Peak-a-Boo Tower - Yard Art

Overview

Yard Art, with variations on the 4th pitch, is a nice 4 pitch trad climb in Icicle Creek Canyon offering nice views and good climbing. Pitches 1, 2, and 3 of Yard Art are very nice, and when combined with the West Face route on Peak-a-Boo Tower or Lawn Darts make a very satisfying climb. Avoid the hideous nasty rounded flaring cracks of the 4th pitch of Yard Art.

Getting There

Drive down Icicle Creek Road until just before Icicle Buttress. Park on the west side of the street and look for a trail that heads up the hill to the large formation north of Icicle Buttress. After a 20 minute hike, you will come to a junction in the trail. Head up and to the northwest to the base of the buttress below the obvious steep tower. Look for 2 pine trees. The start of the first pitch is just above here.

Route Description

Pitch #1 - 5.7 - Climb up the face and exit onto the slab above. Move up and to the left on easy terrain to the base of the nice right angling hand crack. Jamb this to reach the slab above. Keep moving up clippng a couple bolts to reach the belay chains. 140 feet

Pitch #2 - 5.9 - The crux of this pitch is right off the belay. Climb the thin face with tiny holds a ways apart requiring some balancy moves. Continue straight up on nice sustained thin face and slab. Supplement bolts with cams. 130 feet

Pitch #3 - 5.8+ - Climb straight up the thin slab / face clipping several bolts. Really nice rock and movement here. Exit up and to the right onto the ledge, but don't stop here. Climb up and to the right on 3rd class terrain, then belay at the double bolts at the base of the upper slab. 80 feet

Pitch #4 - Lawn Darts - 5.10A - Climb straight up the clean bolted slab on your left. Climbing here is excellent sustained 5.8 to 5.9 friction with tiny little holds. After about 80 feet, the slab becomes very steep but the holds get bigger. Crank through 70 feet of steep thin face to reach the chains. Very nice pitch. 150 feet

Peak-a-Boo Tower Summit variation:

After the second pitch, belay at the set of chains on the left side of the ledge.

Pitch #3 - 5.9+ - Climb some slab up to the base of the arete to gain the small ledge at the base of the ominous looking offwidth. Crank up the vertical very strenuous left leaning offwidth to reach a small rest. Now move up and to the right working back and forth from arete slapping to vertical juggy face, supplementing the bolts with cams as required. Power up this face and exit onto the lower angled arete above to reach the top. Beautiful pitch. 90 feet

Down - Rappel the route.

Essential Gear

2 50 or 60 meter ropes.

For Lawn Darts:

1 each cams micro to 3"
12 draws
Slings

For Peak-a-Boo Tower - West Face:

1 each cams micro to 3"
3 cams in the 3.5 to 4.5" range
6 draws
Slings

Other Info

Images

View Peak-a-Boo Tower - Yard Art Image Gallery - 6 Images