Cocaine and Castle

September 26th, 2004

No, it is not some kind of fancy new chess move, nor is it junkies on parade. Well, sort of junkies on parade.

Sam and I visited der Leavenworth for some fine fall rock. The colors coming over the pass were spectacular, and they didn't stop all the way to town. We decided to go check out some climbs in the Sam Hill area, where Ski Track Cracks and Groping for Opera's Navel are. After climbing a short bolted slab climb up and to the left of ski tracks we found that every square inch of crack in the area was FULL of hornets!! There would be no more climbing here, so we headed on down to climb Cocaine Crack.

Dave leading up the first pitch of R&D. Photo: Sam

Sam leading Cocaine Crack's crux (5.10a).

On to castle rock! Sam leads the first pitch of [scary] Canary (5.8).

Dave on the classic step out move of pitch 2. Photo: Sam

Classic Leavenworth, topping out on Castle Rock. Photo: Sam

"That Guy" attempts to figure out a complicated love triangle.