Indian Creek 2023

Indian Creek 2023

At about 4:30 PM on Wednesday, Oct 11th we arrived at Creek Pasture Campground and got a good camp site. There were quite a few campsites available then, it doesn't start to get busier till Thursday and Friday. We brought an extra 3 gallon gas tank but didn't need it. A few tiny thunderstorms rolled through that day but wasn't enough to make the rock wet the next day!

Summary

  • Best routes
    • Crack Attack (5.11-), super cool moves
      • Soul Fire (5.11-), such a nice #1 size straightforward face crack
      • Coyne Crack (5.11d), nice challenging small straight face crack
      • Fatted Calf (5.11-), similar to Coyne, challenging small straight face crack
      • Coco's Boathouse (5.10), hidden secret #1-2 face crack!
      • 9 Lives (5.11c), ridiculously long but really good small face crack with variety
      • Wish You Were Here (5.10d), fun face climbing with bolt pre-clipped, lots of nuts!
      • Pigs On The Wing (5.11), #2-0.75 face crack
      • Vienna (5.11-), nice but short #1 face crack
      • Go Sparky Go (5.11), fun finishing move

Thursday

Wee Doggie5.10-90'⭐⭐⭐CleanThe Sickle5.10-90'⭐⭐⭐CleanFatted Calf**5.11-**70'⭐⭐⭐⭐One hangCoco's Boathouse5.10120'⭐⭐⭐⭐Clean

Friday

Incredible Hand Crack5.10100'⭐⭐2 hangsCoyne Crack5.11d60'?⭐⭐⭐⭐CleanSupercrack of the Desert5.10100'⭐⭐CleanThe Wave5.10+120'⭐⭐⭐One fall

Saturday

Go Sparky Go5.1170'⭐⭐⭐Pinkpoint on 3rd trySparkling Zygote5.10-60'⭐⭐⭐Clean9 Lives5.11c120'⭐⭐⭐⭐Many hangs

Sunday

Lady Pillar5.10-110'⭐⭐⭐CleanSoul Fire5.11-80'⭐⭐⭐⭐CleanCasey's Route5.10+70'⭐⭐One hangRun Like Hell5.1070'⭐⭐A few hangsWish You Were Here5.10d120'⭐⭐⭐Clean (pre-clipped bolt)Pigs On The Wing5.1190'⭐⭐⭐⭐One fallDirty Girl5.935'⭐⭐⭐Clean

Monday

Pigs In Space5.10120'⭐⭐⭐CleanCrack Attack**5.11-**70'?⭐⭐⭐⭐CleanCave Route5.10d80'⭐⭐⭐One fallRailroad Tracks5.1060'⭐⭐⭐Clean

Tuesday

Vienna5.11-60'⭐⭐⭐CleanSpam5.960'⭐⭐⭐CleanSicilian5.11+60'?⭐⭐⭐Pulled plus hungsScarface5.11a/b80'?⭐⭐One fall

Thursday, Oct 12

We went to two walls today, but they were right next to each other. From Original Meat Wall, we were able to walk to Sacred Cow Wall by simply following the wall around to the left. It was an ok trail/scramble between the two.

Original Meat Wall - ⭐⭐⭐

Wee Doggie - 5.10-, 90' - ⭐⭐⭐

Fun/different route! The start is the hardest, it starts with a small weaving crack that widens to #2 and #3 and is really technical with tricky feet placements, and then the second half finishes in a consistent #1 corner.

Ideal gear: 1x 0.4, 2x 0.5, 3x 0.75, 4x #1, 2x #2, 1-2x #3. 3-4 draws, no nuts.

The Sickle - 5.10-, 110' - ⭐⭐⭐

The bottom half is super fun cruiser #1 to tight #2 corner crack (3-4 stars for that), but then it widens to baggy #2 and tight #3 at the top which gets down to 2 and even 1 star terrain for me. But the first half is fun enough for it to get 3 stars.

  • ⚠️ Rope can get stuck when pulling, possibly stepping around the right side of the initial scramble and pulling that way might be better.

If you don’t have 5+ #2 you could prolly bring more 0.5-0.75 and place it on the left crack. In order I used 0.5, 0.75, 1, 4, 1, 4x #2, #3, #3, #2.

Fatted Calf - 5.11-, 70' - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you love tight #1 hand crack, a great climb! I took one hang about 12 feet from the top where it's tighter hands. If I didn't do The Sickle before this, I think I could have gotten it clean.

Used in order 0.5, 3x 0.75, 2x #1, 3x #2, 2x #1, #0.75. Nice to save one 0.75 at the top. If anything bring an extra #1, plus 4x 0.75-2 and one #0.5.

Coco's Boathouse - 5.10, 120' - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hidden gem of a route!! It didn't have much info/votes, glad we decided to try it, amazing face and corner crack route! If this route was anywhere else, I'm sure it'd be super crowded!

Starts in a fun #1-2 corner crack, then transitions onto the #1-2 face crack, and then ends on tight #1 to 0.75 face crack. Not that chossy either.

  • ⚠️ 70m rope doesn't fully reach. 70m can lower the climber to the ledge 10ft up, and then can swap belays, but to get down need to extend the rope with some extra cordelette.
  • ⚠️ Rope can get stuck when pulling. Snagged on the lip just above the 10ft ledge, we had to climb back up and get it unstuck.

Used in order 0.5, 1, 2x 0.75, 3x #2, #1, #2, 2x #1, 2x #0.75. No clips at top. Even has a bolt on the route. If anything bring 5 #1's.

Where the rope gets stuck

Friday, Oct 13 - Supercrack Buttress

On Friday, we had a slightly shorter day, just climbing on Supercrack Buttress.

Incredible Hand Crack - 5.10, 100' - ⭐⭐

I wasn't a fan of Incredible Hand Crack. The crux is quite difficult! I hung twice on the crux part, but then easy after that.

Brought 2x #1, 8x #2, 1x #3, didn’t find anywhere for the #3 up top so place it at the start (could even bring a #4 for the start) and only used one #1 near the top, and used all 8 #2. Used 4 alpine draws, bring 4-8 alpines. Perfect rack would be 9-10 #2, one #1, and then 0-1 #3 and optional #4. Mussy hooks.

Coyne Crack - 5.11d, 60'? - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I got it clean!! Nice straightforward #1 size face crack!

4x #0.75 at start and then 6x #1, #2, #1, #2. Brought 8 #1 but didn’t use one, didn’t need the 0.5 at the start either. Instead of some #1 you could prolly place one or two #0.75 near the top too. Really tiring but neat, and it gets easier at the end! And has mussy clips!

Supercrack of the Desert - 5.10, 100' - ⭐⭐

Not the most fun for smaller hands, but I got it clean. The starting corner was probably the toughest, quite awkward and weird there! Then just so much tight #3. I was close to elbow deep. At start used #2 and #0.5, and then 3x #2 and then 8x #3 to the top. Bring 5-6 #2 if #2 size is tough for you, 8-11 #3 if #3 is tough for you. Clips at top! Feet too wide for Alexis.

The Wave - 5.10+, 120' - ⭐⭐⭐

This was pretty fun, definitely way more fun than Incredible Hand Crack! And had more hand jamming than I thought it would!

I had one fall near the top, slipped off when I didn’t even think I would! Bottom and top are #1, good mix of smaller stuff between. Used 0.4-3 with double #0.5, 5x #0.75, 4x #1, 3x #2, and one #3 (when you reach the #3 midway up place it there). Optional #2 at the end before the anchor. Bring extra #0.5-1 if pushing limit. Some decent hand jamming for me, not too much layback, good rests too. No clips.

Saturday, Oct 14

We went to two walls today...

Sparks Wall - ⭐⭐

A few good routes here, but Go Sparky Go is the main standout, not enough to earn the wall 3 stars in my book.

Go Sparky Go - 5.11, 70' - ⭐⭐⭐

A really fun route, would be 4 stars if it were longer, but it's really just the finishing move sequence that makes the climb.

I had to try it three times to get it clean on lead. The first time I took a hang and then put in the #0.5 which really protects the move, but it's too tough to place the 0.5 if trying to lead clean. The second time, I tried skipping the 0.5 but hesitated too much and couldn't do the lunge, took a few falls, and the eclipse was starting to happen. So I lowered on my gear.

We watched the partial eclipse, which was super cool!

Then, on my third attempt, I left the cams in but pulled the rope. I knew the exact moves, and I went for it, and got it clean!

Sparkling Zygote - 5.10-, 60' - ⭐⭐⭐

Afterwards, we re-did Sparkling Zygote which has a pretty fun set of dual cracks and corner. I think it was more fun the first time, it's still kinda difficult for a 5.10-, but I got it clean still. I'd give it 2.5 stars. Used 4x #1, 2x #2, 2x #3. A variety of gear #1-3 works.

Cat Wall - ⭐⭐

Then we went to Cat Wall, which didn't have too much we were interested in, but did have one standout route, 9 Lives...

9 Lives - 5.11c, 120' - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This route was freaking awesome, but difficult and long. The lower start is hard, then it gets into tight #2 face crack which I like, then tight #1 down to 0.75 at the crux (still face crack, many hangs there), then there's a cool reach move to a jug on the left, then a layback up a 0.5 crack to a 0.4 piece, and then you reach to the left to the left face crack that starts as 0.75 and grows to #1 and #2 and #3 all in the span of about 10 feet and then you reach to the juggy ledge!

Used 1x 0.4, 3x 0.5, 4x 0.75, 7x #1, 4x #2, 1x #3. Didn’t need 0.2-0.3, bring one extra in 0.75-2, maybe even two extra #1 (bumped up some).

Looking at the crux Alexis in the upper half

Sunday, Oct 15

The Wall

We started the day off at The Wall since it was a hotter day and it was in the shade till noon-ish.

Run Like Hell - 5.10, 70' - ⭐⭐

A bit too big crack size for me, I got through the traverse crack but then the final #2 end is baggy #2 and my hands weren't secure enough to get that and I took a couple hangs before finally getting it. Also, when you consider the scrambly start, this route is kinda short. But it was useful for clipping the bolt on Wish You Were Here!

Wish You Were Here - 5.10d, 120' - ⭐⭐⭐

Feels a lot more like Red Rock climbing than Indian Creek, lots of face features, and a lot of nut placements! Clipping the first bolt while lowering from Run Like Hell was nice. Fun variety route!

Used like 4 nuts, single #0.1-0.2, 2x #0.3, 2x 0.5, 2x 0.75, single #1 and #4.

Pigs on the Wing - 5.11, 90' - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Was kinda surprised I fell (one fall) but it was pumpy. Bottom half is bigger crack, top half is tight, but some good rests. Anchor doesn't have clips (only chains).

In order used #3, #2, #1, #2, #1, #1, #2, #2, 0.75, 0.5, 0.75, 0.75, #1, #1, 0.75, 0.75, 0.5 at anchor just for comfort of reaching it.

Dirty Girl - 5.9, 35' - ⭐⭐⭐

Both Nate and Alexis led this clean! It's quite a good route aside from being short, a great 5.9! Lots of nice stemming, even some hand jamming, and an optional layback corner finish up at the top if you want layback instead of stemming!

No clips on the anchor (chains). Gear from double 0.4-2 with one #3 sews it up, maybe even triple 0.75 if you prefer.

The Optimator

As the sun started to hit, we went over to The Optimator, which was in the shade aside from the approach.

Lady Pillar - 5.10-, 110' - ⭐⭐⭐

Nate tried leading Lady Pillar first, but it has a few cruxy moves above ledges that proved too sketchy, I led it again. It was still pretty fun, good solid route, I only used two #3's at the top this time since I was feeling more confident.

Soul Fire - 5.11-, 80' - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I GOT IT CLEAN! Was so excited to get this one clean, good improvement from last trip! Last trip I took 5 hangs and pulled on one cam! We apparently didn't take any pictures of it (including one photo from 2021), there was another group after us and we were also just focused on climbing it clean! Alexis got it clean too!

Bring 3x #2, 7x #1, 3x 0.75, and optional #3.

Casey's Route - 5.10+, 70' - ⭐⭐

There was a big group on Hayutake, so the only other interesting sounding route for our last route of the day was to try Casey's Route again. It was really tough last time. This time I only hung on one 0.5 at the crux and otherwise got it clean, big improvement from last time where I had to also pull on pieces!

Used 5x #1, 3x 0.75, 3x 0.5. Bring one extra of each to be safe, and maybe a #2 and a 0.4. No clips at top. Feels 11- to me.