As was the case on my last trip out (“New Attempt“), the weather only marginally cooperated. It had rained vociferously the night before and a fog lay heavily over the forest silencing nearly all voices. Little Wilson Creek, however, sang out joyously, her pulchritudinous cascades heavily laden with the copious runoff of the recent deluge. I tried to get on the warm-up climb, Jigsaw, but the way to the first bolt was dripping and treacherous. After abandoning this initial attempt, it rained lightly. Thinking that climbing was not in our purview for this day, we nonetheless searched Mountain Project for the order and difficulty of climbs, as my memory was a bit remiss concerning details of climbs with which I had much earlier been familiar. We found a climb within my wheelhouse under a small roof that was only damp. I knew that I could not go to the rings at the top of the climb since the climb above the roof was actively being rained upon, albeit lightly. The roof was just sufficient for my group of eight and their equipment to avoid a slow soaking. I set off up the route adding several cams between bolts. Though the face was only damp, I quickly discovered that the crack needed to ascend was party to a small trickle that would not be slowed by any amount of chalk. After several skating hold failures, I gained the roof and set up a three cam anchor. Everyone attempted it more than once, several successfully. I cleaned it at the end, and after all the visual beta, I climbed it clean. All the while, the multitudinous attempts and further belay training, the weather and single climb to be done dampened no ones spirits or conversations, many stories and smiles being shared around. Our hope is to return for the next outing on a dryer day to attempt several of the other climbs. Check out our pictures of the trip at “Soggy Scaling.”
Archive for September 7th, 2025
Soggy Bottom Creek
Posted in Climbing, General, Nature, Outdoors, tagged adventure, Climbing, Hike, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Rock Climbing, Travel on September 7, 2025| 1 Comment »
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