Calendar Butte Info?

[hohm]

About 6 years ago, I climbed at Calendar Butte a few times, and someone was developing this area and had put a lot of work into rap stations and route cleaning. Does anyone know if further development has been done, or has it gone back to nature?

[RodFox]

Back around 1995 I was driving around on logging roads near Lake Cavanaugh doing some rock-hounding with my wife and came across this Butte across the valley that looked promising for a cool sport climbing area.

 

For three years, with the help of several friends, we created a kick-ass trail (1.25 miles) into the crag and developed about 15 or so really excellent climbs. The climbing was similar to Exit 38, really similar to Bob's Wall, way up the hillside. The climbing is top-notch, in spite of the relentless lichen and moss scrubbing required to prep a route for bolting. Most of the climbs are dead vertical but there are many roofs up there too, one being about 15 ft and several others about 3-5 feet. Have I mentioned the climbing is top-notch?

 

Then one day, after a bit of a hiatus, I was hiking the trail to the wall with some people who had never been there before. As we got closer to the wall, it seemed that the forest was brighter than normal. Another couple of minutes later I encountered a new road leading directly to the base of the wall. I was thrilled, because now I could drive right to the base of the wall and now people would be able to enjoy this cool place.

 

About 2 months later, they shut down the road, tore down the bridge, and abandoned the road. They had raped the hillside and were now moving on.

 

I lost interest in Calendar Butte at this point and have rarely gone back. It's a great area with potential for at least 70-80 routes if someone is very ambitious. I'll post a map in the next couple of days if anybody is interested. Just be prepared to fight "the man" first though if you want better access.

 

Peace.

[catbirdseat]

Yes, please, we're interested.

[hohm]

Rod,

 

Thats a sad story....

I do remember the climbing there to be surprisingly good, and you guys put in a hellish amount of work....hopefully someone will pick it up again. Aside from the steep sport routes on the right buttress, I also remember a really cool steep crack going up the left side...first pitch about 5.8 finishing with a delicate face traverse, and the second pitch hard 10 and slightly overhanging. Cool trad route.

Thanks for sending a map....havent been there for several years.

[RodFox]

Alright, I lied. I can't seem to track down any of the topos or maps for that area. Rats! I'll keep looking...

If anybody has a copy of the *quote* "guidebook" *unquote* that I put out, perhaps you could scan a few pages, namely the map and post them here. That would be most kind.