Here's a little variation I found that avoids hiking Blister Hill and adds some fun scrambling to the ascent.
Arete Variation:
Length: 500 vertical feet
Rating: 5.2
From Tolcat Creek, follow the regular trail until the first switchback. From there, deal with about 100 ft of moderate bushwacking south to reach the rocky rib. Many variations are possible, and the climbing is more difficult the closer one stays to the ridge. (There is another ridge further south, but I stayed on the northernmost one)
Apart from a few short detours to the side to avoid some roofs and +5.7 stuff, I was able to stay on the arete. The climbing was mostly 3rd-4th class, with occasional 5th class moves.
While there are definitely places that you don't want to fall, the exposure isn't too bad and you have nice views of the valley & the Mount Olympus Trail below.
Near the end one is confronted with some exposed face climbing with small handholds on the north side of the arete, but there is enough in the way of a faint ledge system that you can mostly edge up this part. After the face climbing, the ridge soon peters out and a short walk takes you back to the main trail.
I used the next rib to the right a few years ago, there is only a small potentially class 5 cracked slab but mostly it is a walk-up. Did you find a geocache up there, BTW? ;)
The crux on this was also a slab - you could really only use your hands for balance and do some delicate edging on a small crack system. Apart from that, just a bunch of fun & short class 3-4 problems, but you could have made it easier by dropping down more often.
PellucidWombat - May 16, 2005 11:00 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentHere's a little variation I found that avoids hiking Blister Hill and adds some fun scrambling to the ascent.
Arete Variation:
Length: 500 vertical feet
Rating: 5.2
From Tolcat Creek, follow the regular trail until the first switchback. From there, deal with about 100 ft of moderate bushwacking south to reach the rocky rib. Many variations are possible, and the climbing is more difficult the closer one stays to the ridge. (There is another ridge further south, but I stayed on the northernmost one)
Apart from a few short detours to the side to avoid some roofs and +5.7 stuff, I was able to stay on the arete. The climbing was mostly 3rd-4th class, with occasional 5th class moves.
While there are definitely places that you don't want to fall, the exposure isn't too bad and you have nice views of the valley & the Mount Olympus Trail below.
Near the end one is confronted with some exposed face climbing with small handholds on the north side of the arete, but there is enough in the way of a faint ledge system that you can mostly edge up this part. After the face climbing, the ridge soon peters out and a short walk takes you back to the main trail.
PellucidWombat - May 24, 2005 10:18 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentHere's a route photo:
Dmitry Pruss - May 24, 2005 6:17 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentI used the next rib to the right a few years ago, there is only a small potentially class 5 cracked slab but mostly it is a walk-up. Did you find a geocache up there, BTW? ;)
PellucidWombat - May 24, 2005 6:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThe crux on this was also a slab - you could really only use your hands for balance and do some delicate edging on a small crack system. Apart from that, just a bunch of fun & short class 3-4 problems, but you could have made it easier by dropping down more often.
Sadly, I found no geocache :-(