Pete's Pile

[thrutch]

Who has the beta for Pete's pile or how can I get it?

 

Thank you.

[kurthicks]

from the saved beta--

Find a copy of "Portland Rock Climbs" by Tim Olsen

Approach: Hwy 35 just north of the Sherwood campground on the east side of the road. Park at small gravel pull off an climb up a steep trail rising to the left. It is between Sherwood and Cooper Spur. a steep 10 minute from Hwy35 to main crag. They are visible from the road.

 

that's all i've got.

[ivan]

basalt column stuff...mostly pretty hard. just north of the cooper spur turnoff. nice area, a choice of trs on the right or difficult lead shit on the left.

[thrutch]

Thank you all, I have been there so I know the approach beta. I would just like to know more about the routes in which I am climbing.

[Ireneo_Funes]

Is there much in the 5.7-5.10 range, or are the routes at Pete's mostly harder than that? How many routes are top-ropeable?

[billcoe]

Harder, need good pro skills.

[texplorer]

I seem to remember several .9 to .10 routes but nothing under that grade. Fun but limited number of climbs unless you climb pretty hard.

[bobbyperu]

did we miss sumptin..?

[Szyjakowski]

my guess is those were the fullvalue climbs.

[Doug_Hutchinson]

Pete's Pile rocks. Classic columnar basalt - up to 200 feet high in the middle with potential for hundreds of routes. I did some route development there about 5 years ago so all my knowledge is dated but it seems like not much has been done in the past few years since: 1) Pete moved to CO, 2) the Forest Service emplaced a limited closure on one (undeveloped) section of the crag due to the protection of the rare violet rock brake plant, and 3) development of Bulo Point meant all the sport climbers from Hood River could drive by the Pile with a second thought about this trad mecca.

 

As far as routes, it's mostly 5.8-5.9 with one 5.10 ("Bottlecap" - a few cracks right of the right most Beer Garden crack). The main area is called Beer Garden which is across from the benches. This has about 5-7 good single pitch climbs in the 5.7-.9 range with chain anchors. To the right of the closed area (well signed) or about one hundred yards right of beer garden are two classics: "Even" 5.8 which is just right of a large fir tree against the rock, and a few climbs right of that is "Guillotine" 5.9 which looks like a huge blade (about 50 feet up) waiting to fall supported by facing corners. These are only really clean climbs in this area. Right of Guillotine the trail drops down and past a small wooden log platform which is at the base of a nice 5.8 or .9.

 

The mega classic (because I put it up, of course) is "Pumpin' for the Man" (named after the Ween classic) 5.9 or 9+ which is about 75 left of the Beer Garden bench. Three great pitches of sustained climbing with bolted anchors. Like all climbs at the Pile, it's hard to describe how to find the route, but it starts in subtle cave-like thing just left of a nice belay platform but before the trail starts dropping down the hill. You go up and step right into a bombay diheldral (OK - so it's only 10 feet off the ground) leading to some looser orange rock below a small roof which is the just above the belay for the first pitch. Step right off the belay and pull the roof. Step right off again at the start of the third pitch for another 100 feet of exposed, awesome climbing.

 

Alright, I've taken too much time to say nothing useful. Reply if you want any clarification to my crystal clear descriptions (or just hit "print" and bam! instant guidebook).

[Ireneo_Funes]

Nice, thanks!

[frozen]

"Beer Garden" .8, is the first route you see as the trail makes the cliff. "For Pete's sake" .8, is next to the left. Then "Guiotine", .10a. "Temptation" 9. "Even" .7?

 

The other spot by the bench is the schoolroom. Left to right; .6, .9, .9, .8.

[Doug_Hutchinson]

Shows you what little I know. Yeah, Frozen's got it right. "Beer Garden" is the climb above the log platform as the trail meets the wall and climbs up and left (right goes towards the 4th class descent). "Bottlecap" is the crack to a roof (broken basalt column) a few cracks right of the "Schoolroom" cracks. Substitute "Schoolroom" for BeerGarden" in my first post and most of the info is sorta right.

 

(Don't believe what you read online - as you can see by my previously post, it's mostly incorrect!)