Particulars
SE Corner Route, Beacon Rock, Beacon Rock State Park, Columbia Gorge, Washington
Beacon Rock is 848 feet in elevation.
Difficulty: this route consists of 3 pitches of max 5.7 rock climbing and, if you wish, another three pitches of easier ground. The approach is about 100 yards.
Appeal: Beacon Rock was named by none other than members of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1805. I think this is the best multi-pitch climb within an hour of Portland, Oregon. Some people are just interested in the rock climbing so they rope off after the first three pitches. Others like the adventure, summit experience, and feeling of accomplishment from going all the way up and walking down. Still others may prefer the west side hiking trail.
Spam
Back in the day, I used to get this climb in at least once a year. Now-a-days, I just long for it. I remember the first time I did this route. I and my friends were novice rock leaders and it took three of us to get the first pitch done. I had a go at the thin crack first. It takes stoppers like sponges take water. I put in way too much gear and as a consequence spent too much time on it and blew out my fingers just below the roof. Drew took the next stab and he managed to get some pro in around the roof and lost his nerve on the friction crux. Friend number three got us up to the belay. Some one dropped their camera from here that day. We didn’t bother to retrieve it.
The alternate 5.6 start is a little off to the left of this direct 5.7 start. Its inobvious trail meanders up to an anchor from where you traverse to the top of the direct start. Ann dropped a lot of my gear in this section one year. I roped off and found some of it. What I couldn’t find, she replaced.
The second pitch starts out with a head scratcher, slightly overhung, unprotectable move over a lip to the sweetest climbing slabs I’ve ever seen. I think Drew did this one on our first day. There are a couple stuck cams in the cracks along the way here. Don’t waste any time trying to get them out. Once the slabs end you go left around a corner and up an easy face to a big rectangular platform with a solid tree right in the middle of it. Be kind to the tree – it has been a stalwart friend to many climbers. One year Terry led this pitch and instead of going around the corner went straight up to the tree. I managed to follow his lead but just barely.
Above this, a fun series of open books takes you to the south face of a big rock where some anchors await if you wish to rope off. If not, proceed up past some brush and a short off-width crack to an easy ramp that leads to the corner off to the right. Going left instead of right takes you over some 4th class ground to some ledges that you can bivy on, although I never have.
From this blocky corner, proceed up the ridge on easy ground with a couple of 5.5 moves in it. After a while a little trail veers right into the trees. Hike on up to the railing on the trail. If you want to see the summit, go right. If you want to go home, go left. One year my climbing partner turned an ankle in this section. She managed to make it to the trail where I enlisted the aid of a passer-by to carry all our rock gear and I carried her. …all the way to the car. She was cute and light and I didn’t mind but my heroics still didn’t get me a date with her.
Logistics
Beacon Rock is off Highway 14, twenty-nine miles east of Vancouver, Washington. You can find it in the Portland Rock Climbs book by Tim Olson. By the way, this is the Vancouver Washington that is just across the Columbia river from Portland, Oregon not Vancouver, Canada and not Washington D.C. Ok, I know most North American readers will find this sentence elementary but readers that are not so well versed in the geography of the United States may not know. I have met a few of these people.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Spam from Rooster Rock
Particulars
Rooster Rock, Columbia Gorge, Oregon
Difficulty: real easy with a pitch or so of 5.1 rock climbing.
Appeal: Despite its location, this basalt pinnacle is not climbed all that much. This is a great climb for the neophyte leader or the new climber or for anyone who appreciates a nice vantage point from which to admire the Columbia River Gorge.
Spam
I climbed this the first time with Tina. We were both pretty new to leading rock. I think I dorked up the lead somehow thus demonstrating how she could follow suit. One thing to keep in mind here: the freeway traffic can be a bit noisy so don’t expect real good communication with your climbing partner until you are both on the summit.
After having led several groups of neophytes up this rock, I can tell you that there are various odd peccadilloes that you can get ensnared in. Sometimes these things have the potential to turn dangerous. Like the time Sarah timidly began her rappel from the summit with a safety prussic tied above her belay device. She didn’t mind the prussic and when her feet slipped a little it did what it was supposed to and locked-up. She couldn’t seem to get her feet under her to get it released again. I rapped down to her on a separate rope, made a loop for her to stand on, and then helped her loosen the prussic and be on her way again. Once she was down, I just transferred my belay device to her rope and pulled the one I came down on and followed her down.
That wasn’t too bad but what about the time Kathy froze with fright at Matt’s bolt. She seemed fine as I led to the top but then she refused to leave the security of the bolt and follow my lead on up. I tied my end to the anchor and then using a prussic, used the rope as a fixed line. I got Kathy attached to the fixed line with a prussic too but she couldn’t get her feet to move to climb even with me next to her encouraging her. Finally, I had to attach her to the bolt again, climb my fixed line to free it, rappel back to her position and then rig an assisted rappel to get her down. She was practically screaming the whole way until I pointed out that her feet were once more on the trail. She did buy me a beer afterwards but clearly had the idea that hanging out with me would mean climbing and she knew she didn’t want any more of that. That’s my story. I’m sticking to it.
Logistics
The best way to do this is to drive east on I-84 from Portland, Oregon past Rooster Rock and take the Rooster Rock State Park exit. Now, get back on the freeway heading west and park off to the side just before the guardrail begins. Hike along the guardrail to the west side of Rooster Rock then turn right into the tall grass and head straight for the base of the rock. You should encounter a climber’s trail that will lead you to a big tree at the base of the rock. This is where you rope up. The fist little bit is just some scrambling over mossy, blocky basalt up to a face with a bolt. Matt put the bolt there. He told me so. Thank you, Matt. I suggest setting an anchor here and starting the real first pitch from this point. Climb up and right following a broken gutter up to a spiny point. Turn left and keep going, the summit is only ten feet away. Set the belay and bring up everyone else you brought with you.
Hang out and enjoy the Gorge views for a while. That is why you came here, anyway. When you get ready to leave, set a double rope rappel from the chains. You should use 60m ropes. Please remember to tie knots in the end of your ropes too.
Rooster Rock, Columbia Gorge, Oregon
Difficulty: real easy with a pitch or so of 5.1 rock climbing.
Appeal: Despite its location, this basalt pinnacle is not climbed all that much. This is a great climb for the neophyte leader or the new climber or for anyone who appreciates a nice vantage point from which to admire the Columbia River Gorge.
Spam
I climbed this the first time with Tina. We were both pretty new to leading rock. I think I dorked up the lead somehow thus demonstrating how she could follow suit. One thing to keep in mind here: the freeway traffic can be a bit noisy so don’t expect real good communication with your climbing partner until you are both on the summit.
After having led several groups of neophytes up this rock, I can tell you that there are various odd peccadilloes that you can get ensnared in. Sometimes these things have the potential to turn dangerous. Like the time Sarah timidly began her rappel from the summit with a safety prussic tied above her belay device. She didn’t mind the prussic and when her feet slipped a little it did what it was supposed to and locked-up. She couldn’t seem to get her feet under her to get it released again. I rapped down to her on a separate rope, made a loop for her to stand on, and then helped her loosen the prussic and be on her way again. Once she was down, I just transferred my belay device to her rope and pulled the one I came down on and followed her down.
That wasn’t too bad but what about the time Kathy froze with fright at Matt’s bolt. She seemed fine as I led to the top but then she refused to leave the security of the bolt and follow my lead on up. I tied my end to the anchor and then using a prussic, used the rope as a fixed line. I got Kathy attached to the fixed line with a prussic too but she couldn’t get her feet to move to climb even with me next to her encouraging her. Finally, I had to attach her to the bolt again, climb my fixed line to free it, rappel back to her position and then rig an assisted rappel to get her down. She was practically screaming the whole way until I pointed out that her feet were once more on the trail. She did buy me a beer afterwards but clearly had the idea that hanging out with me would mean climbing and she knew she didn’t want any more of that. That’s my story. I’m sticking to it.
Logistics
The best way to do this is to drive east on I-84 from Portland, Oregon past Rooster Rock and take the Rooster Rock State Park exit. Now, get back on the freeway heading west and park off to the side just before the guardrail begins. Hike along the guardrail to the west side of Rooster Rock then turn right into the tall grass and head straight for the base of the rock. You should encounter a climber’s trail that will lead you to a big tree at the base of the rock. This is where you rope up. The fist little bit is just some scrambling over mossy, blocky basalt up to a face with a bolt. Matt put the bolt there. He told me so. Thank you, Matt. I suggest setting an anchor here and starting the real first pitch from this point. Climb up and right following a broken gutter up to a spiny point. Turn left and keep going, the summit is only ten feet away. Set the belay and bring up everyone else you brought with you.
Hang out and enjoy the Gorge views for a while. That is why you came here, anyway. When you get ready to leave, set a double rope rappel from the chains. You should use 60m ropes. Please remember to tie knots in the end of your ropes too.
Spam from Symmetry Spire
Particulars
Southwest Ridge Route, Symmetry Spire, Grand Teton national Park, Wyoming
Pinnacle Peak is 10,560 feet above sea level.
Difficulty: This climb can be done from your car in a day provided all goes well and you are in good physical condition. The approach is about four miles and there are five to eight pitches of 5.6 to 5.7 granite from the base to the summit. There is only 3,777 feet of gain for this entire day.
Appeal: This is a damn fine climb to another Teton summit with views that hurt your eyes they are so beautiful. Heck, just doing the approach was a lot of fun.
Spam
Drew and I set out to do this. We parked the car at String Lake and hiked around the north side of Jenny Lake on the Valley trail then hiked up the Horse trail. A little beyond the Baxter Pinnacle climber’s trail is one that goes up Symmetry Couloir. If you encounter the Cascade Canyon trail, you have gone too far. There are a few little spots with a bit of climbing on the approach trail. I enjoyed it. It is really pretty up here. We caught up to some old guy taking a break who told us he was on his way to climb Cube Point. This is a 4th class climb and I have always wanted to go back and do it. But Drew and I were intent on our objective so we parted ways with this guy.
I led the first pitch. As I was belaying Drew another climber came up to my position and casually set a single chock for an anchor and began hauling up his second. He was an older fellow and seemed so at home on the rock that I thought maybe he was guiding someone. I asked him if he was of the Exum Guides. He said that he used to work with them but didn’t any more. He didn’t seem like he wanted conversation so I left him to his belaying and did likewise. As Drew crested and saw the fellow he said, “Are you Ivon Chounard?” Well, I haven’t been keeping up with climbing celebrities but I did know that Ivon Chounard was the founder of Black Diamond Equipment Co., a maker of climbing gear, and of Patagonia, Inc., a high tech outdoor clothing manufacturer. I had read about Ivon in books like Camp Four and an article in Outdoor Magazine.
Next Ivon’s second showed up and she turned out to be a beautiful young lady of about 20 from New York. As we climbed, we entered into various conversations with Ivon and his pretty second who kept distracting us from the sensational Teton scenery. At one point she had difficulty cleaning one of Ivon’s placements. I was in a good position to come over and try my hand at it but even whacking at it with my cleaning tool and a rock proved ineffectual. I was sorely disappointed because I thought the piece was too damaged at that point for anyone to want to continue to climb on it so possibly Ivon might have given it to me as a souvenir. But alas, I could not remove it.
The four of us shared a lunch spot. As we were polishing off the last of our sandwiches, Ivon was gazing at the route above and his second was applying a generous coating of white chalk to her hands. We had just been discussing some point of climbing ethics and she said to Ivon, “What do think about chalk?” “I hate the shit,” was Ivon’s reply and I couldn’t help but emitting a chuckle. Ivon turned to look then seeing her hands he grinned too.
Once we were back down at the base of the climb I asked Ivon if he would pose in a picture with Drew and I. This is it:
{picture of Ivon, Drew, and Greg}
Too bad his second had to take the picture so she is not in it. Come to think of it, I should have asked Drew to take the shot. She is a lot better looking than Drew.
At this point Ivon explained to us that he had parked at the Jenny Lake ranger station and taken the southern trail around Jenny Lake. He thought that the trail to where we had parked was shorter and asked us for a ride. I was pleased to oblige. In the article I read about Ivon in Outside Magazine he was described as being a sort of climbing bum in his early life and had rose to become the millionaire owner of Patagonia. During one phase of his life he lived in an abandoned boiler at the foot of the Tetons. I guess old habits die hard.
Logistics
Take a look at the logistics section of Spam from The Grand Teton.
Southwest Ridge Route, Symmetry Spire, Grand Teton national Park, Wyoming
Pinnacle Peak is 10,560 feet above sea level.
Difficulty: This climb can be done from your car in a day provided all goes well and you are in good physical condition. The approach is about four miles and there are five to eight pitches of 5.6 to 5.7 granite from the base to the summit. There is only 3,777 feet of gain for this entire day.
Appeal: This is a damn fine climb to another Teton summit with views that hurt your eyes they are so beautiful. Heck, just doing the approach was a lot of fun.
Spam
Drew and I set out to do this. We parked the car at String Lake and hiked around the north side of Jenny Lake on the Valley trail then hiked up the Horse trail. A little beyond the Baxter Pinnacle climber’s trail is one that goes up Symmetry Couloir. If you encounter the Cascade Canyon trail, you have gone too far. There are a few little spots with a bit of climbing on the approach trail. I enjoyed it. It is really pretty up here. We caught up to some old guy taking a break who told us he was on his way to climb Cube Point. This is a 4th class climb and I have always wanted to go back and do it. But Drew and I were intent on our objective so we parted ways with this guy.
I led the first pitch. As I was belaying Drew another climber came up to my position and casually set a single chock for an anchor and began hauling up his second. He was an older fellow and seemed so at home on the rock that I thought maybe he was guiding someone. I asked him if he was of the Exum Guides. He said that he used to work with them but didn’t any more. He didn’t seem like he wanted conversation so I left him to his belaying and did likewise. As Drew crested and saw the fellow he said, “Are you Ivon Chounard?” Well, I haven’t been keeping up with climbing celebrities but I did know that Ivon Chounard was the founder of Black Diamond Equipment Co., a maker of climbing gear, and of Patagonia, Inc., a high tech outdoor clothing manufacturer. I had read about Ivon in books like Camp Four and an article in Outdoor Magazine.
Next Ivon’s second showed up and she turned out to be a beautiful young lady of about 20 from New York. As we climbed, we entered into various conversations with Ivon and his pretty second who kept distracting us from the sensational Teton scenery. At one point she had difficulty cleaning one of Ivon’s placements. I was in a good position to come over and try my hand at it but even whacking at it with my cleaning tool and a rock proved ineffectual. I was sorely disappointed because I thought the piece was too damaged at that point for anyone to want to continue to climb on it so possibly Ivon might have given it to me as a souvenir. But alas, I could not remove it.
The four of us shared a lunch spot. As we were polishing off the last of our sandwiches, Ivon was gazing at the route above and his second was applying a generous coating of white chalk to her hands. We had just been discussing some point of climbing ethics and she said to Ivon, “What do think about chalk?” “I hate the shit,” was Ivon’s reply and I couldn’t help but emitting a chuckle. Ivon turned to look then seeing her hands he grinned too.
Once we were back down at the base of the climb I asked Ivon if he would pose in a picture with Drew and I. This is it:
{picture of Ivon, Drew, and Greg}
Too bad his second had to take the picture so she is not in it. Come to think of it, I should have asked Drew to take the shot. She is a lot better looking than Drew.
At this point Ivon explained to us that he had parked at the Jenny Lake ranger station and taken the southern trail around Jenny Lake. He thought that the trail to where we had parked was shorter and asked us for a ride. I was pleased to oblige. In the article I read about Ivon in Outside Magazine he was described as being a sort of climbing bum in his early life and had rose to become the millionaire owner of Patagonia. During one phase of his life he lived in an abandoned boiler at the foot of the Tetons. I guess old habits die hard.
Logistics
Take a look at the logistics section of Spam from The Grand Teton.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Spam from Liberty Bell
Particulars
The Becky Route, Liberty Bell, North Cascades national Park, Washington
Difficulty: This is an easy jaunt: the approach is short and the climb consists of only four pitches of 5.6 on YDS scale.
Appeal: The North Cascades are breath-takingly beautiful. This climb is on excellent granite, is easy enough for the casual rock climber, and makes for a nice day. It seems to me that most North Cascades approaches belong to the excruciatingly difficult and harrowlingly strenuous category but here is one that does not. It is a great climb to sample this wonderful place without loosing 20,000 calories to do it. There are several other short climbs in this vicinity so if four pitches of granite is not enough for you, keep on climbing.
Spam
The first time I went to this place was with Drew and Edward. Drew and I swapped leads and trailed Edward. We arrived in the parking lot and hustled the two mile approach to try and get on the route in front of other climbers. This climb may not be listed in the 50 most crowded climbs book but is should be. We did our part to try and shoo away a curious mountain goat while we waited our turn at the base of the climb. Drew did the first pitch which is pretty easy then I got the second lead. I generally don’t like chimneys but this one is pretty cool. There is a tricky move or two but they protect nicely and I always felt safe. The next pitch fell to Drew again who encountered some route finding difficulty. “Go right, young man,” is my advice; however, if you are a real rock jock, try the left option. After this is the supposed 5.7 step. I don’t think it is 5.7 but if you want to feel like this route is more difficult, go ahead and call it a seven. A bit of rambling leads to the summit. We were all elated.
You can get down from the top of Liberty Bell with a little down climbing and one double rope rappel.
My subsequent visits to Liberty Bell have been due to failed climbs elsewhere in the North Cascades. There is no better way to retrieve a big road trip that takes a south turn than to get an easy – but not too easy – summit experience.
Logistics
This climb is written up in Selected Climbs in the North Cascades by Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfield. I’m pretty sure that Fred Becky wrote it up in one of his guides as well, after all, the route bears his name. If you can bear the tedium of reading Fred’s stuff, you go girl. If you head east after this climb, the town of Winchester is interesting and you will certainly be able to find some food and a beer somewhere in this tourist magnet.
The Becky Route, Liberty Bell, North Cascades national Park, Washington
Difficulty: This is an easy jaunt: the approach is short and the climb consists of only four pitches of 5.6 on YDS scale.
Appeal: The North Cascades are breath-takingly beautiful. This climb is on excellent granite, is easy enough for the casual rock climber, and makes for a nice day. It seems to me that most North Cascades approaches belong to the excruciatingly difficult and harrowlingly strenuous category but here is one that does not. It is a great climb to sample this wonderful place without loosing 20,000 calories to do it. There are several other short climbs in this vicinity so if four pitches of granite is not enough for you, keep on climbing.
Spam
The first time I went to this place was with Drew and Edward. Drew and I swapped leads and trailed Edward. We arrived in the parking lot and hustled the two mile approach to try and get on the route in front of other climbers. This climb may not be listed in the 50 most crowded climbs book but is should be. We did our part to try and shoo away a curious mountain goat while we waited our turn at the base of the climb. Drew did the first pitch which is pretty easy then I got the second lead. I generally don’t like chimneys but this one is pretty cool. There is a tricky move or two but they protect nicely and I always felt safe. The next pitch fell to Drew again who encountered some route finding difficulty. “Go right, young man,” is my advice; however, if you are a real rock jock, try the left option. After this is the supposed 5.7 step. I don’t think it is 5.7 but if you want to feel like this route is more difficult, go ahead and call it a seven. A bit of rambling leads to the summit. We were all elated.
You can get down from the top of Liberty Bell with a little down climbing and one double rope rappel.
My subsequent visits to Liberty Bell have been due to failed climbs elsewhere in the North Cascades. There is no better way to retrieve a big road trip that takes a south turn than to get an easy – but not too easy – summit experience.
Logistics
This climb is written up in Selected Climbs in the North Cascades by Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfield. I’m pretty sure that Fred Becky wrote it up in one of his guides as well, after all, the route bears his name. If you can bear the tedium of reading Fred’s stuff, you go girl. If you head east after this climb, the town of Winchester is interesting and you will certainly be able to find some food and a beer somewhere in this tourist magnet.
Spam from the Grand Teton
Particulars
The Owen – Spalding Route, The Grand Teton, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The summit of the Grand Teton is 13,770 feet in elevation.
Difficulty: the two books I know that feature this climb claim that it is a grade II. This means that it is of moderate overall effort and will probably take most of a day. The definition of the grade goes babbling on about experience necessary and how easy it is to bail if things go badly. Let me just say that if things go badly on this mountain you might as well wish to trade places with Shackelton during his famous attempt to reach the South Pole. As far as the rock climbing goes, this is a 5.4. If the route is coated with ice, 5.4 will take on a whole new meaning for you. By the way, did I mention that the summit is at 13,770 feet? It is and this is high enough to make you wish for more oxygen.
Appeal: This is supposedly the easiest route to the top of the Grand Teton but don’t take it lightly – it is not easy. This summit is the highest in the Teton Range and is among the most majestic chunks of rock on our planet. Getting to the top of it is an experience of a life time. Do this. Don’t let your life slip by without climbing this peak.
{summit photo}
Spam
This was the second summit of my honeymoon with Tina. That said, I think my audience should be able to appreciate the depth of my sickness. She commented later that she would have preferred a trip to the Caribbean or Hawaii like other [more sane] people do. I have never really understood her perspective anyway.
This was also my first Teton Range summit and I had not any great depth of experience with leading big alpine climbs. Wanting to impress my new bride, I carried most of the gear including two ropes, a sizeable rack of rock protection devices, and enough camping gear and sundries to make us as comfortable as anyone staying in the Hilton Hotel at Cozumel. I made it about two miles up the Garnet Canyon trail from Lupine Meadow with all this junk and then stashed half of it in the woods. We continued on another six miles to Petzoldt Caves where we made camp. It was at this point when we discovered that all the food had been forgotten in the car. I made another round trip to retrieve the food and the junk in the woods.
The next day I got up and expounded on how it looked like a thunderstorm was approaching so we should take a rest day and maybe just day hike up to the Lower Saddle to check it out. This is what we did. Tina thought that I was just being lazy. In retrospect, I know she really wanted to be on a beach on some sunny island anyway and so I discount her opinions.
On the third day we got up appropriately early for an alpine start and hiked up to the Lower Saddle again. We kept going past the Black Dike, past the Chockstone Chimney, past the Eye of the Needle, and all the way to the Upper Saddle. Here we put on our rock climbing shoes, stashed our packs, and roped up. We marveled at the extreme exposure as we did the Belly Roll and the Crawl. Looking down at Idaho from this place is certainly awesome. The trees some several thousand feet below look like astro-turf. It was at the Double Chimney where we started finding trouble. The floor of this chimney was coated with ice and there were precious few foot holds on the sides. I recall jumping up, grabbing a horn of rock and doing a pull-up on it. I belly flopped over it and set an anchor. When Tina reached the point directly below the horn, she said, “How do you think I am going to get up there?” She is only five-foot-four but somehow endowed with enough skill to follow any stupid thing I climbed. I gave her a tight belay and up she came.
Beyond the upper reaches of the Double Chimney a wide series of slabs slant gradually upwards for almost a rope length. This feature, called the Catwalk, must certainly be easy if it is dry but it is still quite exposed. On this particular day the Catwalk was coated with verglass – a thin clear coating of ice that was beginning to melt on its surface. I proceeded up these slabs for nearly half a rope length without finding anywhere to place any protection. Finally, I found an old piton and I gladly clipped into it. More old pitons followed. From the end of the Catwalk we wandered upwards and after crossing an exposed snow field on the east side found the summit. I don’t remember how many pitches we belayed but it was a lot. I think under other conditions we wouldn’t have needed to belay so much of it but all the ice tended to make everything rather dicey.
The decent from the Grand involves finding a point near the south end of the Catwalk where a nice long free rappel begins. It is best to have a double rope for this. I think it is possible to get down with only one rope but you may have to swing to the belay. By the time we got to this point, we didn’t want to take on any more challenges. I recall that I set one more rap to get down the Chockstone Chimney just before reaching the Black Dike again. This probably isn’t really necessary but as tired as we were, it was for the best.
It was late when we returned to our camp at the Petzoldt Caves and I was happy to have completed such a wonderful adventure. Tina was happy to have survived and vowed to become more assertive about choosing vacation venues.
Logistics
Jackson, Wyoming is the nearest town. It is mostly a tourist hangout and a skiing venue in the wintertime but there is a climbing shop and there are numerous places to get a beer or a meal. The Climber’s Ranch owned by The American Alpine Club is the place to stay if you are a climber. They have cool little log cabins with bunks, communal showers, and a communal al fresco cooking and eating area. It is inexpensive. There are campgrounds in the park (you need a reservation) or a very expensive KOA a little south of Jackson.
It would be a good idea to understand the Grand Teton National Park system of permits. It is not necessary to have a permit to climb; however, you must have a permit to camp and most climbs in the Tetons will involve at least one overnight. The Park Service does not issue permits for the same day. You must get a permit for at least tomorrow but no more than three days in advance. Also, stays in a particular area are limited to two days. Therefore, it will help to be well versed with the various camp sites and areas for the climb you want to do. In general, it will not be possible to say, camp at the lower saddle and climb the Grand one day and Middle the next.
If you are coming from afar you will probably fly into Salt Lake City, Utah and drive up from there. Alternately, Horizon Airlines flies to Idaho Falls, Idaho and I’m pretty sure you could rent a car from there. You really need a car to get around when you go the Tetons so bring your own or rent one.
The Owen – Spalding Route is detailed in A Climber’s Guide to the Teton Range by Leigh Ortenburger and Reynold Jackson as well as Teton Classics by Richard Rossiter. There is enough stuff to climb in the Tetons to keep you busy for most of a lifetime, I think and the heft of Ortenburger’s book attests to this.
The Owen – Spalding Route, The Grand Teton, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The summit of the Grand Teton is 13,770 feet in elevation.
Difficulty: the two books I know that feature this climb claim that it is a grade II. This means that it is of moderate overall effort and will probably take most of a day. The definition of the grade goes babbling on about experience necessary and how easy it is to bail if things go badly. Let me just say that if things go badly on this mountain you might as well wish to trade places with Shackelton during his famous attempt to reach the South Pole. As far as the rock climbing goes, this is a 5.4. If the route is coated with ice, 5.4 will take on a whole new meaning for you. By the way, did I mention that the summit is at 13,770 feet? It is and this is high enough to make you wish for more oxygen.
Appeal: This is supposedly the easiest route to the top of the Grand Teton but don’t take it lightly – it is not easy. This summit is the highest in the Teton Range and is among the most majestic chunks of rock on our planet. Getting to the top of it is an experience of a life time. Do this. Don’t let your life slip by without climbing this peak.
{summit photo}
Spam
This was the second summit of my honeymoon with Tina. That said, I think my audience should be able to appreciate the depth of my sickness. She commented later that she would have preferred a trip to the Caribbean or Hawaii like other [more sane] people do. I have never really understood her perspective anyway.
This was also my first Teton Range summit and I had not any great depth of experience with leading big alpine climbs. Wanting to impress my new bride, I carried most of the gear including two ropes, a sizeable rack of rock protection devices, and enough camping gear and sundries to make us as comfortable as anyone staying in the Hilton Hotel at Cozumel. I made it about two miles up the Garnet Canyon trail from Lupine Meadow with all this junk and then stashed half of it in the woods. We continued on another six miles to Petzoldt Caves where we made camp. It was at this point when we discovered that all the food had been forgotten in the car. I made another round trip to retrieve the food and the junk in the woods.
The next day I got up and expounded on how it looked like a thunderstorm was approaching so we should take a rest day and maybe just day hike up to the Lower Saddle to check it out. This is what we did. Tina thought that I was just being lazy. In retrospect, I know she really wanted to be on a beach on some sunny island anyway and so I discount her opinions.
On the third day we got up appropriately early for an alpine start and hiked up to the Lower Saddle again. We kept going past the Black Dike, past the Chockstone Chimney, past the Eye of the Needle, and all the way to the Upper Saddle. Here we put on our rock climbing shoes, stashed our packs, and roped up. We marveled at the extreme exposure as we did the Belly Roll and the Crawl. Looking down at Idaho from this place is certainly awesome. The trees some several thousand feet below look like astro-turf. It was at the Double Chimney where we started finding trouble. The floor of this chimney was coated with ice and there were precious few foot holds on the sides. I recall jumping up, grabbing a horn of rock and doing a pull-up on it. I belly flopped over it and set an anchor. When Tina reached the point directly below the horn, she said, “How do you think I am going to get up there?” She is only five-foot-four but somehow endowed with enough skill to follow any stupid thing I climbed. I gave her a tight belay and up she came.
Beyond the upper reaches of the Double Chimney a wide series of slabs slant gradually upwards for almost a rope length. This feature, called the Catwalk, must certainly be easy if it is dry but it is still quite exposed. On this particular day the Catwalk was coated with verglass – a thin clear coating of ice that was beginning to melt on its surface. I proceeded up these slabs for nearly half a rope length without finding anywhere to place any protection. Finally, I found an old piton and I gladly clipped into it. More old pitons followed. From the end of the Catwalk we wandered upwards and after crossing an exposed snow field on the east side found the summit. I don’t remember how many pitches we belayed but it was a lot. I think under other conditions we wouldn’t have needed to belay so much of it but all the ice tended to make everything rather dicey.
The decent from the Grand involves finding a point near the south end of the Catwalk where a nice long free rappel begins. It is best to have a double rope for this. I think it is possible to get down with only one rope but you may have to swing to the belay. By the time we got to this point, we didn’t want to take on any more challenges. I recall that I set one more rap to get down the Chockstone Chimney just before reaching the Black Dike again. This probably isn’t really necessary but as tired as we were, it was for the best.
It was late when we returned to our camp at the Petzoldt Caves and I was happy to have completed such a wonderful adventure. Tina was happy to have survived and vowed to become more assertive about choosing vacation venues.
Logistics
Jackson, Wyoming is the nearest town. It is mostly a tourist hangout and a skiing venue in the wintertime but there is a climbing shop and there are numerous places to get a beer or a meal. The Climber’s Ranch owned by The American Alpine Club is the place to stay if you are a climber. They have cool little log cabins with bunks, communal showers, and a communal al fresco cooking and eating area. It is inexpensive. There are campgrounds in the park (you need a reservation) or a very expensive KOA a little south of Jackson.
It would be a good idea to understand the Grand Teton National Park system of permits. It is not necessary to have a permit to climb; however, you must have a permit to camp and most climbs in the Tetons will involve at least one overnight. The Park Service does not issue permits for the same day. You must get a permit for at least tomorrow but no more than three days in advance. Also, stays in a particular area are limited to two days. Therefore, it will help to be well versed with the various camp sites and areas for the climb you want to do. In general, it will not be possible to say, camp at the lower saddle and climb the Grand one day and Middle the next.
If you are coming from afar you will probably fly into Salt Lake City, Utah and drive up from there. Alternately, Horizon Airlines flies to Idaho Falls, Idaho and I’m pretty sure you could rent a car from there. You really need a car to get around when you go the Tetons so bring your own or rent one.
The Owen – Spalding Route is detailed in A Climber’s Guide to the Teton Range by Leigh Ortenburger and Reynold Jackson as well as Teton Classics by Richard Rossiter. There is enough stuff to climb in the Tetons to keep you busy for most of a lifetime, I think and the heft of Ortenburger’s book attests to this.
Spam from Monkey Face
Particulars
The Pioneer Route, Monkey Face, Smith Rock, Oregon
Difficulty: this route is rated 5.7 A0 and is only five pitches long. Only one short pitch is 5.7 but it is one of the most frightening things I have ever done. Getting off of this thing requires a really long free rappel. I find these things scary also. I can’t help from thinking, “If my rope breaks, or my harness, or my belay devise, I will go splat and have about 3.4 seconds to think about it while I free fall first.” Of course, the ropes, harnesses, and belay devises are designed to never fail. If they do (in the USA anyway), many lawsuits get filed and fortunes change hands. Just ask Ivon Chounard if you don’t believe me.
Appeal: some people like getting the shit scared out of themselves.
{picture}
Spam
I set out to do this with Will, Dave, and Isaac. My fiancé at the time came along to watch. She had accompanied Will and I on a previous attempt. She is a quicker study than Will and I. Dave suffered from poor judgment (he accompanied me on other climbs later) and Isaac from inexperience. We all made it up to the Bohn Street ledge without any difficulty. There is a good place to bail from this ledge. None of us had the good sense to do so. Isaac and Dave set off up the bolt ladder above and Will and I sat and waited. Neither of us was able to think of a good excuse to go home. When it came to our turn, Will led up the bolt ladder to the cave. The bolt ladder consists of expansion bolts placed in holes drilled in the rock about every three feet or so. Each bolt has a bolt hanger attached to it. To climb it, you use a pair of little ladders made of nylon webbing called aiders or etriers which you clip to the bolt hangers. The pioneer route sees a lot of traffic. I don’t know how long the bolts have been there and I don’t know how many climbers have used them. I do know that most of them are loose and some of them are so loose that you could pluck them out with your little finger. No one does. Everyone wishes them to stay in place. Somehow they do. I think.
Once Will and I made it into the cave, we had to wait on Dave and Isaac again. Hanging out in the cave is not that much fun. The floor is slopey and polished. You can’t stand. If you drop anything it will skitter over the edge and be lost to you forever. There are, at least, plenty of bolt hangers on the floor of the cave and I clipped into one of these to enhance my safety as we waited for Dave and Isaac to get up their courage and get out of the cave.
The 5.7 pitch above is called Panic Point. To lead this, you go to the edge of the cave and clip a quick draw to the highest bolt hanger you can reach, clip your rope to that, reach up and find hand holds, squirm your body around so you face the rock and climb on up. It doesn’t matter if you look down or not. Nothing can block the image of the 500 feet of space between you and the ground at that point. You know it is there whether you look at it or not. You would think that all the adrenaline that this must generate would make your hand feel stronger. It doesn’t. You feel weak as a kitten and this 5.7 might as well be a 5.14. After the panic passes, get on up there. Once past this, there was only a little more easier rock to the top.
The decent consist of two raps. The first takes you over the cave – watch out that you don’t hit your head. The second is a long free rappel that brings you back near the starting point. The Springboard is an over hanging lip on the opposite face from the cave. It is an excellent vantage point to watch the entire climb and decent. The wiser members of your party will hang out here.
Logistics
Smith Rock is an Oregon state park and features tent camping. It is also possible to find a cabin to rent in the neighborhood. Terrebone, Oregon is the closest town and you can find breakfast, dinner, or a cold beer there. Bend is the nearest place with an airport and Horizon Airlines flies here from Portland, Oregon. Alternately, you can drive from Portland in about three hours.
The Pioneer Route along with many other great climbs are cataloged in Climber’s Guide to Smith Rock by Alan Watts. The book is pretty hefty and it is likely that you will find lots of great climbing here.
The Pioneer Route, Monkey Face, Smith Rock, Oregon
Difficulty: this route is rated 5.7 A0 and is only five pitches long. Only one short pitch is 5.7 but it is one of the most frightening things I have ever done. Getting off of this thing requires a really long free rappel. I find these things scary also. I can’t help from thinking, “If my rope breaks, or my harness, or my belay devise, I will go splat and have about 3.4 seconds to think about it while I free fall first.” Of course, the ropes, harnesses, and belay devises are designed to never fail. If they do (in the USA anyway), many lawsuits get filed and fortunes change hands. Just ask Ivon Chounard if you don’t believe me.
Appeal: some people like getting the shit scared out of themselves.
{picture}
Spam
I set out to do this with Will, Dave, and Isaac. My fiancé at the time came along to watch. She had accompanied Will and I on a previous attempt. She is a quicker study than Will and I. Dave suffered from poor judgment (he accompanied me on other climbs later) and Isaac from inexperience. We all made it up to the Bohn Street ledge without any difficulty. There is a good place to bail from this ledge. None of us had the good sense to do so. Isaac and Dave set off up the bolt ladder above and Will and I sat and waited. Neither of us was able to think of a good excuse to go home. When it came to our turn, Will led up the bolt ladder to the cave. The bolt ladder consists of expansion bolts placed in holes drilled in the rock about every three feet or so. Each bolt has a bolt hanger attached to it. To climb it, you use a pair of little ladders made of nylon webbing called aiders or etriers which you clip to the bolt hangers. The pioneer route sees a lot of traffic. I don’t know how long the bolts have been there and I don’t know how many climbers have used them. I do know that most of them are loose and some of them are so loose that you could pluck them out with your little finger. No one does. Everyone wishes them to stay in place. Somehow they do. I think.
Once Will and I made it into the cave, we had to wait on Dave and Isaac again. Hanging out in the cave is not that much fun. The floor is slopey and polished. You can’t stand. If you drop anything it will skitter over the edge and be lost to you forever. There are, at least, plenty of bolt hangers on the floor of the cave and I clipped into one of these to enhance my safety as we waited for Dave and Isaac to get up their courage and get out of the cave.
The 5.7 pitch above is called Panic Point. To lead this, you go to the edge of the cave and clip a quick draw to the highest bolt hanger you can reach, clip your rope to that, reach up and find hand holds, squirm your body around so you face the rock and climb on up. It doesn’t matter if you look down or not. Nothing can block the image of the 500 feet of space between you and the ground at that point. You know it is there whether you look at it or not. You would think that all the adrenaline that this must generate would make your hand feel stronger. It doesn’t. You feel weak as a kitten and this 5.7 might as well be a 5.14. After the panic passes, get on up there. Once past this, there was only a little more easier rock to the top.
The decent consist of two raps. The first takes you over the cave – watch out that you don’t hit your head. The second is a long free rappel that brings you back near the starting point. The Springboard is an over hanging lip on the opposite face from the cave. It is an excellent vantage point to watch the entire climb and decent. The wiser members of your party will hang out here.
Logistics
Smith Rock is an Oregon state park and features tent camping. It is also possible to find a cabin to rent in the neighborhood. Terrebone, Oregon is the closest town and you can find breakfast, dinner, or a cold beer there. Bend is the nearest place with an airport and Horizon Airlines flies here from Portland, Oregon. Alternately, you can drive from Portland in about three hours.
The Pioneer Route along with many other great climbs are cataloged in Climber’s Guide to Smith Rock by Alan Watts. The book is pretty hefty and it is likely that you will find lots of great climbing here.
Spam from Outer Space
Particulars
Outer Space, Snow Creek Wall, Leavenworth, Washington
Difficulty: About seven pitches of rock climbing – you should be able to do this in a day with no problem. The most difficult is the 5.9 traverse.
Appeal: this climb has been called the best rock climb in Washington State. From Two Tree Ledge upward it is a lot of fun. The 5.9 traverse is a great pumpy challenge. Right on its heals is some easier but still interesting ground. Then, come two pitches up the Shield on the sweetest hand crack with lots of chicken heads for your feet. This is definitely not to be missed.
{need picture}
Spam
Friday afternoon:
Chris and I headed up to the make-believe Bavarian village of Leavenworth this afternoon. It is a six hour drive from Portland, OR. We parked our cars at the Snow Creek trail-head just over four miles from Leavenworth. From there, we hiked about two miles and made a camp near the creek where a climber’s trail leads off to the base of Snow Creek Wall. During the night a wind storm sprang up and dead trees from an old burn in the area came crashing down all around. We calculated the odds of getting hit by one of them was probably pretty small so we snuggled into our sleeping bags and got as much sleep as we could. Daylight brought calm and we were filled with excitement over the prospect of our climb.
We hiked up the climber’s trail to the base of the wall and found the start of the climb without any difficulty. I led off and we simo-climbed the low fifth class pitches up to Two Tree Ledge. Here is a choice: a 5.8 crack on the left or a 5.9 crack a few feet to the right. Having been smoked on the polished 5.9 version before, I suggested trying the left side. Chris obliged then did the 5.9 traverse with aplomb. I found the traverse to be rather reachy and balancy and pumpy and just a bit exposed. I only notice the exposure when I worry I might be hanging (literally) in it at any second in the future. However, I managed to get past it without letting on to Chris. I got the next lead and wandered up around a corner to a place where I could find a belay about half-way to the Pedestal. Rope drag is the killer here. Chris continued the lead from the Pedestal to Library Ledge. This pitch gets about half-way up the Shield. The Shield is a big expanse of granite covered with chicken heads that make great holds. Going up this crack entails moving from one excellent hand jam to the next with numerous choices for foot holds. The crack takes gear anywhere you wish to place it so I always felt quite safe. There is one section along here where the chicken heads disappear and you have to use the crack for foot jams also.
I got the lead back at Library Ledge. The first ten feet or so above this point are the most difficult but then comes a return of that wonderful hand crack and foot hold studded face that makes this climb so much fun. To top it off, at the summit you are rewarded with some of the prettiest alpine vistas you could ever wish for. The decent is another matter. The trail off of this thing is steep and covered with small ball bearing like rocks and strewn with broken trees. But don’t let this thought spoil it for you – at least there is a walk off and you need not rappel.
Logistics
See A Climber’s Guide to Washington Rock by Don Brooks and David Whitelaw, Selected Climbs in the Cascades by Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfield, or Leavenworth Rock by Viktor Kramar. I think this is featured in the 50 most crowded climbs book too. Kramar has the best layup and Jim & Peter do the best description. If you were me, you would stay with my cousin in Leavenworth and try to get him to lead the hard pitches. But since even I can’t get him out to the rock these days, you might just cop a bivy at a campground in Icicle Canyon or even near the base of the climb. Please practice no trace etiquette. The KOA in Leavenworth is a great place to get an inexpensive shower later on.
Outer Space, Snow Creek Wall, Leavenworth, Washington
Difficulty: About seven pitches of rock climbing – you should be able to do this in a day with no problem. The most difficult is the 5.9 traverse.
Appeal: this climb has been called the best rock climb in Washington State. From Two Tree Ledge upward it is a lot of fun. The 5.9 traverse is a great pumpy challenge. Right on its heals is some easier but still interesting ground. Then, come two pitches up the Shield on the sweetest hand crack with lots of chicken heads for your feet. This is definitely not to be missed.
{need picture}
Spam
Friday afternoon:
Chris and I headed up to the make-believe Bavarian village of Leavenworth this afternoon. It is a six hour drive from Portland, OR. We parked our cars at the Snow Creek trail-head just over four miles from Leavenworth. From there, we hiked about two miles and made a camp near the creek where a climber’s trail leads off to the base of Snow Creek Wall. During the night a wind storm sprang up and dead trees from an old burn in the area came crashing down all around. We calculated the odds of getting hit by one of them was probably pretty small so we snuggled into our sleeping bags and got as much sleep as we could. Daylight brought calm and we were filled with excitement over the prospect of our climb.
We hiked up the climber’s trail to the base of the wall and found the start of the climb without any difficulty. I led off and we simo-climbed the low fifth class pitches up to Two Tree Ledge. Here is a choice: a 5.8 crack on the left or a 5.9 crack a few feet to the right. Having been smoked on the polished 5.9 version before, I suggested trying the left side. Chris obliged then did the 5.9 traverse with aplomb. I found the traverse to be rather reachy and balancy and pumpy and just a bit exposed. I only notice the exposure when I worry I might be hanging (literally) in it at any second in the future. However, I managed to get past it without letting on to Chris. I got the next lead and wandered up around a corner to a place where I could find a belay about half-way to the Pedestal. Rope drag is the killer here. Chris continued the lead from the Pedestal to Library Ledge. This pitch gets about half-way up the Shield. The Shield is a big expanse of granite covered with chicken heads that make great holds. Going up this crack entails moving from one excellent hand jam to the next with numerous choices for foot holds. The crack takes gear anywhere you wish to place it so I always felt quite safe. There is one section along here where the chicken heads disappear and you have to use the crack for foot jams also.
I got the lead back at Library Ledge. The first ten feet or so above this point are the most difficult but then comes a return of that wonderful hand crack and foot hold studded face that makes this climb so much fun. To top it off, at the summit you are rewarded with some of the prettiest alpine vistas you could ever wish for. The decent is another matter. The trail off of this thing is steep and covered with small ball bearing like rocks and strewn with broken trees. But don’t let this thought spoil it for you – at least there is a walk off and you need not rappel.
Logistics
See A Climber’s Guide to Washington Rock by Don Brooks and David Whitelaw, Selected Climbs in the Cascades by Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfield, or Leavenworth Rock by Viktor Kramar. I think this is featured in the 50 most crowded climbs book too. Kramar has the best layup and Jim & Peter do the best description. If you were me, you would stay with my cousin in Leavenworth and try to get him to lead the hard pitches. But since even I can’t get him out to the rock these days, you might just cop a bivy at a campground in Icicle Canyon or even near the base of the climb. Please practice no trace etiquette. The KOA in Leavenworth is a great place to get an inexpensive shower later on.
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