Spring Mountain in north eastern Oregon

[fheimerd]

Made the four hour drive from Portland. About half an hour east of pendleton lies spring mountain. Several decent routes including sport and trad. Definately a good plae to hone trad skill for the burgeoning leader. Lots of routes from 5.6-5.10 and quite a few harder routes as well. Good quality andesite rock. The climbing area is along a 100+ foot wall the is about 1/4 mile long. Usually has excellent weather but we had rain showers. Still got a few awsome climbs in. Check out pod of god and bat crack if you go, Fab Slab also looked like fun with a great overhanging start but good holds rate it at a 5.9 sport route. Definately a good place for something other than Smith if you are in oregon. Saw quite a few folks from Washington as well. The crucial beta is at http://marcus.whitman.edu/~pogue/spring_mountain_guide.html

[barkernews]

Sweet. We're headed out there this weekend for the first time. We plan to camp. Any suggestions nearby?

[shapp]

Camp any place along the summit road once you get off I-84. There are several good spots off the last spur to the climbing area. Please pack out what you bring, use established sites, only build fires in established rings and while you are at it, pick up a few more pieces of garbage that might be there already.

[kurthicks]

I was there last weekend with my girlfriend. Nice weather on Saturday, eh? Were you the two that left saturday or did you stay all weekend? Sunday was pretty nice until around 3PM.

 

Rally Race is another cool route to do, the moves on the flake are sweet.

 

You can camp about 1 mile past the climbing turn off, at the Whitman overlook. there are picnic tables there and an outhouse. Camping at the end of the road looks pretty nice too. Water can be found just past that at the spring (signed) or at the last road on the right before the climbing turnoff. Go 75m down the road to a stream or follow the stream to the pond. cool little campsite too.

 

Kurt

[fheimerd]

Yah, we left Saturday amidst pouring rain but I heard Sunday wasn't all bad. i would have stuck around but my girlfriend wasn't so enthusiastic. Definately would agree that camping is nice about a mile beyond the last turn off. Picnic tables, small creek down a path, and a trail that goes to a nice overlook. Other areas looked a little swampy.

[barkernews]

Dude, Spring Mountain is awesome. We checked it out this weekend. Thanks, all, for the beta. Great little area. The ratings seemed a little stiff... anyone else notice that?

Also - heard a rumor about 500 routes at Hell's Canyon. Is this true?

[Winter]

Nope. These aren't the climbs you're looking for. Move along move along.

[rbw1966]

Nope. These aren't the climbs you're looking for. Move along move along.

[shapp]

The grades don't seem stiff to me at the lower grades, below 5.10 they seem soft to me. Probably right on above 5.10+. The trad grades seem pretty right on too.

 

Move along, move along, these are not the steep featured limestone routes you are looking for. Try Verdon, it is only a little farther and you can buy a guide book.

[barkernews]

Got it. Hells Canyon sucks.

See you there.

[corvallisclimb]

Hells Canyon sucks.

 

i think you have to know the right places