchers of water that we drank while enjoying a delicious dinner at Visconti's in town.
Thank you, Matt, for dinner and a great climb!
