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12002 Hits
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72.07% Score
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2 Votes
Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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48.62670°N / 122.407°W |
Route Type:
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Sport Climbing, Toprope |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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Less than two hours |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.7 (YDS) |
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Difficulty:
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5.6-5.9 : A4 |
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Number of Pitches:
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1 |
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Approach
- Follow Hwy 11
- Turn RIGHT (if you're heading south) on Cove Rd.
- Stay LEFT park in parking area
- Go the boat launch and you'll see the cliff. A spur trail leads to the left to access the top of the climb (descent route)
***Remember the bottom of this climb is not accessible during High Tide consult a Tide Chart
Route Description
The 130' Boat Launch Wall is the Largest Cliff in Larrabee State Park, there are larger cliffs on the both Chuckanut Mt. and Blanchard Mt. The standard route is bolted, as are a few variations, and is a 70-85 degree slab climb on good Chuckanut Sandstone.On the standard route there are 4 or 5 bolts between 15' - 25' apart, missing the second clip offers 50' groundfall potential. Despite moderate climbing this is not a beginner lead. The local name for the route is the "Resistance route". Given the proximity to the ocean, which is just below you, the bolts are rusty but decent. Clearing away pine needles and gravel from footholds is commonplace. This is a Chuckanut classic that almost every local climber has survived and loved, don't be deterred. To the right there is an open corner that is supposedly A4.
You cannot rappel this route with a 60m rope, you'll come up about 15 - 20' short. Belay from the top. The top anchor is a super burly piece of steel grown into a massive root on a huge tree. If you want an equalized anchor you can sling also the tree. You'll need ~10' of webbing just to make it around the tree, so allow 20' of cord of webbing to make an equalized anchor, and don't be surprised if you get a few smiles.
If you want to Top Rope the Boat Launch you must belay from the top unless you have a 70m rope. There's a nice spot in front of the top anchor overlooking the beautiful scenery.
Essential Gear
Lead:-6 quickdraws
Top Rope:
-20' of cord or webbing
-70m rope if belaying from bottom
More Route Info:
Courtesy of MtnFreak:The Resistance Route (5.7, 4 bolts, 100'), originally lead only with pitons, starts in the center of the face and exits straight up.
Another 5.7 variation (1 bolt) starts at the bottom left corner and joins the route at the second bolt.
A 5.9 variation (2 bolts) starts at the bottom right and also joins Resistance at the second bolt.
A third variation, 5.9 (2 bolts), departs Resistance from the third bolt and heads right. It is runout - arguably the bolts will keep you from decking. A few opportunities to place cams from 0.5 to 2 inches will help you stay calm.
This route gets a significant amount of water run-off and like all sandstone is best climbed DRY.
A copy of "Bellingham Rock" is available for reference only from the Western Washington University Outdoor Center library.
DraftRock - Aug 22, 2011 2:44 pm - Voted 9/10
Day Use FeeA note is that this is a Day Use Fee area for Larrabee State Park, you can use a Washington State Discover Pass($30/car) or $10/day pass.
DraftRock - Aug 22, 2011 2:46 pm - Voted 9/10
Watch the TIDES!The tides here may seem low but they are creep up the beach really fast and can quickly wash your gear away and you might loose your belay spot to several feet of water