Corvette Summer, 5.9R, 40m
FA- G.Cornell and T.Clark, May 2010
Corvette Summer is easily found on a forgotten, unnoticed slab above Eau Claire Campground making it a worthwhile choice if you happen to be camping and are bored in the evening. This is not a sport route and should not be seen as one, but a runout trad route with six bolts, all 2 1/4” except the rap anchor(3”). Furthermore despite the super short approach, it is not the place to take kids or dogs as there is lots of loose rock above the route and around the wall which can come down at Mother Nature’s chosing. This is a purposley climbed throughback to the old-school days of slab routes, and anyone not in agreement to its style should ignore it and keep driving down Hwy #40. The climbing crux is more mental than physical as the runout between bolts after #3 is significant and additional removable pro is tricky to secure – pitons and various gear sizes can help. Furthermore there is a loose flake(off route) between bolts #3 and #4 so don’t go haul off it. Corvette Summer will test your cool!
Find a responsible place to park if you are not staying at the campground, if you are camping, just walk over in 10 minutes. Park either at the open meadow of Rocky Creek or at a small spot near the outside entrance to the campground(not in front of the gate). Cross the road and walk 100m to where a greased powerpole is and blue flagging. Find the trail here that heads south and over a small rooted step. Follow the trial up, eventually bushwacking for a minute until you reach the upper two powerpoles. From the poles, take a good trail horizontally south a few hundred meters till you are above the blue campground sign seen on the road. Find the best way up the steep wooded hillside to the base of the slab’s right end. A total of ten minutes from the car.
From two small poplars, head directly up the slab to the first bolt – coming in from the side is off route and not as much fun. Go up past two more bolts, then traverse right avoiding a loose slab flake above(do not grab this!) to another bolt. Follow a shallow crack up and left to a tiny tree(small/med. nuts, short pins). Go up and right to a higher bolt. Go up and slightly left(possible nuts or pins) to a much higher bolt. From here go up(possible pin) and a bit left to the two bolt anchor. A 60m rope with a careful swing climber’s right will get you down to the end of the slab. Beware of knocking any loose rock doing this.
