Named for the mouse who got

in our truck

while we trying to sleep! We had to unpack the whole rig and flush him out.

Pitch 1:

5.11-

/ 32 meters (approx.) Starts with 20 feet of clean big hands crack before you encounter a series of stacked blocks. I cleaned all the small stuff. The large blocks feel solid but use caution. The climbing past the blocks is about 10a/b. After the blocks, follow the big hands crack through several OW pods. Getting in and out of the pods is the crux. Rap anchor below a small roof. 2.5 stars.

Pitch 2:

5.11+ A1? / 32 meters (approx.) We never freed this pitch, so the grade is a guess. From the hanging belay, pull a small roof on hand jams and ring locks. The crack peters out, so you need to transfer to a crack about 7 feet to the right. I accomplished this by a short pendulum off a few .4s. I intended to put in a bolt but got rained off. The traverse might go free. After the pendulum, there is a short but tough section of steep splitter .75 ring locks. This felt like 11+ but could be aided with a few slings. After a good stance, the crack turns to perfect hands through a steep flare with some good rests. The pitch ends at a great ledge with a two-bolt anchor.

Descent:

Two raps with a single 70 m rope.

Note:

I wanted to take this route to the top of the formation. I think it will go, but the climbing will only get wider and chossier. Maybe someone else will finish it. Maybe I will get a mouse in my pants and go back.

Also, someone stronger could probably skip the the terrible hanging belay and turn this into one 70 m mega pitch.

Midnight Intruder

Requiem

Freckle Moustache

The Answer

Plucking Cows

Milking Chickens

Unknown Route

Phoenix

Unknown

Legacy

Windy Cheeks

Commence to Jiggling

Chasing Shade

This route is in the cave and is kinda hard to find.  Hike up past the massive boulder near the creek below Hondoo arch.  It's the wall directly above the boulder, behind the detached pillars.

This route is just to the right of Forgotten socks.  It's the dark cracked face with an off-width flare start.  Climb up past the flare to sinker hands and then some funky crack climbing.  Finish on a scary 5.6 ramp and then head back left to the anchors. This is one my favorite routes in the area and is a must do.  Ground up first ascent.  It's just the left of the bolts on the face. Shares anchors with Phoenix.

This is the second true sport route in this area.  Climb up a corner to a pocket covered face, as Greg Martinez would say 'POCKETS!!!!'  It's little spacey between bolts so bring your "A" game.  70m rope only!

The first sport route at the Creek Side Crag.  6 or 7 Bolts to anchors.

If you can't climb "The Question Is? then this is your warmup route.

Start on the slab just left of Milking Chickens on  top of a boulder.  You can clip the first bolt standing on the boulder to prevent a pretty bad potential for a fall right off the ground into the talus below.  Sustained the whole way, bring your slab skills and a little bit of strength for the last crux before the chains.  Move right at the finish to reach the chains for Milking Chickens.

Start up and easy 5.7 hands crack to an obvious ledge, then continue up and left to the chains.

(AKA: Ninja Tape Gloves) 5.8 crack just behind the massive block on the right. Great route and one of my favorite moderates at the creek side crag.  I replaced the anchor webbing and equalized the bolt and piton.  No idea who got first ascent as this was the first established route I found in the area.

This is the mixed variation of Requiem.  Start on the face to the right of Requiem up to a high first bolt.  Clip 7 bolts with long runners and then head left to finish on Requiem. Originally X rated until I realized the fall potential at the 2nd & 3rd bolts.  It has since been retro bolted with 7 bolts plus the couple cams to finish the top section, maybe a #1, #2 and .75 to finish the route?

(AKA: Forgotten Socks) This route is just to the right of Freckle Moustache.  The crux is the soft rock just before the anchors.  No idea who got first ascent, but there were a pair of old green socks at the base of the route.  I don't know if I would repeat this route again since the rock was pretty bad before the anchors and I cleaned a bunch of rotten rock.  I replaced the anchors with new webbing & 7mm cord.

This route is dedicated to my Subaru Legacy which died on one of our many trips to this area.  The route is the easiest large off-with I've done.  I've never found an easy crack that takes a #6, but this one is.  Aid first ascent from the ground up, then pulled the rope and lead it.

This wider crack just right of unknown route, that leads to the top of a tower like feature.  Great warmup for Creek Side Crag.

Follow an easy 5.8 corner to a great ledge, immediately to the right of Phoenix.  Then pull the roof crux to a uncomfortable ledge.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Upper Muddy Creek