The weather forecast called for rain and we were due for a rest day. We settled down in Indian Creek for the night.
Nov. 13th: Indian Creek, Supercrack Buttress “The Incredible Hand Crack” (5.10+)
Today was a short but good introduction to climbing perfectly parallel splitter cracks on sandstone at “The Creek”. Pat and I joined up with a group of people to share climbing gear since all the cracks here in Indian creek are so “splitter” that you need numerous cams of the same size to adequately protect a route. Our first route at Indian Creek was “The Incredible Hand Crack”. By the time I was lowered down it had started to rain. We had been told that sandstone loses its hardness when it becomes wet. Pat then climbed the route on top rope since it was somewhat protected from the rain. Afterwards, we didn’t want to find out how easily the gear placements can rip out in the wet rock and called it a day. Apparently you can retrieve stuck gear by pouring water around it!
Nov. 14th: Indian Creek, Meathook Wall
A long time local named Alf brought us and a few friends we’ve met at the “Pastures campground” to the Meathook Wall. We spent the day top roping the climbs to get a better feel for the crack climbing techniques without having to break the rhythm and place gear. Like our friends would say “There’s no shame in top roping at the Creek”. Out of the three routes I climbed. The first was a tight hand crack. The second was a long 180 foot wide fist crack with some short off width sections. The third was another long 180 foot crack of varying widths. The grades varied from 5.10 to 5.11-
Nov. 15th: Indian Creek, Battle of the Bulge Wall
We got onto six different climbs today with grades ranging from 5.10- to 5.11. It was great to be able to climb varying cracks one next to the other. Today I learnt how to properly do a thumb stack in cracks that take .75 Camalots. It was awkward at first. But with practice the confidence and technique grew.
Nov. 16th: Indian Creek, Tenderloin Wall
It’s been another sunny day at “The Creek”. Again, the climbs were spectacular “splitters” one next to the other. It was a great day of climbing with a good group of friends.
Nov. 17th: Indian Creek, Cat Wall
I was feeling the fatigue from climbing the last 5 days. Climbing “splitter” cracks isn’t an easy affair. It’s been quite different climbing 6 pitches a day at Indian Creek compared to most other places we visited so far. I wasn’t feeling great on the five routes I did today and took it easy.
Nov. 18th: Rest day
Pat and I rested. I shot some photos of a few friends climbing on the Scarface wall.
Click on photos to enlarge.
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| Indian Creek landscape. |
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| The famed South Six Shooter tower. |
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| Reese working a hard (5.12?) finger sized crack. |
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| Typical approach to Indian Creek climbs. |
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| Captured a nice photo of John doing a fist jam. |
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| John showing good form on a 5.10 crack. |
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| Taking in the landscape at the "Creek". |
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| Interesting shadow. |
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