North End

Overview

The North End is much like the Main Wall, but tilted back and fractured. The quality is still high, but the angle is less than vertical on many routes (especially on the upper half of many routes) so the climbs tend to be less demanding and scary.

Approach

Follow the directions on the main Trout Creek page, trail terminated just below the right side of the North End.

Routes

Note: These are only the routes I have climbed (led, followed, or TR), and are not representative of the total variety Also Note: contrary to the listings in Jeff Wenger’s guidebook, I have listed these from left to right. Rodeo Crack - 5.10 An offwidth start leads to a section of fist jamming before returning to the wide and then finishing with a short hand crack. I used hand stacks and knee jams through the bottom, tore up my hands on the fist jamming, and found the upper section was low enough angle it could be climbed without returning to offwidth technique. Salad Daze - 5.9 One of the easier 5.9s at the crag if you have big hands, by the time the crack narrows enough to be problematic, another has opened to your right.

Myself leading Salad Daze

The Northern Thrown - 5.8+ A 5.8 start leads to an interesting no-hands traverse and a fun low-angle hand crack. Crux is the somewhat thinner finish, knowing how to do a finger stack was helpful. Usual Suspects - 5.8+ According to Wenger, the most popular 5.8 at the crag, well earned in my opinion. Starts as for Beer Float but cuts left just before the crux of that route; narrowly places double cracks don’t actually have to be jammed, ends at a large ledge with the anchor a couple 5.7 moves away.

 

Myself leading Usual Suspects, Beer Float follows the crack just to my right.

The Beer Float - 5.9 Usual Suspects but doesn’t cut left. Crux is short but stiff. Plumbline - 5.9 A fun, varied climb that ends in an exciting, but easier than it as first appears, roof. Anorexic Doughboy - 5.8 It doesn’t really look like a chimney route, but everyone I’ve seen do it in any style chimneyed it.

 

Unknown climber on Anorexic Doughboy, Shasta is the double crack to the right.

Shasta - 5.8 A better 5.8 than Anorexic Doughboy. Don’t get fooled by the off-width-looking start, just bear-hug the column until the first fracture. Lively Up Yourself - 5.10- Air Guitar without features. By scrambling on top of a boulder to the right of the route you can cheat by placing a piece well above the actual start. Second two third is the cruiser hand crack it looks like.

 

Lively Up Yourself, top-ropes to the left are on Shasta and Plumbline

External Links

Friends of Trout Creek (best source for information on seasonal closures)

Jeff Wenger's guidebook (also available at the Redpoint climbing shop in Terrebone)