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Page Type:
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Trip Report |
|---|---|
Date Climbed/Hiked:
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May 9, 2009 |
Activities:
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Trad Climbing |
Season:
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Spring |
Add Heading Here
We have drove by Castle Rock so many time over the years and talk about climbing Midway. Another story from me, "I did it when I was a teenager" line. It's true, about 40 years ago with the Seattle Mountaineers. We saw many old pitons in cracks on both routes. Well, WE finally made it. We did Midway and Saber. Andrew lead Midway and I led most of Saber. We had no waiting lines on either route! Couldn't believe it. We arrived at the parking lot at 8:30AM, started flaking out rope about an hour later on Logger's Ledge. Funny getting older, you remember some things crystal clear, others are an absolute blur. I was glad Andrew lead. By then, another party of 5 was climbing "Winter Solstice". The routes merge somewhat about half way, but no one seemed bothered at all. We did Midway in under 3 hours whick was ok for us in three leads. Andrew did really great staying out on the face above "Jello Tower" before finally joining the obvious large crack system that gets you near the top. We walked off the back, ate lunch and decided we had it in us to do Saber, which was new to both of us. I decided to lead this one. Got stuck about 20 feet off the ground. Andrew urged me on, I gave it the old man grunt and away I went. It was a great lead for 100 feet or so. Sat down on a perfect feet over the abyss view on Andrew coming up. Good anchors and rest. He took a short traverse on "Saber Ledge", then follow a broken, variable make up your mind crack system to the top. Took about 3 hours of slow poke, but safe Dad. Sun was out, blue skies, moderate temperatures, snow on the upper ridges accross the river. It was a GREAT DAY. Just plain GREAT! Off to Leavenworth for Beer and Braugts and home by 9:30PM. 389 miles. Lots of snow on Stevens Pass.One month later....June 6, 2009
