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elaine

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Posts posted by elaine

  1. See below message from Keith-

     

     

    On Friday afternoon, I received communication from Tonia Burns, Natural Resources Coordinator, at Clackamas County. On advice from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Audubon Society of Portland, the County decided that the 27 June Volunteer Trail Building Day at Madrone Wall WILL proceed as planned. The Peregrine falcons nesting at the site, which led to a decision to cancel the May event, successfully fledged their young.

     

    Come help us build hiking trails and prepare a future park site at the Madrone Wall in Clackamas County . The Madrone Wall Preservation Committee is coordinating with Clackamas County Parks , REI-Clackamas, Mazamas, Trailkeepers of Oregon, The Access Fund, and ClimbMax Mountaineering to construct hiking trails at the site of this amazing civic treasure.

     

    As of today, 67 spots are still available and we would like to achieve a full subscription of 100 registrants for the event. We need your help to create the new trail system at a future Clackamas County park. This is a great event if you are looking for an environmental public service project (Scouts, Eco School Groups, Religious Groups, Civic Groups, etc.). Minimum age is 12. Climb Max Mountaineering is providing a free BBQ lunch to all participants.

     

    The County’s decision to allow rock climbing and hiking the afternoon of the event is still pending as they further evaluate the presence of Peregrine falcons in the area. Their advice, if you are interested in rock climbing the afternoon of the event after a morning of volunteering building trails, is to bring your climbing/hiking gear with you on the day of the event and receive further instruction from them.

     

    DATES:

    · 27 June 2010 (Sunday): 2010 Volunteer Trail Building Day

    · 12 September 2010 (Sunday): 2010 Volunteer Trail Building Day

     

     

    Pre-Registration REQUIRED at: www.rei.com/clackamas

     

    Latest updates at: www.savemadrone.org

     

    If you can be a trail team leader, please contact me at: kdaellenbach@att.net

     

    Access to the site is only on pre-approved volunteer trail building dates. Please continue to respect Clackamas County ’s current “No Trespassing” posting at the site at ALL OTHER TIMES.

     

    Please come prepared to get dirty. Wear long sleeves and pants due to poison oak and blackberry brambles. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and snacks. Meet at the Carver School just north and west of the Carver Bridge on Hwy 224 for carpooling.

  2. I met Monty probably 8 years ago when I was in the Mazamas. We went through the Adv. Rock Course together. I was watching him on lead at the start of the class, and get through a tricky section, laughing and panting just after he got his gear placed in. It was probably a 5.5 or .6, but it didn't matter. A crux on trad when you're just learning to lead is scary no matter what the ratings are.

     

    I also got to do a Hood climb with him ( West Crater Rim) after that class where he was the climb leader. He fell into a small schrund just on the west side of Crater Rock. He got himself out OK. We kinda made jokes about the anchor pully systems that we had learned in AR together after he got himself out. Right after that incident, he assessed the snow stability conditions, and decided to go up the South Side. As we were on the Hogsback, a slab broke loose on West Crater. We were all a little spooked, but remembered to quickly thank Monty for not taking us up that route.

     

    He was always a supporter of access and conservation issues.

     

    In a weird way, and not even knowing that he had passed on, I was celebrating Monty's life the day he died. I had a group of 25 students and their parents from my school hiking from Lower Macleay Park to Pittock Mansion on the Wildwood. Monty loved Forest Park and the Wildwood Trail. Loved it enough to be the President of the then Friends of Forest Park. None of my students or their parents had ever been on that trail before. They found nature, wilderness, and beauty right in their own backyard.

     

    I hope that his wife, Margaret, and his children can find some peace in this difficult time. Monty will be missed by many, including me.

  3. I really had to start a new thread....

     

    I got word from the Natural Resources Gal ( Tonia) at Clackamas County that the monitoring by folks from the Audobon Society say the chicks look to be about 5 weeks old. They expect that they will be fledging in the next week or so. Monitoring will continue after fledging to see if or how "disturbed" the chicks and parents are with people around them.

     

    I'm crossing my fingers, and so is Tonia, that the June 27th clean up and trail building event will still take place. We're not sure yet about the climbing afterwards, but we're hoping we can. Even Tonia is hoping for us!

     

    I think cancelling the last event on May 23rd was important enough ( unfortunately) because of not knowing age of the chicks. They probably didn't have their wings, nor concept of flight, and could have fallen off the ledge if spooked.

     

    Some good news in all of this, I guess.

  4. Maybe some background info that folks didn't know on this peregrine stuff out at the Madrone...( and Smith, too)

     

    Two peregrine studies/surveys/observations were done by Bob Sallinger ( Audobon Soc). One was in 1998 and the other was in 2006. No evidence peregrines ( no swath at the top of a cliff, no poop, nothing) was found. We heard and saw them last Spring when Keith organized a wildflower tour. They obviously seem to be back again this year.

     

    On a different note, but interesting nonetheless, peregrines closed the upper portions of the Picnic Lunch Wall at Smith last year. You could do single pitch climbing only. No peregrines out there this year. In fact, no Golden Eagle chicks either. This is the first year in about 20 years that the Golden Eagles have not mated. They often close the Monument Area. The female keeps up almost 12 nests in and around Smith and the adjacent BLM land. They have not seen her in some time and fear that she might be dead. All of the Golden Eagle info was provided by the SRSP Rangers and Raptor volunteers at the clean up two weekends ago.

     

    So maybe the Peregrines will ( hopefully) move on from the Madrone. There are plenty of chossy cliffs in Clackamas County that they can take residence on.

  5. Even though the Madrone Wall is still not open to any kind of recreation, they spotted at least 3 chicks ( possibly 5) out there over the weekend. It was the presence of the adult falcons out there on Thursday of last week that cancelled the trail-building party on Sunday. Clackamas County will have someone go in and see how old they are. The age of the successful eyrie right now will determine if the June event will still take place.

     

    There is talk of a monitoring program out there, but that will be awhile.

     

    More to come soon.

  6. Thanks, Joseph, Hemp, and Bill.

     

    I received a note from the Natural Resources gal who has been helping us along with planning these clean ups. A County Americorp employee / intern was out on Thursday. He was headed into the open meadow area with a chainsaw to clear some of the downed trees and such. The saw wasn't even buzzing and he heard the distinct cacking of the peregrine(s).

     

    What an ironic week for us MWPC folks.

     

    We got word from an involved citizen who attended a forestry meeting within the last two weeks with the County. She's part of a CPO, and Dan Zinzer, the Head of County Parks, said that the Madrone Wall was now being moved up to Category 1 Status within the County. Meaning that it was being viewed as an equal priority as their other current parks/ park projects. They've NEVER said that before.

     

    We're just afraid that this is going to be a much longer process now.

  7. Keith just called me and told me about it being cancelled.

     

    Keith and Clackamas Co had not heard or seen peregrines earlier this Spring, but I know for sure they were out there last Spring - we heard and saw them on the wildflower tour. A Wildlife Biologist / Natural Resources person with the County observed them recently this week.

     

    All volunteers would have received a reminder e-mail about the clean up anyways, so the e-mail from REI is no joke.

     

    Sorry folks. June's event is not certain with the fledging of any peregrine chicks.

    This sucks.

     

     

  8. I would suggest contacting REI.

     

    Sorry folks, but REI isn't assuming that those 100 folks are not planning on showing up.

     

    The event has been advertised for some time. Folks might just have to wait until the next June event.

     

    I don't think that anyone will be without a climbing partner - there will be plenty of volunteers ready to climb afterwards.

  9. Bill - I'll miss seeing your mug out there!

     

    Penelope is a cute dog. I don't believe that dogs will be allowed because of people working with heavy and sharp tools. I'd hate to have your friend sign up to volunteer and then get turned away when his dog was brought on the property.

    Thanks for asking.

  10. Volunteers needed!!

    Do you live in the Portland / Beaverton Area?

    Do you get excused from work to volunteer in a school?

    My school's Field Day is on Friday June 11th and I'm renting Climb Max's portable climbing walls.

     

    Field Day hours at Springville School are from 8:45-11:00am and 12:35-2:50 pm. Our school is located just east of PCC Rock Creek. Climb Max will provide a couple of employees, but having another crew of folks throughout the day would be ideal to help with getting on harnesses and switching out belays for a break.

     

    There is an online background check for school volunteers. Send me a PM if you are interested.

    Thanks for reading!

     

  11. Hello Madrone Wall Supporters! The forward progress continues!

     

    We are excited to announce the first of 3 trail building parties. With the help of a $5000 grant from REI ( Access Fund is pending), we will be moving some earth around in the coming months. So be prepared to get dirty! Our group will be working with the Mazamas, Trailkeepers of Oregon, Clackamas County Natural Resources, and Climb Max on these efforts.

     

    And the best part? Clackamas County is drafting up a liability waiver that will let volunteers climb after each work party. And please don’t push the opportunity and think that the site is open to climbing. It’s not. Why? Because the site construction to support the amount of use it will get has not even begun. There is no parking lot, no bathroom, no emergency vehicle access road, and no trails have been built. Let’s just take this as a big positive and a great opportunity for those who have been waiting for so long.

     

    All volunteers MUST register through REI. Go to www.rei.com/clackamas where you will find the event on their main page.

     

    The specs are below:

    Meet at the Carver School before 9:00 am to carpool to the site ( 16077 SE Hwy 224)

    9:00 am-1:00pm - Move some earth! Bring whatever trail building tools you have, and bring work gloves, water, sunscreen, snacks, etc.

    1:00 - 2:00pm. BBQ with Climb Max on site

    2:00-5:00 - Climbing

    5:00pm Carpool back to Carver School.

     

    If you have actual trail building experience and think you could lead or co-lead a crew of 7-10 people, please contact Keith at kdaellenbach@att.net

     

    All participants must be 12 years or older. There will be some garbage pick up and other “lighter” tasks for those that cannot do the heavy work of building trails.

     

    Other clean and climb dates are: June 27th and September 12th. So stay tuned for future announcements.

     

    Thanks for reading!

    Kellie

  12. Keith is putting together another snail mail for our 1000 + supporters, and we need some help.

     

    Join us at the Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne Tuesday April 6th starting at 6:00 pm. Keith and I will buy a couple of pitchers of beer.

     

    What's in the mailing?.... Here is a little hint....We're advertising the first of 3 trailbuilding parties out at the site with the help of REI, and one of their grants.

    More details will follow on this site for the future work parties, but be prepared to move some earth!

     

    And, yes, the Madrone is still posted No Trespassing.

  13. Not sure how much crossover there is with those that climb and those that bike, but if you follow bikeportland.org at all, you'll see a story about how a neighbor in the area ( I'm guessing near the Grotto) with a bee in their bonnet who spoke up about the kids and their BMX course.

     

    Understanding that the Butte isn't the most pleasant of places to climb anyways, I hope that the management at the Grotto and ODOT don't pull the access plug on climbers, too.

     

    Both groups ( climbers and the BMX'ers), as well as some of the neighbors who live there, do help to some extent with the "other" recreational user groups of this site; the hookers, drug dealers, drunk teenage kids testing the law of gravity with their glass bottles ( and now throwing rocks at climbers), and the homeless who call the Butte home.

     

    http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/24/bmx-riders-rally-to-save-jump-trails-near-the-grotto/#more-31113

  14. Welcome to PDX. Both places you mentioned have good route setting, but you might avoid a lot of car traffic in the afternoons by just climbing at Club Sport. Club Sport offers a flash pass with 10 visits to use in 3 months for $120.00. They often go on sale, too, or you can attend a "Boulder Dash" and buy one that they auction off for real cheap.

    I'm not sure if the PRG is offering such a pass. The Circuit on Macadam just north of Lake O has great Bouldering, too, and they have a punch pass.

  15. I received an e-mail about this on Monday.

    The link below has actual details about the climbing restrictions. The folks at the Access Fund office in Boulder are working on this as are some local folks from Southern Oregon ( Greg Orton, Grover Shipman). You can send in your comments.

    From the e-mail I received, the vandalism and damage is not from climbers. This area has been a bit of a hot topic for some time. I was addressing it when I was an AF rep. The local tribes were blaming climbers for damage to the cairns. The tribes said that they were sites for vision quests. Most climbers know about cairns (those piles of balanced rocks along trails for those that don't), and I think the majority of us would just leave them alone.

     

    Discussions were held a few years ago between the tribes and the USFS, but climbers were not invited to the table. It is an area that has other uses, too, such as hiking.

     

    Chiloquin Ranger District:

    Williamson River Cliff Area Project

    The Chiloquin Ranger District is initiating a proposal to respond to the need to protect sensitive resources that have been subject to vandalism and damage over the last five years as visitors have enjoyed the area's unique features. This proposal would make six acres within the Williamson River Cliff area permanently closed to protect these sensitive resources. The remaining area outside the six acre closure would be enhanced and open to the public for current recreational opportunities.

     

    http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/frewin/projects/analyses/williamson-cliff/index.shtml

     

     

  16. Hey, Porter-

     

    I had taken the class in 2003. I had also been sport leading for some time before taking the class. That definitely helps you, as several of my classmates had never been on the sharp end before the class. I know that they have changed the class ( for the better, I've heard). There are some really great "mentors" that you get connected with at each session and many can really help you lead some of the more challenging climbs around the area. You'll have no trouble finding a mentor in the class if you want to lead Moscow, Spiderman, Lion's Jaw, and some of the other classics at Smith. I think some folks had gone up Monkey's Face, too. Other field sessions have gone to Tieton and Horsethief ( earlier on in the class), and there are options for the whole class to go to City of Rocks and Tuolumne at the end of the class.

     

    You do get some good rock rescue skills, and they did have an "aid" day. Escaping a belay is probably something that every climber should know how to do. The class is also often small enough ( 20 or so students) that you'll get to meet some new climbing partners.

     

    I'm not a Mazama anymore, but I did have fun with it and was happy that skipped the Intermediate Class. I lost interest in the snow and ice aspect of climbing, and the ICS class had more focus on those skills.

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