French's Dome Retro

[J_Kirby]

Saturday, a friend and I were up the Salmon River getting a quick bolt clippin fix at the slab and decided to go over and check out the zoo at French's. The pullout lot was full and the place was crawling with people. Most lines had a herd of people or a rope on them. I counted almost thirty people and five dogs, too many people around for us to break out the rope, but I showed my friend the lines anyway as he had never been there before.

 

While walking around, I noticed that the direct start to Giant’s Staircase (straight up to the anchors from the downhill side) has been bolted since last time I looked closely at that face. It was my understanding that this line was historically a scramble/TR route and I had done it a few times as such. We didn’t climb the line Saturday, as we were attempting to avoid the cluster, but the bolts looked poorly placed from the ground with longish studs left sticking out. Any Portland folks know anything about the retro of this route? Who dunnit? Why? Did it receive FA approval?

[bunglehead]

That sucks. I remember climbing there about 5 years ago, and I thought it was crazy then. there was this van full of jibbers torproping some of the shit uphill and on the right from the Giant's Staircase, and the Giant's Stairtcase wasn't bolted then. I was planning on going there in a couple of weeks as a stop during my vacation.

I hope it's mellower during the week. I don't know when that climb got bolted though.

[iain]

bunglehead said:

van full of jibbers

'scuse me? LOL!

[bunglehead]

Actually it was a short bus.

[J_Kirby]

There was a van full from PU on Saturday, but the thing that really got me about them was not their numbers but the pile of several dozen 20oz water bottles stacked next to them on the trail. One of the younger ones in their group (someone's kid?) was occasionally pitching one off the trail and watching bounce down the slope into the trees.

 

Shoulda pitched the parent off too.

[nonanon]

I had a short busload of jib-school campers try to tell me that they’d “put up all the routes” at Frenchies. Anybody know if that’s true?

 

[rant]

If ever there were a place that highlights the money grabbing, boondoggling nature of the FDP, it’s gotta be French’s Dome. The parking area is a freakin’ powerline road. The trail is all of two blocks long. The routes almost certainly weren’t put in by the USFS. And yet, people seem willing to pay to play... period. The only thing the FS ever had to do was put up a sign.*

 

Somebody hit me with the clipstick of clue if I’m wrong about this.

 

*I’m sure if enough people complained, they’d bring up a portolette and put a sign on it saying, “Your FDP dollars at work!”

 

[bunglehead]

You have to PAY to park there?!!! Are you serious?!?

That's messed up.

[rbw1966]

That must be new. I admit to not going to frenchs this year but as of last year you didn't have to pay to park there.

[J_Kirby]

The sign has been up for many moons now. The Northwest Forest Pass is required for all good little lemmings. I think I saw two in the entire lot this weekend.

 

I think your jibbers meant they were "dragged up" those routes by their helmet sportin' middle aged troop leader.

[bunglehead]

nonanon said:

I had a short busload of jib-school campers try to tell me that they’d “put up all the routes” at Frenchies. Anybody know if that’s true?

 

It's all the bored little rich kids at summer jib camp up on Timberline. I doubt they put up the routes. Kirby's probably right, in that what they were trying to say was that they were put up on the routes by their babysitters, I mean leaders.

 

Come to think of it, that's probably good training for wall hauling, dragging a dead weight bored kid up a rock.