Today,
we need something short. We are saving our energy for a longer route (Moutain
Beast) tomorrow. We head to First Creek canyon to climb "Black Magic",
a 4-pitch 5.8 route with a relatively short approach (50 minutes on mostly
flat trail). It is on the same wall as the classic Lotta
Balls, but follows a line on the right side of the wall.
Very nice
route. The first pitch looks impressive from below. It climbs beautiful black
varnished rock to under a roof and makes a short traverse right to exit on
an arete and into a 5.6 crack. I though I'd have trouble with it, but it goes
well. A party of two that was in front of us is still at the first belay when
I get there. I wait several minutes before being able to set up an anchor,
then more before I can bring Eric up…
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The
Lotta Balls wall, home to the classic Lotta
Balls and Black Magic.
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Black
Magic follows a line on the right hand-side of the Lotta Balls
wall.
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On
the intimidating traverse of the first pitch (5.8).
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Higher
on pitch 1.
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At
the belay atop pitch 2 (5.6).
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The second
pitch goes up a steep black face on natural pro to a belay anchor some distance
below a white roof.
The next
pitch skirts the roof on the right, via a pretty committing finger traverse
above and right of the last piece (the leader risks a pendulum fall onto slabs
below before clipping the bolt). A slightly runout but easy diagonal traverse
back left gets one to a crack which is followed to the top in two pitches.
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Just
below the commiting move around the roof (pitch 3, 5.8)...
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...which
is not as bad as it looks.
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We walk
off, and make three short raps in the gully behind and to the left (climber's
left). We chat at length with a couple of climbers from Seattle after that.
Back to bus to quickly prepare our gear for tomorrow and have dinner. The
alarm is set to 4:40AM.
