Tom Grundy's Indian Creek 2012 Trip Page
In March of 2012 I went to Indian Creek in Utah to join my Canadian "family" and do some crack climbing on the sandstone there. The rest of the crew was a bit ahead of me based on a number of factors such as waiting on a pair of shoes, a chance to go skiing at Mammoth with 2 feet of fresh snow, a rather grim forecast for traveling as well as at Indian Creek, and the need to test out my new Evolv shoes when they came. The drive had a few sketchy bits as I drove over some snowy passes in the middle of nowhere in Nevada, I also stopped to look for trilobite fossils (I only found pieces of them). I did see a very large golden eagle eating a roadkill deer carcass and a bald eagle in a tree too. I drove into the creek late but found the note they left me and joined them at the creek pasture. The crew consisted of Jase, Will, and Matt (who I had climbed with in Bishop) along with Mike (from the UK) and Drew (who had been on a big climbing trip with Jase in Africa). Despite frequently being schooled by these guys in Bishop, here I actually had the most crack skills, although I wasn't always the bravest or the strongest. As usual I took a lot of pictures, although some of the best might have been of Mike battling an offwidth that I took with his camera.
Mike and Jase at the campfire
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a camera duel with Will
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The next morning it was time to get out climbing. We went to the Battle of the Bulge area and I proceeded to top rope all the climbs that day. I managed "battle of the bulge" clean, but flamed out at the top of "Swedin' ringle" and opted to pull through to the chains rather than hurt my toes trying to get them into the finger crack.
Mike high in the "Cave Route"
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The next day I decided that I really needed to lead things too, so I started out with a wide 5.10 and then "supercrack of the desert" AKA - "luxury liner". The last time I tried to lead this I couldn't make it and actually puked afterwards. Needless to say I have gotten a lot better at crack climbing and it went much better this time. This was the only climb I actually put my old tape gloves on for, but I probably didn't need them. After I led it others toproped it and then led it themselves. We almost had the crag to ourselves that day except for Bjorn and Sara (Team Norway - despite Sara actually being from Sweden). They were climbing next to us and we swapped topropes allowing me to TR both "fingers in a lightsocket" and "Coyne crack" cleanly - it was a good day.
I am leading "Supercrack" - thanks Mike for taking pics
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"Supercrack - perfect hand jams"
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"Supercrack" - getting wider...
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"Supercrack" - it is getting pretty wide by here
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Matt leading through the little roof on "Supercrack"
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Drew got his chance too
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Matt leading on "Supercrack"
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Sara leading "Coyne Crack"
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crack climbing isn't supposed to be fun
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The days continued on like this, usually there was one climb someone wanted to lead so we went to that area and climbed that crack and some of the ones around it. I was particularly pleased with my onsight lead of "fat boy slim" which was advertised as a fist crack but I think it was more of an offwidth. Other notable climbs were "think pink", "Lt. Uhuru", "the Sicilian" (I fell on that), "blue gramma", a lead attempt on "fingers in a light socket" - another fall, and a clean TR of "binge and purge" another offwidth. For those that are reeling from all this climbing terminology - all the climbs have names, which mean very little unless you know the climb, although something like "fingers in a light socket" might give you a clue about the climb, especially if you know it is a finger crack - a crack that you can fit your fingers into and not your hand. Offwidth refers to a crack that is wider than your fist but too small to fit into at which point it would be a squeeze chimney. Leading means starting from the bottom and taking the rope up with you putting various pieces of gear (mostly cams here) that you clip the rope to which will hopefully catch you in the case of a fall. TR or toprope refers to climbing when the rope is already up through the anchors at the top of a climb so you don't have to mess with the gear or be scared that you are going to fall a long way.
some of the climbs have carved plaques at the base
here is the one for "blue gramma"
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Jase high on "Crack Attack" on a busy day
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Matt telling a story before a climb
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South and North Six-Shooters at sunset
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We had 2 rest days while I was there. For one of them we went and walked around in Canyonlands on the slickrock walking trail. It was mighty scenic and we were tired, so we strolled along enjoying the scenery taking pics. The other day we went into Moab and I mostly attempted to catch up on my photos and internet communication (my cell phone (ATT) and kindle didn't get any signal out at the creek).
a fence lizard warming up in the morning back at camp
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The lizard eventually got sick of the paparazzi (Drew and I)
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Cliffs and the La Sal mountains from Canyonlands
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For the last day we climbed North Six-Shooter tower via the "lightning bolt cracks". I was a little worried this wouldn't happen because of some confusion with getting Drew to Moab to get a ride to the airport in SLC, but Jase and Mike made it back in time to head out around noon. We had a fair bit of sandy gully four wheeling to get close and then about a 45 minute uphill hike to the base of the climb. It was pretty intimidating looking on the approach.
North Six-Shooter from the approach
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North Six-Shooter - the route is on the right through the first two ledges then goes left under the roof
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Mike and Jase prepare for battle
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I got the first pitch which started out tight fingers but rapidly grew to hands and then offwidth. I popped out right at the start and then began again and got up to the offidth part at which point I got stymied and had to hang on the rope. After that I easily managed to layback (hands pulling one way, feet pushing the other) a few moves through the wide part and then got up to where I built an anchor in a slot and belayed the others up. Jase got the next pitch -another crack that started small and grew. It was after following that pitch that I really started to get cold. I don't think it was particularly cold but we were in the shade by then and it was quite windy. I was only wearing shorts and a long sleeve top. I didn't even have my multi-pitch balaclava. Then Mike got a longer and spookier pitch that went up and out and over a bulge past a roof. He was running out of gear and mojo so he built an anchor and I followed up and passed him and then continued on past the cow skull (who carried that up there?) in the base of the squeeze chimney and up to the top. There I belayed the other 2 up and experimented with using the ropes for insulation. They didn't work very well. We didn't spend long on the summit partly because it was getting a little late and partly because of the cold and the wind. Two rappels brought us back to the ground and more insulation. The hike back to the car was easy enough and we were treated to some beautiful golden light on the S Six-Shooter. By the time we were done with the 4 wheel drive bit of the return it was pretty dark. It was a highly successful outing although we were all pretty tired and cold for at least some of it.
nice light on the descent
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South Six-Shooter
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North Six-Shooter from the road
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zoomed in you can see climbers
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Sunset with South Six-Shooter on the far left and North Six-Shooter on the near left
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