Routes in First Creek Canyon

An excellent route with a unique and freaky crux on P2.

P1) 100ft, 5.7, climb the broken face with cam placements in horizontal breaks, then move across to the left facing corner for a few moves, then follow the diagonal crack up and right to a bolted anchor.

P2) 160ft, 5.8, straight up the varnished face with bizarre balls for holds, easy to the first bolt, then the balls reduce in size up to the 2nd bolt, and reduce in size further for the crux up to the crack above. The crack turns into a dihedral, follow the crack to a bolted belay.

P3) 200ft, 5.7, climb the right facing corner above and move left on to the face between 10-20 feet below the roof. The angle backs-off quickly. Continue until you have no rope left and set a trad belay in the crack.

P4) you're probably left with 40 foot of 4th class or maybe 5.0 climbing to the top.

Descent: The descent gully is on the other side of the pinnacle you climbed, however, the safest access is to walk up and right through bushes to the highest point and down to a large tree with rappel slings. Three abseils lead down, something like 40m from tree, 20m from tree, 27m from bolts. Follow cairns and a vague track down to your packs.

Start on a boulder. P1) 140ft, 5.8, climb a flake to the left facing corner and bolt. Horizontal traverse left, climb right facing corner to a second bolt, the horizontal traverse back right. Climb the shallow corner/crack up to a single bolt anchor with a thread below, you can also supplement with cams above.

P2) 150ft, 5.6, basically climb straight up the face, the challenge is finding gear placements, maybe wander slightly left and return right to a double bolt belay in white rock.

P3) 100ft, 5.8, it looks intimidating, almost overhanging. Move right to a crack and climb to a roof, place a cam with extended sling then step out right and traverse to a bolt, then up a short steep wall to a very laid-back slab. Wander up and set a trad belay in the crack. Expect a bit of rope drag.

P4) 100ft, low 5th class, straight up the crack to the top.

Descent: Walk left to a saddle between Lotta Balls Wall and the main cliff. Continue down the gully on the other side down to a large tree with rappel slings. Three abseils lead down, something like 40m from tree, 20m from tree, 27m from bolts. Follow cairns and a vague track down to your packs.

First pitch is an easy, protectable chimney for 150 ft. Second pitch starts on a face but quickly moves left into a dank overhanging corner. Protection is back farther in the corner. Do not be tempted to follow the right leaning flake because it will peter out after a couple of placements and then you will have a long scary traverse left back into the corner. Protection gets sparse until you pull back onto a face up to bolted anchors. 140 feet. Third pitch is an off width splitter crack, completely exposed for ninty feet. A number five cannot be placed until the very top so don't count on big gear to help you where you need it most. The first opportunity to protect is about 35-40 feet up in a small flake on the right side of the offwidth. A .75 cam will work there. A fall before reaching the protectable flake would be deadly and would probably blow out the anchor too. Fortunately the crack stays very wide so you can jam your shoulder and knee in to keep yourself feeling somewhat safe. Rock quality is excellent. Definitely not for a beginning leader. Single bolt at the top with a nice crack for pro.

crouch start left of red scoop. Top out same as red scoop.