Mt. Erie Routes

[wrench]

I have the dubious distinction of being in the Mt. Erie area this evening, and the person who was supposed to sort of guide us to the good routes has bailed. Does anyone have any recommendations for good routes to do there (if any)? Trad or sport doesn't matter. Also, can anyone tell me if the "Climb Washington" book will be sufficient for the area?

[Figger_Eight]

If all else fails, you can stop by the Backcountry Outfitters store in Mt. Vernon and pick their brains. Also see if they have the Mt. Erie guide book there.

[avypoodle]

Not sure if it will be dry but Zig Zag is pretty mellow, and long for Erie. It starts in a 5.7 corner to a slab. Belay at chains or continue to ledge with huge tree. Next pitch has several variations that end on ledge with bright slings and a snag. You can traverse off left and up broken terrain to the top,rap, or climb a direct last pitch which goes at5.9. To approach park at the bottom pullout, then follow the new trail up and left. About 10 minutes into it, look for an ascending trail on your left and scramble/hike to the base. Approach should take about 15 mins total.

[wrench]

Cheers! I'm off to fight Tulip Festival traffic! (What are these people thinking?!)

[lizard_brain]

The Climbing Guide to Mt Erie is often available at the Mt Erie Grocery store (or what ever that place is called down there by the waterfront). It's published by Skagit Mountain Rescue Unit - they use the place for practice & training. As I recall, I got my copy of it at Marmot.

[chucK]

I haven't actually downloaded it, but this page (Larry Nevers) says you can download a printable Mt. Erie guide here. Check it out.

 

http://www.nevershome.org/download.htm

[lizard_brain]

Yeah, that downloadable version is not nearly as detailed as SMRU's guide.

[Peter_Puget]

OK If you dont get a guide here is what I recomend.

 

Go tot he top. The routes up there dry off much more quickly than the lower routes. Next follow trails towards the west and north and start workign your way down. Its a bit more of a traverse than I expect everytime. At one point you kinda scramble down a short section (very easy) and at the bottom of the scramble there is a short wall look for two bolts. From here head down and south. You will soon be at the bottom of the Powerline Wall. I think Smoots Guide will get you there. If there was a longer period of good weahter behind us I' d say go to the Orange wall but I am sure those routes will be seepy.

 

HAve fun the place can be gorgeous!

[Jamie]

We were up to Mt. Erie yesterday. I had climbed there many years ago. We did some stuff on the Summit Wall and then went looking for the Powerline Wall. I don't know what in the heck we did wrong, but we made several attempts and could not find it. Someone on line suggests following the powerlines down to it. Is that so? Any other tips on finding it? We followed a trail (Skyline trail?) down to a cliff area, but it was mossy and broken, certainly not the wall. We ended in the woods, not seeing anything promising we went back to the summit parking.

[woodchips]

We were up to Mt. Erie yesterday. I had climbed there many years ago. We did some stuff on the Summit Wall and then went looking for the Powerline Wall. I don't know what in the heck we did wrong, but we made several attempts and could not find it. Someone on line suggests following the powerlines down to it. Is that so? Any other tips on finding it? We followed a trail (Skyline trail?) down to a cliff area, but it was mossy and broken, certainly not the wall. We ended in the woods, not seeing anything promising we went back to the summit parking.

 

We were there yesterday as well. After half a dozen trips to Erie, I'm finally starting to learn my way around. The first few trips were more wandering than climbing. Powerline West is down and skier's right of Summit wall. Ask everyone you see, that's pretty much the best directions I've gotten when I've been down there. The maps in the Kloke guide aren't consistently helpful; sometimes they give you a relative location and sometimes you'd be better off without the book.

[Jamie]

Thanks for that Woodchips. Your remarks probably explain why, try as we might, looking at the map in the book didn't seem to be getting us there.

[Jamie]

The guide called "Weekend Rock" Washington has about 16 pages on Mt. Erie. It isn't complete my any means, and we thought the description of how to get to the "power line wall" really lacked. But it does have about 31 routes described. Worth looking at anyway. The guide book at the local store was $24 or more, but very thick and I am sure complete. JIM

[StreetBoss]

Are there any current closures due to birds nesting?

 

[mattp]

Yes. Skyline Rib / Skyline Arete are closed for nesting. Climbers are asked to avoid these areas and also to move away from other areas if they notice that the falcons are getting agitated and demonstrating territorial behavior like dive bombing. Speaking of which, I was side-swiped by a crow in Ballard the other day.

[andyf]

I was repeatedly dive-bombed by a crow in Olympia years ago, right by what used to be the Tastee Crumb. I swung my briefcase at it.