Trip: Hell's Canyon - Many

Date: 5/15/2009

Trip Report:
Here's a long delayed TR from May 09-

My friend Stephen and I went to Hell's Canyon at the urging of Shapp. I had stopped there the previous year with the family on the way to COR. While not really on the way to COR, I'm glad we went because the place is really unique. In the course of our 4 day trip, we met many of the developers who were some of the nicest folks I've ever met. Brimming with beta and passion for the place, they steered us towards great climbs. A guide either online or printed is in the works for the many HUNDREDS of routes here. Snake river winding through the canyon, and bullet limestone everywhere. This is the view from Borate wall looking down on the Big Bar campground.


One of the many awesome features of the area is the South Face of he Flatiron- home of many sweet steep sprot climbs. Due to the heat we did not climb here, but will be going back for more in the fall.



The Allison Creek trail is across from the campground, and gets to Kilowatt Wall in about 5 minutes- this is no Cascades approach... Excellent 5.8 on upper Kilowatt Wall



Stephen on Pokemon .10c/d- fossilized barnacle climbing at it's best


Borate Wall, lots of excellent .10's on clean clean stone



A nice .10a on lower Kilowatt Wall


More Borate fun


Me on Longer Than It Looks 5.9+? Excellent climb


Kilowatt Wall from across the valley



On Kilowatt Wall, a Mark Hauter FA- stout and a bit runout- probably our favorite outing of the trip



New friend Jane on Allison Creek 5.8- real fun pockets and scoops to steep bulge at top



High Voltage P1



Jane at top of Longer Than it Looks


Fish Cave



Borate wall right side


Hazards might include this baby rattler and COPIOUS amounts of poison ivy in the gulches



More High Voltage


Awesome Corderoy



Textures abundant


We'll definately be going back in the fall when temps cool and the hellish rain starts again around W Wa


M. Hanna

Gear Notes:
Sunscreen, 60 meter rope, small rack, lotza draws, beer

Approach Notes:
7.5 hour drive from Seattle, Various 10 min to 45 min

Please note that this crag used to be in Oregon Country, but when the men back east drew up the state lines, they got confused and put it in Idaho.

What a lucky day you got to meet Jane.

Ahhh, that looks amazing!

Gotta head over there asap.

What part of Hell's Canyon is this? PM if sensitive.

Location has been posted for many years:
http://people.whitman.edu/~pogue/climbing/hells_cyn.html