Intermediate Alpine Climb - Exfoliation Dome/Blueberry Buttress

Leader's notes Climb is in support of the Advanced Alpine Rock course Directions: From Seattle: 1. Take I-5 north about 35 miles to the Arlington/Sylvana Exit (#208) and turn right (east) onto State Highway 530. 2. Pass several gas stations and businesses and continue a few more miles to Arlington proper. Jog your way through Arlington and follow State Highway 530 another 35 miles to the beautiful mountain resort town of Darrington. 3. At the corner of State Highway 530 and the Mountain Loop Highway, find the Darrington Shell station. After a quick tank-up, some fine espresso and high-octane McMuffins, set your miles to zero and head south on the Mountain Loop Highway 2.8 miles to find Clear Creek Campground and Forest Service Road #2060 (dirt road). 4. Make a right and drive another 6 miles or so to the various rocks. At 8.4 miles from the Shell Station the road presents its only fork. Left for Exfoliation Dome and right for the Green Giant Buttress, Comb Buttress and Three O’Clock rock. Typically this road sustains avalanche and washout damage each winter and opens at fairly irregular times, usually in April. Approach: Move into the second granite wash that reaches the road and hike across shattered blocks and avalanche mangled tree parts to reach the start of the slabs and the “Granite Sidewalk”. “Hiking” up this requires some moderately astute decision making and several tree moves at well worn and obvious points to avoid the odd drop and chasm. From beneath the Grotto a tree climb leads up into the trees and the trail moves thru the bushes on the left of the drop until another tree climb regains the slabs above the Grotto. Once past this point, humongous, low-angled slabs lead upwards many hundreds of feet past overlaps, waterslides and small pools with frogs. Eventually this all works upwards to the point below the buttress where sandy platforms suggest roping up. About 75’ below the rope-up point for the Blueberry Route (West Buttress) is a large, broken white snag that marks a point at which the rib, (actually the lower continuation of the Buttress) may be easily crossed and routes from Dark Rhythm leftwards may be reached by hiking/scrambling around the base. Route: THE BLUEBERRY ROUTE III, 5.9 *** This has been the standard route on the peak for many years and features a relatively moderate and enjoyable sub alpine rock climbing experience on medium angled flakes and cracks. While the route is not particularly difficult, completing the route to the summit and descending Blueberry Hill and then the Sidewalk makes for a big day. Pitch One: Climb a wide crack in the slabs, passing some bushes and set up the belay at the base of a tall left-facing corner with a substantial tree in the bottom of it. Pitch Two: Layback up the corner to the base of the roof/overlap and undercling left 10 feet to round the roof. Continue another 40’ feet to a belay at a ledge with several trees. Pitch Three: Climb steepening flakes and cracks past two bolts (5.9) up the corner, right of the main buttress edge. Make a gear belay on a ledge near flakes. Pitch Four: Continue up the corner until its possible to climb left, over the edge and back onto the crest. Pitch Five: Make a short pitch up flakes and blocks for about 75’ to a nice belay beneath the slanting crack pitch. Pitch Six: Climb the thin crack to reach the wide crack and continue to a belay on a pedestal with a tree a full rope length above. Pitch Seven: Climb up and slightly right as the angle of the slabs eases until one finds an obvious large tree with many slings. From there it’s just a short scramble on up to Blueberry Terrace. Pitch Eight: Walk left on the Terrace about 100’ to find a 50’ high right-facing corner. Climb this (5.8) until it degenerates into brushy scrambling to the summit. Variation: (recommended) Walk past the previous corner to the extreme left end of Blueberry Terrace and make a belay at one of the final solid trees there. Then lead out left and up flakes and short slabs (5.7) about 75’ or until a solid gear belay can be found. Pitch Nine: Wander a bit and find several options, all with somewhat runout 5.8 bits in the first half of the pitch, and then easier climbing and gear belays. Pitch Ten: Continue on up generally easy ground until the angle finally relaxes and one can walk to the summit ridge. Scramble up and right thru blocks and trees to reach the top.

Meeting place and time 6:00 AM at Exfoliation Dome TH