Shark Rock 8/18/17

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K.Wagner
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Shark Rock 8/18/17

Post by K.Wagner » August 20th, 2017, 4:28 pm

Shark Rock had been in my sights for perhaps 4 years. It is one of those landmark formations that can be seen from almost anywhere in the southern Dark Divide. It also was possibly one of the few summits left in this part of the world that had no record of ever being ascended. Mssr Becky mentions having seen it from Pinto Rock, but that is one of the only times it even comes up. I have read inquiries about it on the Seattle forums. From most view points it looks more like a marlin fin.
Shark_Rock-from-Hat_Rock.JPG
As seen from Hat Rock (east), with Kirk Rock looming beyond
Shark_Rock-from-5360.JPG
As seen from 5360 (west), with Hat Rock in the background
Only when seen from the south does the shark shape literally jump out at you
Shark_Rock.JPG
This map shows the location, but the trail details on the west side are somewhat wrong. Shark Rock Map

So, when Don told me he was ready to go after it, I jumped! We agreed to meet at 7am this last Friday. Well, I was a couple of minutes late getting there, and there was all the planning gab.... we finally left a few minutes after 8. It is a little over a 2 hr drive out FR90, then up FR25 to the last right turn you can make before Elk Pass, then east about 1 5/8 miles on FR2551 to a short spur that gets you within a few feet of the #1 Boundary Trail. We were on the trail around 10:30.

The Boundary Trail is a delightful, gentle walk through deep, cool forest, with occasional views northward. At about 1 1/2 miles in, we heard a dirt bike coming up the trail, so we stepped to the side. The rider saw us and stopped to chat. Don got to thank him for the trail maintenance that had recently been done over on the Hat Rock trail. He asked us where we were headed with the climbing rope. We told him "Shark Rock". He said " Wow! You guys are Hard Core!" That inflated our egos by several factors and it became the by-line of the day ..... We can do this because "We're Hard Core!"

The first real landmark you come to is little Badger Lake, and the beautiful meadows.
01-Badger_Lake_Meadow-S.jpg
The next land mark is the massive Kirk Rock, that just looms over the trail. Again, with alpine meadows.
03-Kirk_Rock_Meadow-S.jpg
Don's eagle eyes picked out a white spec up on the face of the rock...... a nanny goat!
05-Kirk_Rock_Goat-S.jpg
She seemed to be more curious about us than concerned.

Then another 1 1/2 miles of trail, which included some switch backs up to the last switch back before the trail pops over the north ridge. There we dropped down a steep game trail to the open face of the rock. Next thing I knew, Don was heading out across the face, pretending to be a goat!
07-Traverse-S.jpg
So, I had little choice but to follow. Can you say "S K E T C H Y" ? After about 150 feet it did get more blocky and there was actually something I could put my hand on that I had some confidence in.
09-Now-is-better-S.jpg
After a couple hundred feet of that, it was time to start going up. We did about 100 feet of class 3 or 4 scrambling up to the belay point. There was some fumbling around to get organized, because it had been in the neighborhood of 35 years since I had set up a belay! Don said he wasn't comfortable setting protection, as I looked around to figure out who would be leading then .... Oh, I guess that means ME! Then it was was a survey up the face to plan my route.
12-Looking-up-the-route-S.jpg
Finding places to set protection was going to be the challenge. So, it was sort of up-left, up-right to a large crack, then straight up to the ridge.

Everything went as smoothly as I could hope for. The rock was solid and there was usually a hand or finger hold when I needed one. My rating was a YDS 5.5. Getting protection placed on the lower section was impossible, but got easier beyond that. I got up to a nice bench that was covered with cinder and goat poop. Wait, goat poop? I just climbed that face with a helmet & a rope & protection & all that good stuff!
17-top-belay-point-goat-poop-S.jpg
There I set up a simple sitting belay, and brought Don up.
15-Don-on-belay-S.jpg
From there it was an off rope, VERY exposed scramble up the knife edge summit ridge.
19-Don-on-The_Spine-S.jpg
The views that day were just jaw dropping!
18-Mt-Rainier-S.jpg
After the requisite summit pictures and some banter
21-Smiles-On-the-summit-S.jpg
, it was time to head down.
24-Careful-descent-S.jpg
I belayed Don down, then rappelled the 90 feet down to our starting point.

From there it was the traverse back across the face. This time we chose to do a much lower route, which turned out to be much easier. Then we did a short XC through some timber to a lower switch-back. From there it was a pretty uneventful hike back out and drive home, even though we were a couple hours later than we had planned. But then, it can't be a real certified adventure if you don't get home late....

SO ..... We do hereby proclaim, being of reasonably (or is that questionably?) sane minds, that these 2 official geezers, Don Nelsen and Kelly Wagner, on August 18, 2017, did successfully complete the first ascent (lacking any evidence to the contrary) of Shark Rock, located in the county of Skamania in the state of Washington.
Last edited by K.Wagner on August 25th, 2017, 11:05 am, edited 3 times in total.
Kelly
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Skamania 231
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Limey
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by Limey » August 20th, 2017, 6:52 pm

Wow! You guys are Hard Core!!! :lol:

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Peder
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by Peder » August 20th, 2017, 8:13 pm

Hard core! Mega congratulations to you both!
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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acorn woodpecker
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by acorn woodpecker » August 21st, 2017, 10:12 am

Great to see an adventure involving some scrambling and especially some technicality! Must be another significant step in completing the goals for your book!? Is Kirk Rock still waiting for you? Good work taking the effort to get up there. I like that two old timers have the first recorded ascent for a summit!!! To me, it's inspiring, so thank you.

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K.Wagner
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by K.Wagner » August 21st, 2017, 10:28 am

Shark Rock made #217 for me, & I believe #181 for Don.

Yes, Kirk Rock is still patiently sitting there, waiting for our boots. Are you still interested?
Kelly
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PM me about the soon to be released:
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Chip Down
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by Chip Down » August 21st, 2017, 8:01 pm

K.Wagner wrote:Shark Rock made #217 for me, & I believe #181 for Don.

Yes, Kirk Rock is still patiently sitting there, waiting for our boots. Are you still interested?
You have 217 FRAs? :shock: Damn. That's badass hardcore. Don's got some catchin' up to do.

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K.Wagner
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by K.Wagner » August 21st, 2017, 9:28 pm

FRA?? Guess I don't know that one. Google comes up "Federal Railroad Administration", and that doesn't fit very well. Does that maybe stand for " First Recorded Ascent"? No, can't begin to claim anything close to that. There have been maybe 15 others that were "maybes", but in all likelihood, some miner or surveyor was there back around 1900. The 217 & 181 numbers are the number of summits we have completed in the county (of the 231 ranked peaks).
Thanks for the compliment though!
Kelly
There is no shortcut to anyplace worth going to.

PM me about the soon to be released:
Skamania 231
"How to really get off the beaten path in Skamania County"

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Shark Rock

Post by Don Nelsen » August 22nd, 2017, 2:12 pm

Kelly,

Thanks for writing the report!! Excellent job and much better than I could have done.

It was a pleasure to do this hike/climb with you and anytime you are ready for Kirk Rock, I'm in.

-don
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Shark Rock 8/18/17

Post by Don Nelsen » August 28th, 2017, 5:57 pm

I should add: The hike to and back from this peak was 11.3 miles RT and 2,430' vertical.

Thanks to Kelly Wagner for inspiring me to explore the Dark Divide and expanding my hiking way beyond the gorge.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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