Snow Creek Wall Climbing 2006-2018: Outer Space (5.9, 6-7p), Orbit (5.8, 4-6p), Iconoclast (5.10c or 5.11a with Psychopath & Yellow Wall variations, 6p), Mary Jane Dihedral (5.9, 5-6p), Hyperspace (5.11a, 6p)

Snow Creek Wall

Routes:

- Outer Space (5.9, 6-7p)
- Orbit (5.8, 4-6p)
- Iconoclast (5.10c or 5.11a with Psycopath & Yellow Wall variations, 6p)
- Mary Jane Dihedral (5.9, 5-6p)
- Hyperspace (5.11a, 6p)

Region: Washington
Elev: ~4,200 ft
Rock type: Diorite
Type: 
Date(s): 2006(x2 days), 2007(x3 days), 2010(x1 day), 2013(x1 day), 2014(x1 day), 2015(x4 days), 2016(x2 days), 2018(x2 days)
Partner(s): Caleb Ng, Jason Cullum, Jenny Abegg, John Plotz, Loren Foss, Ross Peritore, Will Surber

Snow Creek Wall in the Icicle River canyon near Leavenworth, Washington is a popular multipitch rock climbing destination. This 800-foot tall chunk of diorite is covered in chickenheads and cracks, and the climbing ranges from 5.6 to 5.11. The classic rock climb Outer Space is located here, known for its 200+ foot finish up the best 5.7 handcrack in the state.

This page features some route overlays and "short reports" from the climbs I’ve done on Snow Creek Wall. I've climbed most of the popular routes on the wall, including Outer Space and Orbit (the ultra classics) and Iconoclast and Hyperspace (harder and perhaps the best routes on the wall). If I ever become an 11b leader, I'll climb Edge of Space.

Route Overlays

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Climbs I've Done

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Pitch-by-Pitch

Start: Outer Space begins near the end of the main climber’s trail to the base of Snow Creek Wall. Once at the main wall, Look for a shattered chimney system. To the right is a diagonal 4th class ramp. This is the beginning of the route. Alternatively, do the first couple of pitches of RPM to Two Tree Ledge, which provides a more direct start; the climbing is superb, but harder (10b).
Pitch 1: 5.4. 4th class up the diagonal ramp system, which becomes low fifth class at it's top. Belay above a scrappy bush.
Pitch 2: 5.0. Traverse over easy ledges to Two Tree Ledge.
Pitch 3: 5.9. Now the real climbing begins. A tricky 5.8 move up cracks at the far left end of 2 tree ledge leads to the 5.9 diagonal crack (the crux). Continue about 3 meters higher to the belay.
Pitch 4: 5.8. Run-out chicken heads and slopers, with exposure added leads to a small pillar/pedestal. Climb the right side of this pedestal in a 5.8 crack and belay from the top. There are bolts here I think.
Pitch 5: 5.8. A perfect crack leads from the far left side of the belay ledge. It's tricky at the beginning, but gets easier the higher you climb. A 60m rope can make it to a nice belay ledge.
Pitch 6: 5.8/9. Climb the 5.8/9 finger crack, which gets wider and easier after a few moves. The rest of the pitch is easy 5.8 and 5.7, but it's long. Stretch the rope as far as you can and belay where the crack ends, or as close to it as you can get. An easier alternative at the beginning is to swing out onto the bulge right of the belay and take a couple more steps right to easier holds that will take you back to the main crack.
Pitch 7: ~5.0 You may have to climb a short way up easy stuff to the top out. No pro, but it's only 7 meters or so of low 5th.

Brief Trip Reports

• First time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
May 1, 2006 (Mon); Partner: Jason Cullum
Brief trip report: Outer Space is a Leavenworth classic. I led most of the route since my climbing partner was just beginning trad multi-pitch and was not altogether comfortable with placing gear. The 5.9 fingery traverse was my favorite pitch. The last two pitches involved a fun 5.7-5.8 hand crack with outer spacey jugs everywhere. I was glad that before the trip I had borrowed a few larger cams, since even so I had to backclean as I went up the crack. My only complaint about this route is that it was cold! When it started to snow and the snow was actually moving vertically upwards, we truly did feel we were in outer space! This is certainly a route I would like to do again!

• Second time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
October 14, 2007 (Sun); Partner: Caleb Ng
Brief trip report: I first climbed Outer Space in May 2006, and always wanted to climb it again. So when the forecast called for a sunny mid-October weekend, I headed for a day of climbing on Snow Creek Wall with my friend Caleb. We climbed Outer Space (8am-12:30pm) and then Orbit (1:20pm-4:20pm). The autumn colors were beautiful, there were no crowds, the rock was warm, and the climbing partner was fun. What a great day!

• Third time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
May 9, 2010 (Sun); Partner: Jenny Abegg
Brief trip report: I'll never tire of this route!

• Fourth time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
April 27, 2013 (Sat); Partner: Jenny Abegg
Brief trip report: Another fun day on this Washington classic. The climb took a few hours, so we quickly descended and then headed back up Snow Creek Wall via Orbit. Tick count for the day: 19!

• Fifth time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
May 10, 2015 (Sun); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Done as a 2-hour warm-up before climbing Hyperspace. We climbed it in 4 long pitches: Pitch 1: RPM Roof to Two-Tree Ledge; Pitch 2: 5.9 traverse plus some; Pitch 3: Chicken-head studded 5.7 handcrack toLibrary Ledge; Pitch 4: The rest of the crack to the top.

• Sixth time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
April 9, 2016 (Sat); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Done as the third of three routes in a great full day of climbing on Snow Creek Wall: Iconoclast-Mary Jane Dihedral-Outer Space link-up! In order to pass a party that had started up Outer Space about the same time we had started Iconoclast, we linked the final three pitches up the Shield into a stellar 300' continuous push to the top. I think I'll do that again next time!

• Seventh time I climbed Outer Space
Date: 
April 22, 2018 (Sun); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Outer Space - Iconoclast link-up, what a blast.

A Few Photos


The RPM Roof provides a great direct (but harder, 10b) start to Two-Tree Ledge.

Jenny starting off Pitch 5, the first of the hand crack pitches, Apr 2013. Steep with plenty of jugs and jams!

Caleb blasting up the stellar 5.7 handcrack just below Library Ledge, Oct 2007.

Watch out for these residents of Snow Creek Wall. On the April 2013 climb, the day's tick count was 19 (!).

The typical welcome party at the top of Snow Creek Wall.

Pitch-by-Pitch

Start: Orbit begins on the left side of Snow Creek Wall. Once you follow the main climber’s trail to the base of the wall, follow a trail to the left traversing under the wall. To find Orbit, we looked for the "S-shaped" tree marking the beginning of the route as well as the prominent Mary Jane Dihedral in line with the start of the route.
Pitch 1: 5.6, 180 ft. Scramble up to the large tree with rap slings on it. Move left and enter a 4th class gully. Follow gully up toward the large tree at the top of it.
Pitch 2: 5.8, 90 ft. Move up the slabs and cracks directly above the belay ledge. Enter a dihedral which becomes progressively more difficult. Crux move is pulling onto an upper ledge using a stemming/chimneying move to bypass a small "roof". You're now about 30 ft below MJ Dihedral.
Pitch 3: 5.8, 150 ft. Climb up to the base of the MJ Dihedral (low 5th) and head up a ramp to the left (low 5th) for 50 ft to the base of the 5.8 finger crack system (c. 30 feet of it). Climb the thin finger cracks (left crack easier, right crack with fixed cam is harder) moving slightly left near the top. Gain a small ledge with a mid-sized bush just above it. This is a fun pitch!
Pitch 4: 5.8, 150 ft. Move up and right from belay ledge to gain the low angle slab with a thin finger crack down its center. Climb up the slab (thin cams) past a one good bolt + one "nail". The slab bypasses minor roofs on the right. About 10 ft above the bolt, move right around the arete. Climb up the face on the right side of arete (thin cams). Clip a piton and climb 10 more feet to gain a narrow stance that is to be your belay station. The stance comes equipped with two rusty, old, thin bolts. (I seem to remember that just about 10 ft above this was a much nicer ledge you can belay from if you have enough rope).
Pitch 5: 5.8, 100 ft. From belay, climb straight up the easy dihedral (5.6). The dihedral becomes thin (5.8) after about 40 ft. Move right to gain the knobby face. Continue up the face. Pull over an easy "roof" (maybe 5.7) and continue up the chicken head studded face (sparse pro, easy climbing) to gain a large ledge below a large roof. Belay.
Pitch 6: 5.6, 200 ft. From belay, move right and up bypassing the large roof on its right side. Climbing goes on easy chicken heads but pro is sparse. Run out the rope generally bearing up and left (follow easiest line). Belay when you're out of rope (should be enough to reach 3rd class ledges up top).
Pitch 7: low 5th, 150 ft. More chickenhead climbing on low angle (but exposed) terrain brings you to the sandy summit area of Snow Creek Wall.

Brief Trip Reports

• First time I climbed Orbit
Date: 
May 14, 2006 (Sun); Partner: Jason Cullum
Brief trip report: The last time I was climbing on Snow Creek Wall, climbing Outer Space, we had nearly frozen in the cold and it had even snowed on us. This time it was around 75° and sunny, a nice change. Orbit was a bit more sustained in difficulty than its more popular neighbor Outer Space, and an equally fun route (the photo for Outer Space also shows the Orbit route). This time we knew the descent trail, which can be a bit tricky to find at times, so we got down quickly.

• Second time I climbed Orbit
Date: 
October 14, 2007 (Sun); Partner: Caleb Ng
Brief trip report: I first climbed Orbit in May 2006, and always wanted to climb it again. So when the forecast called for a sunny mid-October weekend, I headed for a day of climbing on Snow Creek Wall with my friend Caleb. We climbed Outer Space (8am-12:30pm) and then Orbit (1:20pm-4:20pm). The autumn colors were beautiful, there were no crowds, the rock was warm, and the climbing partner was fun. What a great day!

• Third time I climbed Orbit
Date: 
April 27, 2013 (Sat); Partner: Jenny Abegg
Brief trip report: After warming up on Outer Space, we headed for Orbit, which makes a great link-up totaling 13 pitches of climbing (the OS+O total for us was 6.5 hours on the wall, an average of 30 min per pitch). Orbit is a stiff and satisfying route for its rating.

• Fourth time I climbed Orbit
Date: 
May 16, 2015 (Sat); Partners: John Plotz, Loren Foss
Brief trip report: After climbing Iconoclast, we decided to run up Orbit. Still, even my fourth time up, the climbing on Orbit never seems as trivial as its grade. It was a great way to end another fun day of climbing on Snow Creek Wall!

A Few Photos


Loren climbing up the twin cracks of Pitch 3 of Orbit, May 2015. Fun climbing, and no gimmie 5.8 either.

Looking up the airy 4th pitch of Orbit, April 2013. This pitch earns  is often listed as 5.8+ or even 5.9.

Old pin on the 4th pitch.

Pitch-by-Pitch

Pitch 1: 5.9. We began with the first pitch of Remorse (to the left of the standard start of Outer Space); this was a fun airy traverse over to the tree on one-tree ledge.
Pitch 2: 5.11a. Psychopath. Stellar thin crack – have to work hard not to barn-door at the crux!
Pitch 3: 5.10c. Iconoclast corner to a ledge, pretty blocky and easy.
Pitch 4: 5.11a. "Yellow Wall" variation of Iconoclast corner. Pumpy and steep, but great holds and moves to a bolt belay.
Pitch 5: 5.10c. Climb up and then do a balancy traverse over to the right at the bolt into a sea of chickenheads and over to Library Ledge.
Pitch 6: 5.8. Upper handcrack pitch of Outer Space to the top.

Brief Trip Reports

• First time I climbed Iconoclast
Date: 
April 28, 2007 (Sat); Partner: Ross Peritore
Brief trip report: Our search for warmer, drier weather led us to Leavenworth. Ross and I had devised a cool linkup on Snow Creek Wall involving beginning with Remorse, climbing the 5.11a Psychopath pitch to the Iconoclast corner (5.10c), and then traversing from the corner to the last classic handcrack pitch of Outer Space. This turned out to be a great linkup with super fun and mixed climbing on all the pitches. Highly recommended!

• Second time I climbed Iconoclast
Date: 
April 19, 2015 (Sun); Partners: John Plotz, Loren Foss
Brief trip report: Such a great link-up of pitches, would be my favorite route on the wall if it weren't for Hyperspace. John has this route so dialed that Loren and I kicked back to let him do the leading, with Loren and I following on separate ropes but climbing at the same time about 30 feet apart. It was a good opportunity to get some climbing action photos on some of the mid-pitch sections. We finished the day with an encore pitch over the roof on RPM up to 2-Tree Ledge.

• Third time I climbed Iconoclast
Date: 
May 16, 2015 (Sat); Partners: John Plotz, Loren Foss
Brief trip report: Less than a month later, John, Loren, and I found ourselves again on Iconoclast. We must like this route. We followed up the route by running up Orbit.

• Fourth time I climbed Iconoclast
Date: 
April 9, 2016 (Sat); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Done as the first of three routes in a great full day of climbing on Snow Creek Wall: Iconoclast-Mary Jane Dihedral-Outer Space link-up! I found the Psychopath pitch quite difficult this time up....still working through the early-season kinks I guess. John, however, cruised up without a hitch.

• Fifth time I climbed Iconoclast
Date: 
April 22, 2018 (Sun); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Outer Space - Iconoclast link-up, what a blast.

A Few Photos


Another route overlay for Iconoclast (2007).

Psychopath Pitch variation (11a) on Pitch 2. Hard but so good! (There are a couple more photos of this pitch on the Hyperspace TR on this page.)

John starting up Pitch 4.

Loren climbing the "Yellow Wall" (11a?) section on Pitch 4. Pumpy and Fun!

Loren stepping out onto the Shield on Pitch 5. Wild!

Loren finishing on the "best 5.7 handcrack in WA". Sweet!

Some new Pets en route!

Pitch-by-Pitch

There are three independent pitches to MJD apart form Orbit:
Pitch 1: Climb straight up from the first pitch of Orbit from the nice flat ledge just after the Orbit chimney. Climb up through a small section of annoying vegetation over a pumpy little overlap to an uncomfortable hanging belay on two brand new bolts, added in 2015.
Pitch 2: Climb straight up the corner on fun laybacks and loose flakes. Reach a new-ish bolt out left. Clip this then make tenuous, unprotected slab moves left appx. 12 feet or so above the bolt to protection opportunities. Head back right. Climb an easier and fun overlap back to the corner to a one bolt anchor that can be backed up and equalized with a #3 and #1 camalot in a solid crack to the right.
Pitch 3: Climb straight left of the belay 15 feet of unprotected slab to a new(ish) bolt. Clip this and climb another 10 horizontal feet to a flake and protection opportunities. Climb to near the top of the flake. Climb back right to a large semi-detached flake. Mantel this and climb up to the top of the MJD corner and a small roof. Make excellent, well-protected moves over this roof to fun chickenhead climbing. Run the rope straight up through two more fun but dirty small roofs, about 55 meters to the comfy alcove belay shared with Orbit route.

Brief Trip Reports

• First time I climbed Mary Jane Dihedral
Date: 
April 29, 2007 (Sun); Partner: Ross Peritore
Brief trip report: Ross and I had so much fun the previous day on Iconoclast that we decided to return to Snow Creek Wall for another day of multipitch. We decided to try out the Mary Jane Dihedral route to the right of the popular Orbit. This route shares its first pitch and a half with Orbit, then splits off to the right to follow the obvious dihedral for a few pitches, and then ends on the last pitch of Orbit. The dirt and moss in the dihedral suggest that this route is not climbed as often as the nextdoor Orbit; however, underneath the dirt is good rock and we enjoyed several sections of sustained and interesting 5.9 climbing. Mary Jane Dihedral is a good route if you want less crowds and more adventure.

• Second time I climbed Mary Jane Dihedral
Date: 
May 24, 2015 (Sun); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: John and I had already climbed all the Snow Creek Wall classics this season (Iconoclast, Hyperspace, Outer Space, Orbit, and Iconoclast again), so why not Mary Jane Dihedral too? It surprises me how on such a popular wall this route has remained dirty and obscure, despite the excellent and sustained sections of 5.9 climbing. I propose renaming the route Deep Space and then just announcing that there is a new route on Snow Creek Wall called Deep Space that is a must-do climb! We capped off the day by running up RPM roof.

• Third time I climbed Mary Jane Dihedral
Date: 
April 9, 2016 (Sat); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Done as the second of three routes in a great full day of climbing on Snow Creek Wall: Iconoclast-Mary Jane Dihedral-Outer Space link-up!

A Photo


John on the airy traverse at the beginning of the third pitch.

Pitch-by-Pitch

Pitch 1: 5.8 or 5.10+. Follow the somewhat tenuous traverse of the second pitch of Remorse. We scrambled up some 5.0 to the second pitch of Remorse (5.8). An alternative is to climb the first pitch of RPM (5.10+) to the second pitch of Remorse (5.8).
Pitch 2: 5.11a. Psychopath. Stellar thin crack.
Pitch 3: 5.9. Fun 5.9 climbing and the first bit of Iconoclast corner.
Pitch 4: 5.10c. Iconoclast corner. We took a really fun "11a" (seemed a bit easier) variation up the steep and juggy "Yellow Wall."
Pitch 5:: 5.10c. Rather than doing the Iconclast traverse, move behind the massive flake and climb up a left-facing corner using strenuous double cracks. Watch out for the precariously wedged block near the beginning of this pitch just after the Iconoclast route cuts off right.
Pitch 6: 5.10d. The Pressure Chamber. Climb a difficult crack and enter the wild, overhanging, flaring chimney, called the Pressure Pod. Use a combination of off-width technique and crazy stemming. (On May 16, 2015 (while John and I were climbing Iconoclast), a climber building a belay at the top of this pitch pulled off a giant hollow flake, terrifying himself and everyone dodging rockfall below, but creating a nice belay stance with good gear at the top of the pitch.)
Pitch 7: 5.10a. Traverse left under a roof, then use a hand crack to climb up and surmount the overhang. 

Brief Trip Reports

• First time I climbed Hyperspace
Date: 
June 14, 2014 (Sat); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Stuffy gymnasium of a graduation ceremony or climb Hyperspace? Easy decision! This the longest, hardest, and, some insist and I probably agree, the best route on the wall. It's a compilation bringing together parts of many different routes. Gear to 4 inches. It took us 5 hours from base to top. Thanks John for taking another lap (what was it, your 12th time up?) on your favorite Snow Creek wall route.

• Second time I climbed Hyperspace
Date: 
May 10, 2015 (Sun); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: Even better the second time. We warmed up by climbing Outer Space first, which makes a great full day of climbing. Hyperspace has a way of making you feel like you've climbed something by the end of the day. That Pressure Chamber pitch is phenomenal.

• Third time I climbed Hyperspace
Date: 
May 5, 2018 (Sat); Partner: John Plotz
Brief trip report: This route gets better every time I climb it. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite route on the wall.

A Few Photos


John cruising up the 11a Psychopath finger crack. 

Kyle leading the Psychopath pitch, just above the 11a crux.

Watch out for the precariously wedged block at the top of the Iconoclast corner!

Jon Pobst just above the 10d Pressure Chamber.

Jon Pobst in the 5.10 corner on the final pitch of Hyperspace.

List of Climbs I've done at Snow Creek Wall

LIST MAINLY FOR PERSONAL RECORD-KEEPING | DATES I'VE CLIMBED THERE ON SECOND TAB

Comments Pertaining to this Page / Trip Report

Useful beta. Updated route information. Corrections. Historical notes. Interesting facts. No fluff please.
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