scot'teryx Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Went out to Static Point today for the first time and just wanted to make some corrections that Smoot did not cover in his "Washington Rock" book. I have not had a chance to look at "Sky Valley Rock" to see their approach directions, but Smoots will get you all messed up. After driving through about 1 mile of total slide alder car washing up the FR to get to the "wide open parking area", I found out that I need a wax job more than I ever have. There is a huge tree down about 6/10 mile up this road as well, but I was able to get under it in a 4WD with a roof rack. From there the trail description says to "go to the 1st gully and head up and look for the trail that will miraculously materialize". Well that 1st gully takes you nowhere except to slick boulders and a waterfall. The keyword that was used in the book was that you would be able to see the granite dome above, which we did not, but it was the 1st rock gully, so we proceeded, but the wrong one. We came down and followed the trail for much longer than we thought could possibly be correct, since the book says to follow the trail for .6 mile, and we had been going for quite a bit. We finally hit the second gully and were able to barely see the granite above us through the trees. So we headed up the gully, full of slick boulders, slippery tree logs and such, and then we came to the base of a slick slab that towered above us - so all we could do was go up the mud/dirt slope of the canyon for about 100 feet to reach the ridgeline. What'dya know, a trail at the top! We were able to follow this trail all the way to Static Point, and it led right ot the base of Online and Right Line. Since another party reached the route literally minutes before us, we had to abandon going up online (III 5.10b) and head up Rightline (II 5.9+) instead yet it was not in Smoots book, and the other party had the Sky Valley Rock book so we were able to check out the topo in their book. I liked the nostalgic rap ring at the top of the last pitch Remember to bring 2 ropes for the rap down, as we fell 10 feet short of the belay stations even with a 60m rope, that we forgot about. Made it much more interesting though. In a nutshell, from the parking area, it is a brisk 25 minute hike to the 2nd gully (about 15 small gullies in between), and after the last gully, walk across it and continue on the road for 1/4 block, where a cairn on top of a large pipe mark a trail that follows the gullies right side, something we only took advantage of on the descent. The hike up this trail is very reminscent of Mailbox Peak, steep, rooted, and a little hard to follow in spots. About 25 minutes to the 1st routes from the 2nd gully. Expect the approach tobe at least 1 hour, instead of the quoted 20 minutes that I have read out there, and that's keeping a 2-3 mph pace. If you have a car that you actually care about (paintjob at least), bring bikes for the 1 mile of FR that gets you to the trailhead. Nice runouts up there! Hope this helps someone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Odd, I didn't find your $5 access fee on my porch as you drove by. Oh, well, send me a check . Glad you had fun, but your first mistake was made before you ever left the house: You forgot to take Smoot's information with a HUGE grain of salt. Sky Valley Rock is slightly more helpful, but there is good information on a few threads posted here this summer. Greg W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 another thumbs down for the smoot books. He's probably never been there. Nice photos Scot'teryxdactyl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CascadeClimber Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 I've only been up there once- December 23, 1996. Clear, blus skies and plenty warm. But then we were able to park directly across from the 'trail'. I take it that the spur road is now gated or undriveable? -Loren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmcmurra Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Hey Scot'teryx, That was me and my buddy Dave yesterday -- I thought about asking if you were CC'ers, but didn't. Sorry we messed up your On Line plans -- I felt a little bad about it since you guys had obviously arrived at the trailhead a lot earlier than we had. Too bad you got Smooted. We luckily forgot that info about the granite gully and just stumbled upon the cairn. What is up with the times for the approach, too? It took us 35 min to get BACK to the car, and it says 20-30 for the approach?! Maybe we are just fat and lazy. On Line was pretty nice, once I was convinced I was on route, which took a few pitches. I stupidly read "bring small gear to supplement the bolt on the first pitch" to mean that there would be obvious good gear placements, and I certainly didn't see many of those. But I really enjoyed the fact that the difficulties of the pitches increased progressively, so as I progressively got used to the climbing, the crux didn't seem too bad at all. After you guys left we tried to find Lost Charms, but ended up doing a somewhat adventurous pitch or two that I don't think was on route, but was still pretty fun. Thanks for being super friendly, even after your approach mishap. Hope to see you out at the crags again sometime... Nice photos, too! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Scott this photo is pretty good too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 My favorite Jeff Smoot quote (from his Falcon Guide book "Climbing the Cascade Volcanoes"): "Mount McLoughlin is a relatively unknown volcano. Although it is the highest peak between Mount Shasta and South Sister and the sixth-highest peak in Oregon, its unassuming presence is largely ignored by climbers." Jeff must not have been to NE Oregon either, for McLoughlin is NOT even close to being sixth highest in the state. Then, if you're talking latitude between Shasta and South Sister, let's not forget Steens Mountain (9,733 ft) in SE Oregon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 North Sister is an unworthy chosspile - Smoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Where is that guy anyway? I remember him angrily defending his books on here a year or so ago. Can't comment on his washington stuff, but he presents a bit of an elitist (and at times misinformed) attitude in his cascade volcanoes book, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegetablebelay Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 WTF?!?! Scott'teryx makes a Static Point TR and gets no static? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 quote: Originally posted by iain: Where is that guy anyway? I remember him angrily defending his books on here a year or so ago. Can't comment on his washington stuff, but he presents a bit of an elitist (and at times misinformed) attitude in his cascade volcanoes book, in my opinion. It was this summer actually I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 quote: Originally posted by vegetablebelay: WTF?!?! Scott'teryx makes a Static Point TR and gets no static? Scot'RedApple is a wanker. Are you happy now? Crowds always want the mayhem. Can't we all just be nice to each other and get along? Greg W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapertimmy Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 got smooted that would make a great bumper sticker... there would be a little stick figure counting money, laughing on his way to the bank in the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 quote: Originally posted by gapertimmy: got smooted that would make a great bumper sticker... there would be a little stick figure counting money, laughing on his way to the bank in the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Once smooted, shame on Smoot. Twice smooted, shame on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Greg W: Can't we all just be nice to each other and get along? Ok, now you are scaring me. [ 10-02-2002, 10:07 AM: Message edited by: Alex ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 "There's an old saying in Washington -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Washington...that says, smoot me once, shame on......shame on you. Smoot me...you can't get smooted again." [ 10-02-2002, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: iain ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 After that dehydrated meal I had last Saturday night, I smooted all the way down to the car on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottP Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 quote: Originally posted by iain: "There's an old saying in Washington -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Washington...that says, smoot me once, shame on......shame on you. Smoot me...you can't get smooted again." Yeah, The Shrub tries to spew something outside of his speech writer's parameters and ends up quoting The Who. Fuckin' hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 Lost Charms goes strait up from the Lost Charms tree. The ledge below Online has been renamed Smokeout Ledge. Static point is awsome, one of my favorite ares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Dave Schuldt: The ledge below Online has been renamed Smokeout Ledge. Not very original. Should have named it something like Burnout Ledge or Pothead Ledge since Index already has one bearing that name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 At Mission Gorge in San Diego, where I learned to climb, we named a ledge "zone ledge." It even had a fixed bong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 How about a bumper sticker that says "Fukensmooten!" Stickfigure sitting on rock looking at book with a big ?? over head. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 quote: Originally posted by glen: How about a bumper sticker that says "Fukensmooten!" Stickfigure sitting on rock looking at book with a big ?? over head. G I'll buy 30 of those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted October 8, 2002 Share Posted October 8, 2002 There is no "smokeout ledge" at Static Point but for what its worth many years ago I tried a sort of "johnny appleseed" experiment on Tombstone Ledge...... sad to say it failed miserably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.