dharmabum Posted October 16, 2001 Share Posted October 16, 2001 I am interested in any info on the Apocalypse Needles. I have climbed here a little, but have no idea which is which, and the Dodge book is of little use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluck Posted November 11, 2004 Share Posted November 11, 2004 From a poster called Stiffler in another thread. Â "Yeah, the Apocalypse needles are located out by the Dalles. If you're on 84 E, and you drive out that way, go about 6 miles past the Dalles. look up on your right, and you'll see detatched columns leaning out about midway down the hill. They blend in with the columns behind them. I've climbed 2 of them, one I would call 5.5 pg, and the other one 5.7x. It is definitely adventurous. I'd post a couple pics if I knew how..let me know if you want more info.." Â If you hit 'em... how about a TR and some pics so the other choss chasers get some beta. Â If I hit 'em, I'll do the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted November 11, 2004 Share Posted November 11, 2004 So tell us what you know. Are they basalt? What accounts for the PG/X Ratings? So we're talking about trad on freestanding columns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don_Gonthier Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 I climbed one of the needles with Stifler. They are basalt, similar to Vantage. There are a bunch of them and each one is a little different. Most seem to be just eroded out columns. Some of them may have had a little help from some sliding. They represent several different flows of Columbia River Basalt so while one pinnicle looks pretty solid, another on a cliff band above may look like a horror show. Needless to say, the PG/R rating is probably well deserved for most of them. I didn't climb the 5.7 but looking at it from below its obvious that the summit of the pillar is shattered and only resting on the base. The 5.5 was not too bad and I got to the notch on another that looks even better. If I were to go back I would take a regular rack, nuts and cams, also a bolt kit and a few small pins for beefing up crappy rap anchors. The truth of the matter is that the rock in the pinnicles is kind of shattered but the stuff behind them doesn't look all that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Are they basalt? Â Since the Columbia Gorge is well-known for its amazing geologic diversity with proud cliffs and bold spires of limestone, granite, schist, marble, welded tuff and dunite, I can see why you ask this question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Go take a hike, Dru. I've never climbed in the gorge, visited only once, and am not an expert in geology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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