I think Oregon has some of the coolest rock climbing anywhere. Mostly due to the fact of the vast amount or rock pinnacles. Theres tons of them, close to 150 in the Menagerie area alone. So heres a thread for the pinnacles/spires/summits of Oregon. Post your pictures, stories, favorite summits, anything! No spray please! I just want to see some solid content in this thread.


I'll kick it off with a small one, and we can grow from there. This is a rad little spire, well worth the hike to bag the summits in the area.


Index Finger (5.6), Mendenhall Ridge, Smith Rock

Nice Tyler.

Little Needle Rock is a great little summit next to the larger Needle Rock in the Detroit area. When I climbed the 5th ascent with Tim Olsen we where still the 2nd and 3rd people on the summit, as Brad Englund had rope soloed it 3 times after his orginal FA. We had no prior info on it but got up it with out hooks, wich Brad had rated it according to his summit register as 5.7 A2 hooks.


Little Needle Rock (5.7 A2), Detroit Area

How tall is Little Needle rock anyway?

Awesome stuff tyler, my aunt was just asking me if I've ever "climbed them rocks stickin' out a the woods out there"

Bill-

The uphill side where the route is, is only about 70-80ft while the down hill side is much bigger. Have you climbed Needle before?

Ivan snapped this shot of my friend Brian Gilbert and I after our first ascent of The Zebra in the Menagerie. The night before I was telling Ivan how I never fall climbing, sure enough I took a ride the next day on this beast. I whipped a solid 20ft after a sling popped off a knob when I was placing the next sing on a nob. Got caught 5ft off the ground by a #1 beak in some choss. The second sling was still hanging there, so I just free climbed through where I fell got to the sling and drilled a bolt. What would have been A4 with blades and rurps was A2 with beaks. Think the Menageries climbed out... think again


The Zebra (5.9 A2), Menagerie Wilderness

Greg Orton snapped these shots of Wilbur Nazarian, Mai Hyman and I on the South Face route, of the South Rabbit Ear in the Menagerie. We cruised up the route that day and replaced the one old bolt on P2 as we rapped down. The first ascent in 1967 by Tom & Bob Bauman was very notable for its time. At only 5.8 this may not sound like much, but if you've ever done it, an all free ascent on the first ascent will seem very impressive. If you've not done it this is a must do Oregon summit.



South Rabbit Ear (5.8), Menagerie Wilderness

Am I the only one who sees the face on index finger pic #1? Looks a lot like those moai easter island statues.

Come'on every one don't be shy. I know theres pleanty of people who could contribute to this thread.

i like, uh, have climbed, like, uh, the monkey face and the turkey monster - do they count?

hey, did i ever send you the big-sized version of this?

hell ya you did! post up some pics and a story!! the monkeys the classic oregon spire, and damn well we all know the turkeys pretty damn sick! i dont care what it is, as long as its climbing content somehow related to oregon rock summits.

all my oregon spire sh.tuff is old (maybe the last outing cured me?) but for what it's worth:


pillars of hercules


west smith summit:


the bird from a coupla summers ago:


Jeff exploring the possibility of an FFA (J. Leary photo hyperlink)


magic brownies celebration on the dome summit (J. Leary photo hyperlinked)

I have not and it looks awesome! So does Pillar of Hercules, but in person, it looks much less impressive than FWGs pic! I don't have any pictures of that one, Monkey Face or Rooster Rock:-(

I have some up in the lower Cascades on my tick list for next year:


BTW, is this one below a pinnacle or is it technically just a lump?

I own the old Oregon guidebook that lists these spires, always wanted to go there.

Radek- I know you've got more!!!

Bill- Those look awsome let me know if you want a partner for them, I would be stoaked.

This is a picture looking up "The Prize" on Old Man in the Umpqua area. This is in my opinion one of the more classic sport routes in Oregon. With four pitches of sustained hard climbing, one of 5.10c, two at 5.11b and one 5.11c. I was fortunate to get drug up the hard pitches this route by Chris Fralick after I managed the first. We where rewarded by a tyrolean traverse to Old Woman at the end. The standard route up Old Man goes at 5.9 and is also a great route. If you can climb the grade you must do the route!


"The Prize" (5.11c), Old Man Spire, Umpqua Area FA - Joe Chaves and Greg Orton 2000

Tyler - Thanks for the picture of my OLD friend...

Gary- Tell us a story about the FA!

I second this motion.

I grew up on the Umpqua. too bad those routes went up after i left! Might have to check it out if I'm ever there again, looks good!

Kurt- Many of the routes in the area went up in the late 50's/early 60's, such as Gary's (oldmanrock) first ascent of Old Man and Eagle Rock. If I recall Gary mentioned an airplane being involved with the approach as the highway had not been pushed that far yet. If you havent seen Greg Orton's Umpqua Rock book, check it out, its a great resource for the area.

good to know. thanks tyler. the only stuff i did there was on the Youtlekut(sp?) Pillars. maybe a trip to the homeland is in order.

Heres Jim Anglin on Chicken Legs on Chicken Rock in the Menagerie (FA Jim Anglin & Chris Fralick). This is one of the best sport routes there. Jim always said this was his favorite route in the Menagerie. The regular route up Chicken, Rawhide (5.8) is wild for the grade and well worth it.


Chicken Legs (5.11a), Chicken Rock, Menagerie