R & D, 5.8

    Gear Used:
  • 60 meter rope
  • gear to 3 inches
  • quickdraws
August 22 2005

The Approach

There really isn't an approach to Icicle Buttress as the rock basically rises out of the road. For the start of this route you just hike a climbers trail up the left hand side of the slab until you reach a line of bolts.

Icicle Buttress

R & D Route 5.6** w/ The Ramp Variation 5.8

Driving through Icicle Creek Canyon near Leavonworth you will pass a 400 foot high slab called icicle Buttress. I have always passed it by due to the high traffic of mounties running up it. Passing by the huge slab we noticed that nobody was on the buttress at all. We decided to take this oppurtunity to see what all the fuss was about.

We hiked up the left side of the slab a little bit until we found a line of bolts leading up the rock. The first two pitches of this route is easy padding up the slab. You can almost walk upright on this section as it is not steep at all. I made the mistake of taking the second pitch up and straight into a gully/ramp system. I guess the regualr R & D route cuts to the left and follows easy terrain. We ended up on a route called The Ramp rated 5.8 and for some reason i really struggled up this route. After grunting up "The Ramp" I lead out on some really fun and easy cracks to the top of the dome.


Climbing The Ramp.

After climbing the four pitches up Icicle Buttress we headed to Bobs Wall. We couldn't resist, the cracks look great!

Bob's Fourth Crack 5.7**

Bob's Wall
Climbing Bob's Fourth Crack.

This was the best climb of the day! Great jamming and great gear placments throughout the whole route. Easily takes gear to 2 inches. Can't wait to climb this route again!

Bob's Fifth Crack 5.8*

A big corner on the right of the fourth crack. Pretty fun climbing but not as good as the fourth crack. Struggle up the corner with two options to exit at top.

| | Top | |