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Date: 7/16/2010 Trip Report: Halfway up P2, totally free (eh, not): notice the rope line to get a better perspective on this silly roof--there's 20-or-so feet of slab between the lip and the roof: Gear Notes: Offset cams (1/2" to 1 1/2")would be nice in a couple places. Wear your helmet and watch out for missiles coming mysteriously off the top. Approach Notes: Steep relentless approach gets you warmed up.

Anyone know how this resolved for the climber?... Also, anyone know if this has anything to do with PP&R recently posting signs up top (at the 'fortress'): "Please do not rock climb or rappel on these premises"?...or any other reason. I called the number given on the signs, left a message, and didn't hear anything back.

Thanks for the photos Pete. A couple more photos...all on P2, Tim leading

Trip: Steins Pillar - NE Corner/Face Date: 6/23/2010 Trip Report: Steins Pillar, June 23-24, 2010. A warning, as I begin my first Trip Report: I tend toward being verbose. A second warning, which may prove a useful addition to the first: I tend toward understatement. Continuing… Last week OLS, MtnHigh, and I took an overnight venture over to the Prineville area to take a stab at the big pimply phallus. We climbed the more common, original NE line. With a casual start out of P-town, around 9am I think, and with a grocery stop in Prineville we arrived at the trailhead around 1pm, if memory serves. The trail is very straightforward and well-used. We crossed paths with a group of older day hikers coming down on our approach and, on our way down, with a comely youngish trail runner out with her puntable but lovable canine. The trail gives a nice view of the SW corner on approach. Binoculars were appreciated here in scouting out the other traditional line there as well as the much newer (date?) and airy-looking bolted line right up the SW arête. Continuing down the trail, it pretty much dead ends right onto the ledge/cave from which the route starts. We started this way, but a few steps down to the right leads to a newer alternate P1, which is bolted and said to go free at 10a. (Now seems a fair time to add as well that I walked fully round the base before starting on day 2, to spy two more bolt lines besides the two just mentioned: one just west (left) of the SW corner, and the other on the WNW face, apparently another alternate P1 to the same huge ledge at the top of the P1 on this NE route herein described. I don’t know what these might go at, but the latter appeared moderate and bolted friendly enough to be less stressful than much of the rest of the route, while adding 40 feet or so to P1 to potentially enjoy more of the total height and giving a more direct line into P2.) The approach had taken us about an hour in total, but we’d easily burned 15 minutes taking some pictures at the near overlook and spying through the binocs at the SW corner. My reference points, going into this, came entirely from Tyler’s TR and it’s ensuing discussion here: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/560554/site_id/1#import And from Radek’s great writeup/compilation on Summitpost here: http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/153282/steins-pillar.html Knowing that Tim had done this route before and having seen his power of recall at work, I mightn’t have looked up anything at all, but the two links above provide, in my opinion, enough beta to go on alone. My only real (I’m hoping worthwhile) addition in this report, besides documenting the climb, is adding a bit of beta for the free climber. I had also gone down on this adventure with the understanding that I was chauffeur and haulboy. Thinking that Tim and Pete would be leading all pitches, I was comfortable in the belief that I’d be free to jug or attempt to free all pitches from the safety of a top-rope belay. This belief was only slightly altered when I was encouraged (told?) to tie in and lead the first pitch. Referencing Tyler here, I agree that the move up onto the rock is certainly more difficult than 5.5. His 5.9 suggestion seems fair—I’d add the word awkward. But then it’s a little like a V1 boulder problem where the hardest part is getting both feet off the deck, and then it’s pretty much over. There is a bolt there (no hanger) that one could knot a sling onto and step into to circumvent the awkward step. 35 feet of 5.3 scrambling, without any pro, led to the anchor atop P1. I anchored the rope. My responsibility for the day complete (I thought), I now had some time on my hands. I should have brought my book, it occurred to me. Oh well. My partners soon up on the (huge) ledge, we moved the rope across to the right to the belay anchor for P2. OLS took the lead for this pitch and aided most of it. He placed a couple pieces to work up to the first fixed pin in the dihedral around right from the belay. 15 feet or so up, one works round somewhat awkwardly to the left and onto a sort of rampy ledge system traversing back left more than up, and then up with a couple more fixed pins and 10 feet or so of free vertical climbing before stepping again left to the (smallish but adequate for 3) belay ledge atop P2. Opting to try to free climb the pitch, I was up next. Having more or less described the path already, I’ll say no more than that where it was awkward to aid, it was also awkward to climb, especially as I had to clean a couple of nuts that had been weighted as I went. Strenuous because of this, but I managed without a take. I’d say it goes free at a solid 10. I don’t think it would have been any less stressful to lead it free though. The pitch takes good gear in most places where you want it, but it doesn’t give you comfortable stances to place it in all those places. The rock on this pitch seemed a little better than what I’d expected, and all seemed merry to this point. Free to lollygag again, I hitched myself in with 10 feet of rope off the anchor and found a fairly comfortable seat at the left side of the belay ledge. Momentarily I wished again for my book, but this would be the last time for that. MtnHigh jugged quickly and efficiently straight up the line, which vertically was probably just another 40 feet. Looking up he announced that he wasn’t warmed up properly to take the next pitch. Still warm from cleaning and with the gear on my harness I found myself in the hot seat again. Fortunately P3 started off easily enough. Now I want to clarify that it’s not that I’m really a strong free climber—it’s more that I’m a terrible aid climber. My entire experience aiding consists of: a)the Lithuanian Lip, and b)the bolt ladder on the Monkey face. Yes, that’s it, and in that order. So if I could free climb it, well, hell, yes. So P3 starts off from the far left of the belay ledge. If memory serves it looked like one might climb straight up off the middle of the ledge, but this was unprotectable to the first fixed gear and covered with lichen—obviously not the usual path. I started left and put in one piece en route to the safety of that first pin. I think this turned out to be to only piece on the pitch I actually placed. One can see much fixed gear going up this and all remaining pitches from the belay, but it’s little comfort as you arrive at many of these pieces. Fortunately there seems to be a solid bolt every 3 or 4 pieces… Still, with the rock quality deteriorating as I went higher (this would prove true for the remainder of the route), I moved slowly and cautiously, testing everything before weighting it fully, trying to touch anticipated footholds too as I passed them. About two-thirds of the way up P3 I took my first take after pulling off a hand-sized hold. I didn’t fall but was stressing out and needed to collect myself upon clipping the next fixed piece. You just don’t want to fall on much of this manky old gear; I didn’t even bother clipping several pieces, when I knew I had a solid piece right below. I was nervous just taking where I did. The slight bulge above that point that was the expected crux proved to be easier than I’d anticipated. While it may have been the physical crux, going up 20 feet of rotten vertical rock along suspect gear was certainly the mental (and tougher) crux for me. I’d say P3 was again solid 10b/c. It’s very difficult for me to decide which (P2 or P3) is harder. I didn’t lead P2, and while I think it was physically more demanding, the rock quality was better, and P3 demanded more crimpy face climbing. Tyler describes the P3 top belay well as a “huge split level ledge”—it makes me imagine a party with cocktails. Perhaps I was a bit wasted and delirious at this point. I anchored the line and we all rapped down from where we were to the ground. We hung gear and the ends of the fixed rope and headed back to the trailhead to camp. * * * * A nearly full moon and moderate low temperatures proved quite enjoyable. Just past the solstice, we had sunlight for most of the time it took to cook and get a small fire going (The fire may or may not have been in my imagination, as there is a burn ban already on, but record June rainfall and the obviously vibrant condition of the foliage would allay our guilt if there actually was one.) We had brought just the right number of cold beers as to quench our thirsts, or perhaps one too few—MtnHigh was smart enough to hold one in reserve for the morrow. * * * * An alpine start we did not arise to make, but that was no problem. We broke camp and set off again around 10am. A light easy hike back to find our gear unmolested got MtnHigh first up ascending the rope. Soon enough we were all at the huge ledge from where P4 starts. This pitch, the beginning specifically, brought the physical crux of freeing the route. I placed a cam, got up to the first fixed bolt, and burned out trying to figure it out, not being warmed up. I hung…”Lower me please, I’ll try again.” And I did—same result. Third try I left the rack behind and thought that would make the difference. This move is quite overhung, on tenuous holds, and it’s actually continuing the sequence onto even more tenuous holds that is the real problem. The rack didn’t make the difference. Third hang. “Okay, give me a hook; if I can get onto that bolt, I can probably reach the next bolt.” Actually that was OLS’s idea—I don’t even own a hook. (Yes, I got up over the L. Lip somehow without a hook—thank God I had some brass copperheads when I got to the pin scar above it…I should have written a TR after THAT…had it not been for that experience though last year, I think I would have probably been wigging pretty good by now on Steins.) So that worked. Hooked in, I was able to clip the next bolt. “Okay, lower me again please.” Yeah, I know—you guys all would have hated me; you’re probably grumbling just reading this. But I needed the rack, right? Yeah, I could’ve hauled it up to me, but I’m putting up the pitch, and not because I wanted it, so just give me another chance. So now I’ve got the rack again, a light rack, because there’s again a line of fixed pins and manky bolts I’m depending on to slow down a fall, like a big screamer. Fourth burn: the moves go. It was mental again, but I really did NOT want to fall on that first bolt, from above it, because even if it held I would likely have hit the ledge, or swung badly with my upper body hitting the wall before my feet. I’d give this move 11b. I know—I’m not as hard as J. Thomas (FFA 11a), who didn’t even have the good bolts every so often…but most of us aren’t any more, and perhaps 35 years ago a lot of that crap was in better condition, And perhaps there were ever some jugs up there before that just aren’t anymore. Anyhow, P4, once past the beginning boulder problem, was much the same as P3: crimpy face climbing on (slightly less than) vertical choss. And then toward the top of the pitch, I ruined my free ascent. In what was probably just a 10ish traversing sequence, I got spooked again and grabbed a draw. No take, just French freed a step over onto better rock and didn’t look back. A short little scramble up bumpy decent rock and I was at the anchor with one bomber bolt and two, well, meh, maybe 5/16 bolts with thin little hangers. Good enough. The other lads jugged again and I acted like I was napping. I was ready to be on the way down at this point. One pitch left to go however. OLS put this one up—free 8ish climbing up to the first pin leads to the mank ladder that Tyler describes well in his TR. Getting toward the top OLS escaped right up the gully, placing a couple cams, and then walked back over left to find the anchor at the top. So as not to confuse, the anchor is right at the top of the bolt line, but the bolt line gets worse and worse, to the point one doesn’t even want to rest body weight on it, and there’s no gear. This route off to the right, perhaps 15 feet from topping out, is recommended, whether freeing or aiding. Similar to my experience of pitches 2 and 3, it’s hard to say whether 4 was truly harder than 5. I did free P5 with little trouble, but I didn’t lead it, and therein lies the rub. There are some hard moves on P5, about halfway, where I couldn’t have done is without pulling up hard on an undercling flake at one point to reach a confidence-killing crimp. I remember distinctly thinking, thanking, that I wasn’t leading this section. Was this sequence harder than the crux on P4? It was harder to figure out, but it didn’t seem more difficult. Then again, were I leading it, it would have been really hard to commit to it. I’d give P5 an 11a. The top is Great, and should be enjoyed. We were hot and thirsty, and didn’t appreciate it properly. We shortly rapped off to the top of P3 on two ropes and then the same to the ground. Last one down ought pull the know down over the lip at the top. Gear notes: Didn’t use a hammer or nails, but only aided 2 pitches—probably a good idea to pack it up the route even if the leader doesn’t carry it. Light rack, stoppers and cams x 1 to 2.5inches. Hand full of extendable slings for rope drag, and shorter slings useful for tying off janky mangy mank. OH! And wear a helmet! Other notes: We didn’t find a summit register, which is a pity, I think. Perhaps someone going up this year might take something to leave there. Prepare to be impressed by the rats’ nests, not the old-lady hikers’ hairdos, but literally the giant nests fashions from many fist-sized rocks and other debris, both at the start of the route and on the summit. Maybe the summit register is part of the nest now. In summary, it’ll go free at 11-, but one ought be pretty confident at that grade. I was close to being in over my head, and probably a bit lucky. A worthwhile trip. Thanks for reading. Hopefully Tim will post some of his photos shortly.

sort of a one move wonder, but it's a good one to figure out.

If you've got details I've got your book. PM me with phone number and I'll call as soon as I get the message.

Ugh, I hate that I've got so interested in this discussion...and I got sucked in just trying to spread some info--isn't anyone interested in those pitons? from CL, again not my ad: 14 rock climbing pitons, ALL are stamped CHAMONIX; research has led us to circa. 1950s-1960s. Made by Charlet Moser in Chamonix, France from alloy steel. Very short piton with a wide 'spoon' blade. C.M. began making medium-hard cadmium plated pitons in the 1950s forward. These all appear to have never been used. We aquired them from a personal estate sale, not knowing what they were at the time. They just don't fit in with our collectables. These would be great for that special antique collection; bet you don't have any of these! A conversation piece for sure. $20 cash only please. 503-720-7693 I'm definitely NOT down with this kind of sentiment. It's explicitly what transforms the very concept of 'climbing' into risk-free entertainment. There are routes you simply have to have the skill, craft, and head to do safely, where if you fuck up you could be seriously hurt or die. There are several of those at DZ/FS and they are perfect just as they are. ... I messed up the quote formatting here somehow--that's Joseph just above responding to MY quote... Joseph, I get your argument/ethic, and you could appeal to me with it regarding "real" climbing, perhaps...but then we're talking about the spectrum between top roping and free soloing (the "purest" 'climbing'), which all along bears real risk in different degrees (i.e. not "risk-free"), as well as entertainment, one would hope. We're talking about "cragging" though, and though I didn't make it explicit I've already been consciously using that word to make a distinction from what I guess you JH, at least, would imply with "climbing" and to differentiate the discussion herein from one about, say, the Menagerie, or Beacon for that matter--places where I might be more apt to agree. Correct me if I'm wrong--and I may well be--but to me "cragging" implies single pitch, multiple "routes" in a small vicinity, easy access, convenience anchors, practice for the 'real' stuff, and yes, even throngs of people. Sure it's not necessarily always all those things, but that's generally what I connote with the word, and DZ already has all those qualities save the throngs. People seem pretty bent on the idea that a "practice bolt ladder" would be a good idea here (at DZ). I don't know any of you guys any better than what I glean from these forums, and brief greetings with a couple of you at crags. I'm guessing that Joseph, who seems to me a pretty black and white sort of character, isn't down with the bolt ladder idea either--don't know for sure. In any case, that's just another aspect of DZ that would seem to support my connotations. Anybody who wants to can skip any and all bolts they want to; that someone free solos a given route certainly doesn't mean all bolts on the route ought to be chopped, however. I've certainly skipped lots of bolts, but, for me, if there's a bolt there, or fixed gear, and I think there's a serious danger/risk of ground/ledge fall, nobody's gonna write on here about me that it's too bad he (I) didn't just clip into it. Can anyone (who doesn't want any bolts) explain to me how bolted anchors are okay in a place you can top out and be closer to your car than where you left the deck? Perhaps I'm mistaken in thinking anyone supports that (seeming?) contradiction. The only thing I can think of is that anchors are a necessary "evil" offset by the impact that they prevent up top...certainly they're convenient, but I would definitely argue that safety bolts are paramount to convenience anchors. BTW, I want to thank you guys who've responded to me for engaging me here. I know I'm an outsider and some of you are probably not happy that I even know anything about the DZ...this is where I announce that I'm gonna start pestering Bill for this apparent route guide...after all how am I supposed to know anything about the ethics/precedents here if I can't even get my hands on the guide wherein they're documented? Chris

My question back to you is: Is putting a bolt in the only way to prevent a route from "going back to the wilds 4 years from now"? p.s. short answer to your "back to the wilds" question - CLIMB THE ROUTE, get more of your buddies to quit clipping bolts and teach em to place cams. A route doesn't have to have bolts for people to climb them and all too often that "bolt it and they will come" attitude rules out, which is b-shit. To clarify my question(s), I'm not advocating a)anything or b)adding bolts to established routes... I deleted some from my previous post before sending it for slightly more brevity. Part of what I deleted was explaining that I totally get the "offense" of adding bolts to an established route (and can also see that even within that niche there could be plenty of discussion)... I also get the offense some take to putting bolts anywhere that removable pro could be substituted safely, and certainly there could be (and undoubtedly has been) more discussion here. (For instance I've been climbing without a guidebook before, at Ozone even, before the book, and gone up routes without gear not realizing that there's one spot with some healthy spacing you can't see from the ground, because gear can be used.) As far as going back to the wilds, my point was that traffic is what keeps routes clean if no one is putting effort forth directly toward that end (cleaning). I imagine that most of us can agree that adding sport routes would add more traffic to any given area (contrast to route). What I'm not sure about is whether any conclusion can be made about how adding sport routes might affect traffic on trad routes in that area...If there were no clip ups at Ozone, would the trad lines there see more or less traffic? If there were sport routes at DZ, would the present lines see less traffic? Apparently maybe, if respondents here can be presumed to vacate the area after the masses show up, but then I'm wondering if that will happen anyway when the routes are all done and the excitement wears off. Raindawg, so far as I'm concerned, has given the only answer (to my question about bolts being offensive) that is reasonable, as I asked for, and not selfish (I'm as selfish as the next guy--no need to take offense at that fellas--we're all Americans and want everything to ourselves.) ...I haven't thought for a long time about bolts being foreign and unnatural, leaving a trace where ideally there should be none...but if that notion/argument floats one's boat, then one might be reminded how much greater the impact of cleaning the route in the first place. I think that safety ought to be paramount to this question of local ethic (where no bolts allowed) and I thereby agree wholly with Crimper's philosophy on protecting the route against otherwise unprotectable dangerous falls--if the route is going to be put up at all...and, yet again, I can see an argument being made that it should not have been... I might add that when I first read Raindawg's comment I (mistakenly) took it as sarcasm against the "purists" who don't own the land anymore than the gym rats do (or the trail runners or the mountain bikers or the hunters or freight train companies). Anybody that's still reading this particular post is probably pretty bored at this point. Suffice to say that we all (hopefully) realize there aren't black and white answers to these questions that we're all going to agree on. What I'm interested in is HOW one guy's route (or routes) on public land affects another's, because, shy of that effect, I don't get WHY the first guy gets to claim the whole area...After all how do we define the area?...Case in point, we're talking about the same cliff band with maybe a thousand feet of dirt in the middle; keep cleaning long enough and it can all be one Dozone. To put my thought in on someone else's question, I suppose I do agree that if we go through all the trundling and brushing and uprooting and herbicides and pressure washing in some cases, then perhaps we ought to think about what will ensure future use that might help justify all that impact. If a safety bolt here or there does it, then I'm all for it. If we put as much time collectively into appealing to the powers that be as we do into endless arguments like this, we could go a long way toward having Beacon open year-round with more isolated closures like we all want. As for me, I've far exceeded my personal quota on forum posting for the day (month maybe), so I'll be MIA for at least a little while. Good on y'all, and I'm glad the matter at hand seems to have been resolved.

Acknowledging that I'm inserting something here that doesn't belong, please don't flame me for that... BUT since all the "elders" are reading this thread on an hourly basis, and those folks are the demographic to whom this might appeal, and since it's a timely thing...I just came across this ad on Craigslist for a lot of old (unused) pitons. If anybody's interested in 'em, I reckon you guys would know that person. (I personally have no connection to this ad and have not responded to it either): http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/clt/1667332339.html Just so I am on subject a little too, I have a question that relates to the conversation, and you can flame me for this part of my post (After following this thread for the past 2 days I guess I'd be a little disappointed if nobody did.)... Using Ozone and myself as a point of reference and example, over the past 4 years I've climbed (led) almost every route in the guidebook, and the newer ones save the new harder (proper) 12s. Now, I say almost because there are a few trad lines that I've not bothered to get on, even if they appear to once have been nice lines. I mean to say they look like no one's been on them for quite some time... Obviously, Ozone is so popular because it's so close and there are a lot of moderate (mostly) clip up routes there, and, for me, it's been a favorite place to go to build confidence leading both sport and trad routes...it's only recently that I've gone back to Broughton and, less intimidated, found a whole new world opened up to me there. I've been to the Drop Zone 4 or 5 times, climbed there 3 or 4 times, and probably only ventured onto 6 routes, since I've had no beta other than what my eyes and imagination feed me. I've never seen anyone else there, and, were it not for a few threads like this one and a lot of fixed lines, I might not have known anyone was going there currently at all. I like going and having the place all to myself and my partner as much as I'm sure all you folks do, and that statement might end up being the best answer to my question; my question is this: once you guys have invested all the work and time in cleaning these walls (and thanks are due here) and you've done all the climbs there you deem appropriate and desirable, what's going to keep the place from going back to the wilds 4 years from now? Put another way, how come nobody seems to be climbing the trad lines at Ozone? Is it "been there, done that, don't need to go back"? Or is it the weekend crowds of otherwise gym climbers? The traffic, though a pain when it's crowded, keeps routes clean, and who among us doesn't get a kick out of collecting new booty, be it biners or pro?? If the sport routes weren't there would there be more traffic on the trad lines?...I really don't know. I guess I'm ultimately questioning why a cragging area ought to be entirely free of sport routes...unless the answer is really just to keep the masses away? Is it offensive to have a bolt line in view to one's left or right when cragging a trad line? I'm all for it if someone can make it seem more reasonable.

on my way out a couple hours ago, end of day, Tim Olson's Portland Rock Climbs. you can email me at ca5 at hotmail dt com if it's yours. Let me know where you left it and what edition and I'll make sure you get it back. Some other good Samaritan walked it out to the parking area but with rain coming tonight and for the next 3 days or so I thought there was little good in that. I'll put up a card at PRG in a couple days if I don't hear anything. Post any other ideas for me to track down the owner, but I'm not gonna sweat it too much. I'm not on here very often, so if it's yours send me an email. cheers folks, Chris

Thanks Orion for the info... I didn't mention that there is a rope up there implying somebody's been doing some work lately. I was hoping whoever that might be would take the bait and at least send me a message...? As far as moving the thread, as far as I'm concerned, put it where it belongs. Obviously I'm pretty green here and wasn't real savvy to where I ought to post this one. Hell I don't even know why I'm a stranger and not a Noob. Maybe I'll graduate with a few more posts or maybe I need to fill something more out somewhere?

nope, sorry, not French's. Well up 26 past Lolo Pass Rd.

...So I'm always looking at that large escarpment up above Rhododendron as I drive through there, so I went looking to check it out Saturday, whilst en route to Pete's. We drove around on the roads outside Rhodie, and found that the road just before the ZigZag Creek/River goes up up up... Turns out there's a camping area that you can drive to up above the rock, about 2 miles up the road, and it's already been developed a bit--I guess somebody's been everywhere. Not a whole slew of clean lines, but this thing is huge, it's got several sections; altogether, probably more wall than Ozone, and higher in places. I only saw a few bolted lines, 6 or 7, and they're quite spread out from one another. So much potential, I was so excited we never made it to Pete's. We climbed one bolted line, maybe 45 feet, 10- I'd say, and quite nice, sustained. About 100 feet left of that was another line with the first bolt on short but pleasing arete, about 25 feet up. To that point is easy climbing with a nice handcrack for gear, and up above the arete, a super-fun second pitch a bit overhung, but traversing up on big holds; that route also is probably 10- range. Another bolted line farther left looked blank and hard in the middle, and also looks like it has a second pitch through a roof above, also hard looking-- hard enough that I didn't think I could do it, but looks well-bolted. There looks to be lots of trad potential too, but much (re-?)cleaning is needed. Does anyone have beta on this place? Is it new or old? What's it called? Is it in any of the local/OR/NW guides? Thanks, ca

Thanks Kesting for your beta. It proved invaluable. I finally got up there and got it done, and came down the Rock of Ages Trail to intersect Russ Jolley Trail to the west of of that. It never went last year as my brother ended up with a shoulder injury when he was here and didn't want to push it. It went off my radar but stayed on the back burner. In March I went up there for a survey and got to the saddle behind the Dome. I did this two weeks ago on Wednesday and found it well worth the effort. There's a register up there on the ridge above the cabled tree and only a couple entries in it in the past year since Radek's St. Peter's Dome climb. If anyone's interested in doing this I recommend taking pruning shears for the young forest if you go up directly from the area where the old highway comes back to 84. I went up the Trail 400 just for a couple hundred yards from there and then into the forest from a higher point on the trail. I clipped enough to follow my trail, and left marking tape only where I regained my trail from March, and where I crossed the gully on either side. I also left one other piece of tape, on a tree (near) where the ridge meets the ROA trail, but low enough that one would only find it from above if searching for it along the edge of the plateau. That's somewhere in the area of 2650 feet elevation. Once again, good job to Radek; that's one nasty looking climb on the dome.

Thanks Chris, I'm thinking either tomorrow (Fri) or Sunday. My brother's flying in tonight for the weekend and I thought this would provide a little excitement for him. Thanks for all your help, and you'd be welcome if you'd care to go again??

thanks Kesting, This is v. helpful...enough to go with. I take it you'd recommend going up the Mystery Trail vs. down? Slings around trees the only pro needed? Should I carry any nuts or cams? thanks again, Chris

I'm looking for beta on the so-called Mystery Trail (named well, apparently) in the Columbia River Gorge. I know (believe) one end terminates on the Rock of Ages tail, and the other somewhere down near St. Peter's Dome, and a few (short?) rappels are required. I imagine that it may not really be a trail that can be followed easily? Even better if this is the case....but waypoints perhaps. Does anyone have any knowledge of the trail? It's alluded to in the recent (awesome) St. Peter's Dome Trip Report. I had read a post somewhere about it years ago but without any helpful details; the mention in the trip report piqued my interest again. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Chris