We went back to the Indian Cove Campground area for our next climbing session.  There were a lot of moderate grade trad climbs there that we hadn’t looked at yet and we wanted to see what else the area had to offer.

This time, we checked out the Feudal Wall.  It is such a popular wall with guides and groups.  There are always top ropes hanging above the best moderate climbs.  

This day was no exception.  We walked along the bottom of the wall but there were no routes we wanted to climb that weren’t already claimed.  So we headed back to the Short Wall.

Mad Race, 5.4

The Short Wall on the left side has a 5.4 called Mad Race that we wanted to try.  It was free and we set up at the bottom.  Although the forecast was for mild temperatures, the sun was hot on the Short Wall and there was no breeze.

We had gone to Nomad and bought sun shirts after our first hot day. The long sleeved shirts are super light and keep you cool while preventing sunburn. I had opted for a wool shirt and started to regret it as we started setting up.

Dan started up the 5.4 on lead.  The bottom half was fairly good climbing using the crack and face holds.  As he moved into the top half, he slowed down a bit.  He took his time placing gear.  

At the top, Dan built an anchor to bring me up.  I found the bottom half, first up to the big ledge and then climbing the crack above it, fairly easy but engaging.

Then the climb moved into a smooth, wide chimney.  There were few holds and it was too wide for hand jams.  I marvelled at Dan’s lead as I tried to fight and wiggle my way up the wide smooth section.  This high chimney felt like exposed climbing with nowhere to place protection.  I finally made it to the top, hoping for a rest at a nice belay. I was disappointed.

The top of the left side of the Short Wall is not like the right side.  The right side is smooth at the top and fairly flat with big boulders set back from the edge perfect for building anchors. 

Dan was feeling strong and confident and he easily made the hike to the rappel station.  He put me on belay and I worked up the courage to pop up onto the top and walk to him.  

Some days are like that for me.  Low courage days.  I just want to feel safe and be able to relax and enjoy myself.  

Donna T’s Route, 5.8

The next climb we tried was back over on the right side of the Short Wall.  It was a short 5.8 crack on the far right of the wall.  Dan had spotted it during our last session there and he felt he could lead it.

He jumped on and led the climb, using all the crack climbing techniques we had been practicing in the last session.

It took me a minute but eventually, I figured it out.  The crack width varies a lot and at one point I used a hand and fist jam to place my hands securely in the crack where it was too wide for just a fist.  I was able to pull up onto solid foot placements and release my hands.  

It was a fun climb.  Perhaps on our next trip, I’ll lead it too. This day, I was happy to use some crack climbing techniques to successfully climb on top rope.

At the top, there is the walk-off down the back.

We didn’t want to climb anything else on the Short Wall that day.  There were a 5.8 and a 5.7 on the left side that we checked out but they seemed very committing and difficult with a need to move up over a bulge from underneath it.  We decided these would be better done on another day.

Some Climbs are Too Run-Out, Too Intense

We packed up and drove through the campground to look at some moderate trad climbs on other rock formations in the area.  First, we stopped at the Pixie Wall.  There is a 5.6 there which the guidebook says is a “tad” run out.

We walked over to check it out. It looked to us like the first opportunity to place protection on that climb was about 20 feet off the ground.  A “tad”? Too high.  We walked away.

We then checked out a climb on King Otto’s Castle.  It looked amazing.  This climb follows a crack system high up the wall to a bolted rappel station.  We decided to save that climb for another day.  It looked high and committing.

Picnic, 5.6, This Climb is Just Right

Then we drove to the Campfire Crags to look at a 5.6 there.  It followed a dark trough up the wall and ended at a ledge with a dark-looking cave behind. There was a bolted belay station at the ledge.  The back of the trough had a big crack. The bottom half was a left-facing corner with the crack at the back. In the top half, the crack went behind a flake.

We stared up at it and, like Goldilocks, decided that this climb was “just right”. 

Dan led and found it a bit challenging to place gear.  The crack flared open and wasn’t deep enough in a lot of places to create a solid placement.

He searched around and managed to find adequate protection.  He completed the climb and built a top rope anchor at the rappel station.  I lowered him and it was my turn.

I enjoyed this climb the most of the three we did that day.  The crux was about halfway up where the crack turns into a flake.  You have to come up onto the flake from underneath and I got creative with foot placements outside the crack.  I used a stemming style to climb the corner up onto the flake.

This was interesting and fun.  I got to the top and cleaned the anchor. I rappelled back down and we packed up.

We drove to one more area to check out a climb.  This is one we looked at last year and made my heart beat a little bit faster just to look at it.

The Moosedog Tower has a few long climbs on it.  One is a 5.6 called Tranquility.  It can be done in three short pitches.  The Tower lives up to its name, being tall and slender.  

Two climbers were on one of the routes on the Tower and a group of people sat below watching them.  The leader was partway up, bringing up the second.  I felt that this climb was a bit too much for us this year. 

Maybe next year we will come back and tackle it.  I sure hope so.