Green Giant Buttress — Dreamer
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Dreamer is THE Darrington megaclassic — 10 pitches / ~1,000 ft of varied granite (runout friction slab, knobby face, underclings, a splitter flake, good cracks) up the SE-facing Green Giant Buttress in a remote setting. The original line is 5.9 Grade III; the standard modern start (Dreamer Direct + Urban Bypass slab) bumps it to 5.10b. Sustained-yet-moderate in number but genuinely runout in execution — a committing full-day objective with a long brushy approach and a rope-eating rappel descent.
🚗 Getting there & comms
Trailhead: Clear Creek / Copper Creek Rd (FSR 2060) road's-end
From Darrington RS, Mountain Loop Hwy ~3-3.3 mi to FSR 2060; keep right (becomes Copper Creek Rd), continue past the Three O'Clock TH to a turnaround where the road deteriorates (~2 mi past Three O'Clock). High-clearance recommended; keep right at forks.
⛽ Last services: Darrington (gas, small grocery). Larger services in Arlington ~30 mi W.
📶 Cell signal: No reliable signal at the buttress/approach — carry a satellite communicator.
🧗 Routes
🥾 Approach · descent · season
Approach: From road's end, follow the overgrown logging-road extension down to an old mining road; cross a fork of Copper Creek, bear left to three waterfalls; sharp right into a brushy gully to the buttress base. ~3 mi, ~1,500 ft, ~1.75-2 hr. Faint + brushy — start early.
⬇️ Descent: Rappel the route: ~10 double-rope (60m) raps, ~2 hr. TWO 60m ropes mandatory. Notorious for rope-eating flakes/trees — pull carefully, consider knot-blocking.
🗓️ Season: Late spring-fall; July-Sept prime. SE-facing (morning sun). Needs dry rock.
🎒 Gear & food
Rack: Single rack to 3" (extra 2.5-3" for the splitter), nuts, plenty of long runners. Slab/face is bolted but sparse.
Ropes: Double / twin 60m ropes (for the 10-rappel descent).
✅ Before you leave the trailhead
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🏕️ Land · camp · water · permits
🪧 Land & passes: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF (Darrington RD); near the Boulder River Wilderness.
📋 Permits: NW Forest Pass to park.
⚠️ Hazards · fire · emergency
- R-rated runout friction slab — long fall potential; bolts widely spaced. Sandbag — feels hard for the grade.
- Rope-eating 10-rappel descent — stuck-rope/stranding risk
- Long, brushy, faint approach — start early
- No cell — sat comms + self-rescue essential
- Rough access road (blowdown)
- Wet rock kills friction + amplifies runout
🆘 Emergency contacts
- Emergency (SAR via 911) 911 — No signal at the climb — call from Darrington or use a satellite messenger
- Cascade Valley Hospital ER, Arlington 360-435-2133 — Nearest ER, ~30 mi W
🌤️ Live conditions
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👀 In the field
Tap any for ID, edibility & first-aid.
📍 Nearby & other interest
- Urban Bypass / Dreamer Direct (5.10b start)
- Dark Rhythm — Green Giant Buttress
- Three O'Clock Rock (Total Soul, Silent Running)
- Squire Creek Wall
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