Index Town Wall, Town Crier Route. A spell of dry weather at Christmas in 1965 prompted Seattle rock climbers to seek out a direttissima on this large cliff behind the town of Index, less than an hour’s drive from Seattle. At various times Eric Bjornstad, Mark Fielding, Bob Phelps, Dave Beckstead and I explored the crack possibilities, finally reaching the halfway point on the 550-foot vertical wall when snowfalls doomed the continuation of the climb. When spring weather returned, Leif Patterson, Beckstead and I solved the complicated triple overhang, one of the most difficult problems I have seen. It was followed by an exposed hanging belay and then a most stubborn piton crack. Beckstead and I completed the climb on April 17, clearing the last pitch in the night. Iron used on the climb totaled 103 pitons and 19 bolts.

Fred Beckey