Climbing on Hwy 542

[chris]

A friend in Seattle told me about some bolted climbing between Maple Falls and Glacier on Hwy 542. I've tried a couple of searches here without luck. Can anyone tell me more about the climbing potential around Bellingham EXCEPT for Mt. Erie?

[hohm]

I stopped at the Pumphouse crag once on the way to Baker, and it was worth the trip. The routes are short, but steep and surprisingly solid. Give it a try....

Edited October 16, 2004 by hohm

[Dru]

get that bellingham rock guidebook! i think its out of print but finding someone's copy or from the library shoulkd be easy.

[EWolfe]

A friend in Seattle told me about some bolted climbing between Maple Falls and Glacier on Hwy 542. I've tried a couple of searches here without luck. Can anyone tell me more about the climbing potential around Bellingham EXCEPT for Mt. Erie?

 

Yes.

[Distel32]

werd me too, want to see a pic???

 

"Shorty" FA Kris Taylor

 

[DPS]

Chris,

 

I have an old guide book written by Jason Henrie from when we went to school together. You are welcome to it, I'll try to get it in the mail this weekend.

 

Dan

[Peter_Puget]

Is that route on the left side of the Power House?

[catbirdseat]

I had heard that the Western Washington U Bookstore had copies of a book which included Baker Crags. There is a brief mention of it in Smoot's Climbing Washington. I made a brief visit there. The rock is a sort of volcanic conglomerate. I'm not sure I'm using the right terms, but parts of it, the Cobblestone Wall, for example look like some old pyroclastic flow that became cemented together. There was one 5.8 route I did, the easiest I could find, which had these hand sized rounded stones for holds.

 

Anyway, the climbing area is right off the uphill side of the highway at about Milepost 39, if I am not mistaken. The bouldering areas are up the road a bit from the sport climbing areas. I don't think there is any trad at all.

[Bill_Simpkins]

The climbing is ok when its dry. The cobblestone rock is pretty cool. I like how the wall is mossy and wet except for the holds. Nice bulge pull-overs. The other walls are cool too except for the falls loof scary.

Up the road a hundred yards or so you can hike up the talus and head leftish. There are some nice clean, but short sport routes of there also. The place is definatly worth a visit or two.

[Distel32]

the Pumphouse is the wall just off milemarker 39.

 

Yes Shorty is the little steep sucker on the left hand side.

 

The pumphouse is good, not many routes, but worth it for a 45min drive.

[chris]

Thanks Dan!!