GODZILLA (5.9) Index Town Walls, Washington

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Climbers on Godzilla

The Godzilla route is the classic 5.9 route at Index. It climbs the steep flake system right of the first pitch of City Park. The pitch is clean and consistently steep and airy, and actually overhangs slightly through its upper half. It is continuously difficult, but not too difficult, with frequent rests, making it an enjoyable and very popular lead. For most climbers new to Index, this is their first venture away from the Great Northern Slab and onto the Lower Town Wall. Like most other Index routes, Godzilla was a dirty, mossy crack when first climbed in 1972 by Don Harder and Donn Heller (it was originally called the “Watermark” route).

Climber on Godzilla

Over the years the route has come clean, especially after the nefarious Index logging crews opened the cliff up to sunlight by cutting down the trees at the base of the wall, a controversial tactic which upset environmentalists but has helped the routes dry faster and retarded moss growth.

Godzilla begins with either a traditional 5.7 blocky lieback (the original start) or a 5.10b face (the City Park bolt ladder) to reach a large pedestal about 30 feet up.A clean, white flake leans rightward, beckoning. Bold liebacking, strenuous jamming, or daring face climbing (or a combination of these) leads to a small ledge halfway up the pitch, from where you can lean in, face to the cool granite, and dangle your arms to rest. The next section requires boldness. Steep, wide layback moves lead upward, easier than the flake below, but more intimidating.

Climber on Godzilla

Once on a ledge above a small roof, an airy step leftward around the corner reaches the crux, a one-move finger crack that, successfully negotiated, gains the exposed belay ledge atop City Park’s first pitch. The intimidation factor is high here, due to the exposure. Many a leader has lingered on the ledge for an eternity, placing more protection than necessary and working up the nerve to commit to the final move. The belay ledge is perfect, wide enough to seat a half-dozen climbers comfortably with feet dangling.

For those not content with just one pitch, the route continues up a 5.10b pitch to the Park Benches, from where another classic, Sloe Children (5.10d) ***, ascends a thin crack in a flaring corner to a hanging belay. There are two variations to Godzilla. One is Bambi (5.10c), which exits the upper layback corner early, traverses left to a ledge, where two mantels reach the finger crack. The other is a one-move option that mantels directly onto the ledge below the finger crack instead of stepping over to it, adding an airy 5.9 move.


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