BETA PHOTO: Overview of the First Creek Slabs, showing some of...
Description
The First Creek Slabs line the southern side of First Creek Canyon, starting just west (upstream) of the Lotta Balls and Romper Room areas. They extend for several hundred yards, forming a series of ribs and buttresses with a number of good routes. The slabs begin just a short distance above the streambed, so approaches are reasonably short and friendly. The slabs end a thousand to fifteen hundred feet higher, on a brushy ledge system beneath the imposing Upper Tier that extends another thousand or so feet to the ridgeline.
The first key landmark is the obvious right-slanting chimney of Rising Moons. Immediately left (east) of the small Rising Moons buttress is the descent gully used by Algae on Parade and routes ending of the brushy ramp. To the right of Rising Moons is the sequence of low-angle buttresses climbed by Sunset Slab, Big Sky, and the Romanian Rib. Still further to the west (and now a few hundred yards upstream from Rising Moons) is the Echove, a recessed area of somewhat steeper rock that is almost granitic in texture.
Getting There
Hike in via the First Creek Trail. Most of the routes are reached by staying on the trail low in the canyon until beneath the climb. Routes on the eastern end, near Rising Moons, can be reached on a short traversing trail from the Romper Room area.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for First Creek Slabs:
I try to resist giving out too many stars, but this route deserves them. Good line. One thousand feet of easy climbing on perfect sandstone. An occasional minor crux thrown in to keep it interesting. This could be the best route on the First Creek Slabs.The first three pitches ascend excellent slabs to good belays on comfortable ledges. On the third pitch go up and left (where Big Sky moves right to the next rib) and set up a belay beneath a...[more]Browse More Classics in NV
I installed 2 new rap stations to ease descent off of the ledge above first creek slabs.
To descend - walk to a low spot on the ledge system looking for a large red offwidth crack next the start of Celtic Cracks. The noticeable Shamrock Roof on Celtic Cracks can be seen above.
Gigette's pic.
Looking back from the start of the First Creek Slabs Descent Gully. Head down this gully, and you'll soon see the rap station (small tree) on skiers right. Submitted By: Dirty Gri Gri, or is it GiGi? on Mar 26, 2008
Scramble directly down this gully maybe 40ft and take a single rope rap from a small tree with orange slings.
Continue down the gully for a short distance (~50ft) and do another single rope rap off of more orange slings threaded through an opening in a groove.
The second rappel off the first creek slabs. This is a natural formation that allows for a cool threaded rappel station. Submitted By: Karsten on Mar 26, 2008
From the bottom of this rappel it is easy 3rd and 4th down to the rappel near the top of rising moons. (one double-rope rap or two single rope raps)
If I remember correctly, those orange slings appear to be where there previously was some exciting down climbing. Getting down was harder than anything on Hot Flash.
Thanks for the anchors and description, Karsten. The downclimbing is exposed but pretty easy - however I think we did a few extra raps that Karsten downclimbs. We did 7 raps total with a single 60m rope. After the 2 that Karsten mentions, we downclimbed quite a ways and then rapped off a piece of perlon pinched under a large block, then moved east for a short rap off three small trees. This brings you down to the "large" tree which begins the Rising Moons descent (2 long plus one very short rap from trees).
If a lot of people start using this descent, the trees may suffer. Some of them are not very big!
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