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Yttrium

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  1. Yep indeed, SW Oregon has some real prizes (old man rock, Eagles dare, etc); check with Greg who might know a few other options (like perhaps McKinley Rock). Spire Rock area is still closed from the 9-2020 forest fire (its already been 3 years and USFS will likely drag it out further). The fire burned that zone extensively to the extreme. Crux first pitch, easy roaming second pitch, steep short third pitch, and rising angled traverse pitch to top (each pitch being about 70-120'). Perhaps not as technical as your likely seeking for the list. An alternate option might be Razorblade Spire (West Buttress 5.10b). Three hours approach, then the climb (several more hours), the 3 hours hike out). Its rarely climbed due to logistics. About a dozen ascents in 25+ years. The route though, is quite short, about 200'+ tall.
  2. Any of these may be viable "Crag routes" to consider. Most of these are in the older western Cascade Mtn range (except StPD): -Peregrine Traverse, Acker Rock, 5.7, 1500' in length. -Needle Rock, the Nieland Route (aka standard route), 5.8, about 200' tall. -SW Buttress, 5.8 R, Spire Rock (Triangulation Peak zone), 500' route length. -Steel & Stone, Opal wall, 5.10b A2 (or 5.12), 220' tall. -St Peters Dome (Col Gorge), Darr Route (south face) 5.6 A3, 250' tall, [StPD]. Well its mostly nailing so...maybe not.
  3. Mt Washington Additional comments: West Ridge route The "notch" mentioned in Oregon High book is at 7120' elevation (per GoogleEarth imagery). The summit is about 7800'. Total possible elevation gain for technical climbing = 680' height maximum. The shortest mountain rock route in the Bold/Cold Oregon list? The initial P1 is a chossy mixture, and can be readily bypassed anywhere between the 7120' and 7250' elevation by stepping out onto the Cascade Dinnerplates zone. I have rope soloed the West Ridge (using gear only on the upper 5.6 chimney), then some years later ropeless soloed Jern's Call (or near it) then up the upper part of West Ridge. Also have soloed (roped and ropeless) the West Face, and NW Dihedral, and North Ridge. East Buttress route We were on SE Spur (my third time on it) and had encountered two climbers on P1-P2 gully of the East Buttress route (we were midway up the SE Spur at the time). We literally had to STOP climbing (for their safety), sit for 1-2 hours waiting till they got up out of the initial gully onto the route where it traverses out right. Because we were climbing the upper portion of the route on the SE Spur its a guarantee that random loose rocks may tumble off the route directly down that ravine. The upper part of SE Spur has plenty of loose rock. That is why I mentioned that the East Buttress route is not entirely a pretty route (though the Oregon High description certainly makes it sound stellar). That initial ravine gully is a bulls-eye zone if one single random stone breaks lose from up high - you have nowhere to run. IMO the SE Spur route is a more ideal east side route (and certainly the more travelled route by climbers).
  4. Some more options. Oregon technical routes: I presume your "East Buttress" is the "east face" of Mt Washington. So... Southeast Buttress (aka SE spur) is longer in height/length than East Face/buttress (more roped climbing), and notably less risky (PG-or-R but not X), similar grade, same time-approach commitment, same rare east side destination of the peak. Comment... Much of the lower West Ridge (Mt Washington Oregon) is mere scrambling over endless piles of broken talus on the lower ridge. And the very toe of that buttress is not actually climbed, but most people just go around the toe on its right, then start up a few hundred feet higher onto the ridge. Consider instead using the direct 5.8 (called Jern's Call) then doing the upper portion of West Ridge. This in total provides a much more committing line, minus all the heaps of lower west ridge dinnerplate 3rd/4th class debris. The Northwest Dihedral (on Mt Washington) is a nice technical lead route (about 5.6 at crux) and its all roped climbing all the way till you reach the final 4th class easy terrain closer to the summit. Mt Hood East Ridge of South Chamber 6.5 R This is a long roped lead, some wild sections of choss, but still worth being listed. Note that any route on Illumination is a mind-bending experience (where you better know your game -- skill and ability to deal with choss). Note most Oregon mountain peaks rock routes are "choss" climbing (PG-R-X) no escaping that fact. Learn to play on it with skill, or learn to avoid it.
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