Trip Report: Leavenworth Bouldering

Another sweet weekend that came and went, spent in the awesome canyons of Leavenwoth, Washington. As I've said in the past- best bouldering in the North West by a long shot. Carver is a Portland gem for sure and we're lucky to have it but sometimes your fingers just need some nice GRANITE, you know? So many big boulders with finely textured holds. Boulder problems with plenty of variation to suite your style or for you to work on a weakness. Either way, you can't help but be stoked when climbing in such pretty scenery on clean and unique looking rocks!

Putting Hanta Man Together

Fridge Right is Going Down!

Adam McBale working on the Fridge Left

Having limited myself to a few of the main bouldering areas, my goals for the trip were to jump on and send a few of the classics that had stumped me before and also, just as important, to explore and expand my experience of Icicle Canyon.

Day one's agenda was to jump on problems we'd attempted before. We made the hike up through Mad Meadows and after checking out Drug Store Cowboy (v3) went straight to Hanta Man. It's a great little roof problem with fairly positive holds and some physic al and a little technical moves. We reacquainted ourselves with the beta and sent the thing. Sweet problem for sure. We then jumped on Super Man, CrimpSqueek and I showed Adam McBale Pimpsqueak. All these problems got the best of us! That's the way it is though- still a blast! After recuperating, before the day was over we had to go to Forrest Land. We were determined to get the Shield (one hard, long move on crimps to a crimp) and we came close but it didn't happen. Upper Forrest Land provided some more fun and then we called it a night. Great night filled with plenty of conversation around the fire at the 8 Mile campground a little ways down the canyon.

Smoky Times at Leavenworth

Very Smoky Times, Indeed!

The Canyon was a little smoky the next day. Plenty of forest fires going on (we didn't see any) but that did not stop us from climbing. We ended our trip with a day checking out the Fridge Boulder, the Sword Area and the Twisted Tree Boulders. We sent a few climbs and have plenty of new stuff to come back to and work on. There's still so much more in too- the canyons are massive! Get up there and check it out before the snow arrives!