Foolish Behavior

Approach

Drive up the Mt. Scott road to the summit parking lot. Park in the parking lot on the north side. Walk back down the mountain road for about 75 yards (count 25 guardrail posts from the top). The trail(?) scrambles down a ramp to the right (east) for 30 ft, then switches to the left and scrambles down another 50 ft to the bottom of the wall. Scramble through a notch between huge boulders. After the notch, the route is on the wall to the left about 30 ft from the notch.

Route Description

Begin in a crack using lay-back moves and hand-jams. When the crack ends, traverse left with a stretch. Do a mantle on a thin ledge to a bolt. Continue straight up to the next bolt. After this bolt, traverse right. Pro is non-existant after the second bolt until reaching the top, 20 feet up. The route above the second bolt is very thin for 5.9, and several climbers have peeled from this section while on lead. Finish at a huge ledge. Belay from the ledge using a large boulder. First ascent: Terry Andrews, Rick Thomas, Duane Raleigh 1980

Scroll down this link for a topo of "Foolish Behavior".

Essential Gear

One 60 meter rope. At least two quick-draws, small-medium cams/hexes or nuts. 20 foot runners for top belay from a large boulder. Helmet.

Interesting History Of This Route

The following was quoted from a post made by Terry Andrews on the WMCC message board on 02-24-2005.

I first attempted this route with Rick Thomas on a cold Sunday during the winter of 1980. It was so cold that we didn't think we were going to climb at all so we bought a six pack and headed up to an area that neither of us had climbed before...upper mount scott. I placed the bolts on lead and because they were self-drive-in bolts (with little teeth on them) that were intended for concrete, it took me about five frustrating and freezing hours to get them both in. Believe it or not but the father of clean climbing - Doug Robinson - had given Rick a whole case of these 1/2 inch evil things and we wanted to see if they worked or not. I had nothing left after the second one and with frozen feet didn't even try to finish the route and lowered off of the top bolt. Truth be known...I had actually pulled several beers up and drank them while I was drilling so I was a little typsy too. Rick and I made plans to keep it quiet and go back the next weekend. However, Rick took Duane back during the week (I think it was Wednesday) and bagged it. Moral of this story for me was....don't start something you can't finish, don't use "self drive in" bolts, don't drink while climbing, and don't climb with a partner that you can't trust.