The Blob, Plan 9. In August, Erik Wolfe and I battled our way into the remote Crescent Creek Basin of the Southern Pickets to climb the south face (IV 5.10) of The Blob (a.k.a. The Rake). Our route, the only one on the face, took a prominent, clean, and steep buttress on the left side of the face, climbing excellent rock with plenty of protection opportunities. The climb follows the center of the ridge to a series of massive gendarmes. It tops out on the first, traverses left just below the second, and tops out on the summit. We then traversed the long summit ridge east, across the spine of the peak, to the notch between the Blob and Terror. Two rappels reached the col, from where we down-climbed back to camp.

A full report with photos can be found at www.cascade-climbers.com

Mike Layton