Beacon Rock Notice

[iain]

Watch out for a wasp nest about 1/3 up flying dutchman. They start coming out the crack and flying around in your face if you poke around in there. This was there last year too and it got cleared out but they seem to be back.

[JosephH]

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Beacon Rock Update - 8/4/06

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Anchor Replacement Project

 

The following anchors have been replaced:

 

"Prirates" (lower, bare)

"Bridge of the Gods" (lower, bare)

 

And that about wraps up the bulk of the Anchor Replacement Broject beyond a few odd / outlying stragglers, swapping remaining bright hangers for camo'd ones, and swapping earlier powerbolts for SS/316 bolts which will be on the agenda for late fall.

 

Adopt a South face column route!!!

 

Next up will be an effort to clean the South face column routes. In between "Bluebird" at one end to "Blood, Sweat, and Smears" on the other there are a lot of just great routes (free, aid, and yet to be freed) folks might want to consider getting on. If you have any interest in climbing any of these routes please size them up and adopt one for cleaning purposes. We have a tool suite available for cleaning I'll be going after the shrubs in "Takes Fists" and the trees in "Flying Circus".

 

Joseph Healy, Jim Opdycke, Bill Coe

Beacon Rock Climbers' Association

Beacon.Rock@AvaSys.com

[billcoe]

Let me be the first to flame you: "Cleaning will only encourage people to come out and climb em asshole."

 

Hope that takes care of the obligatory Joseph flame for everyone.

[markd]

bill, that's funny.

 

i sincerely wonder how you would have felt about this 20 years ago though. my guess is a little different.

 

i'll "adopt" a route next time i'm up. i'd like to get on flying swallow and the variation next to it.

[billcoe]

bill, that's funny.

 

i sincerely wonder how you would have felt about this 20 years ago though. my guess is a little different.

 

i'll "adopt" a route next time i'm up. i'd like to get on flying swallow and the variation next to it.

 

I'll admit that I've mellowed and am less strident. I'd like to think I've always tried to treat others well, even when I was young, but suspect thats not true.

 

My comment wasn't meant to offend you or anybody, just teasing JH some. You into an Opal Creek Death march Aug 12-13th?

[Farrgo]

This may not be the approriate place for this comment, and if so just let me know, but since your talking about adopting routes I'll throw it out there. Has double dirty overhang gone into hibernation, or from the looks of it yesterday, is it just apt naming?

[JosephH]

I gave Flying Swallow a cursory cleaning last year but it definitely still needs someone to devout a block of time to it. DDO is in need of a serious bout of work - if Flying Dutchman was any indication DDO will take the better part of a day to do right I suspect as will several others. I'd also guess about 20 years ago is the last time some of these lines saw any real action...

[kevbone]

So, JH, if I was to get a route approved by the state park, how would the process begin?

[markd]

kevbone,

i hope your trolling. for being so adamant about not talking about things on this site, i'm surprised you bring this up here. this seems like one of the main topics that could just be talked about elsewhere.

 

just my opinion.

[kevbone]

Would anybody be interested in having a Beacon Rock Climbers Accociation meeting on the ledge soon. Would have to be on Sat or Sunday after 4 or so. Maybe in two weeks? then we could talk about this stuff (what ever is on your mind) in person! It would get alot of stuff out in the open! Just a thought.

bone

[billcoe]

Would anybody be interested in having a Beacon Rock Climbers Accociation meeting on the ledge soon. Would have to be on Sat or Sunday after 4 or so. Maybe in two weeks? then we could talk about this stuff (what ever is on your mind) in person! It would get alot of stuff out in the open! Just a thought.

bone

 

It's a great idea.

[JosephH]

Sounds good to me with the proviso that I'd like to be sure it's at time when Mark can be there...

[Billy]

Can we move this thread to Cafe Sensitivo already.......

[markd]

i can't come this weekend as i'm camping at sparks lake. i would love to be there when it happens - it's worth the trip up.

 

i hope something comes out of it and all sides listen.

 

 

[jrb]

FYI, there is a wasp nest on Pipeline. About 15 feet below the anchor.

[Farrgo]

JRB did you finish the route? Did they attack you? I bailed off that last week. I brought some wasp spray to Beacon today but never got over to Pipeline to nuke 'em.

[denalidave]

Hi, I am a rusty thirty-sonmething who wants to get back into leading shape. Although I have about 15 years of trad climbing experience it has been about 6-7 years since I have done any real rock climbing. I am looking for partner(s) to climb at Beacon Rock in the Columbia River Gorge. I live about 5 minutes from Beacon Rock and I have plenty of gear. I am looking to do some lower grade trad routes (up to 5.9) and/or some moderate sport routes. Also hoping to find a leader who knows the routes/beta well. I am sure I will be back to leading once I get a few days/weeks of following. I have a fairly flexible schedule so I can make arrangements to climb just about any day of the week. I prefer late afternoons/early evening. If interested, please call me at 360-910-0602 or email at goldring@gorge.net.

 

Thanks,

Dave Goldring

"denalidave"

[markd]

dave,

since no one is responding to you, i will. i think your best bet is to just go out to beacon and meet the folks climbing. you'll find the circle of beacon climbers is small and many of them don't post here.

 

don't let the "drama" on this thread deter you from heading on out and meeting people. most of the people arguing here climb together when they see each other at the great stone.

[flyingpig]

markd,

you have alot of class and insight. your responses are truly heart warming. i started climbing because of other climbers like you.

[timetravlr]

Hi all

Found this website and went throught this threads history. Wow. I love Beacon, been climbing there on and off for the past 5 years. Been climbing for 35 years. On my last few trips to Beacon, I met a gentleman solo climbing named Joseph who was upgrading the anchors and cleaning crap up and the like. My hat is off to this guy as that is a ton of work and effort. Good job. For those people opposed to the upgrades and efforts, my suggestion is if they seek solitude and loose rock and crappy anchors, take it to the mountains. Plenty of that there and that is the place for it.

[billcoe]

Hi Steve: pics of Joseph on the previous page if you didn't see them.

 

35 years and your first name is Steve. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Pretty sure it's not Strauch cause you'f have said hi and Steve Strauch hasn't been active for the last few years...probably would have said 40 years too, not 35....hmmmmm, But SS does do antique (japanese) furniture, and swords too....hmmm, what are the odds.....

 

-So- guessing here, I don't mean to out you since you didn't post your last name on your profile:

 

-But-

 

Does your second name start with an L----- and you've been climbing lately with those great guys Andrew T, Gent and Stan M ?

 

S'at you? Just curious.

 

 

BTW, Joseph, Jim, and a bunch more of us will be out there tomorrow if you want to join in. I'll follow you up Flying Swallow: I give great belay,

 

Andrew, gent and Stan will tell you.

 

 

Take care:

 

 

BTW, FYI, most of the acrimony stays on this site, some of these guys will be yelling online at each other Friday and belaying each other Saturday. I don't understand it but there it is.

[JosephH]

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Beacon Rock Update - 9/1/06

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*** SAFETY NOTICE: SE CORNER AND YOUNG WARRIORS TOPOUT ***

 

Rockfall Incident

 

There was a significant climber-initiated rockfall event last weekend from high on the final ridge ramp pitch that finishes both the SE Corner and Young Warriors. This occured about 3/4's of the way up the final ramp pitch on the right side of the ramp at the top of a short run of shrubs. The rock that came down was layered in a nook above the top shrub. Between what was seen falling and an examination of the point of origin, it appeared about 30-50 pounds of rock was launched. This was a particularly dangerous incident as the rock fell across the Grassy Ledges at the point you first arrive there from the Tree Ledge and then continued on down to the base of the SE Corner route. There was a party of three traversing Grassy Ledges at the time and it was a miracle their leader escaped unharmed as rock rained down all around her. It was equally fortunate this occured late in the day so there was nobody at the base of the SE Corner route at the time.

 

SE Corner Ridge Rockfall Potential

 

The particular location is now stable and clear of loose rocks and while this was a one-time event from this spot, in the course of checking out what happened we noted another serious problem - the heavy load of loose rock at the top of the SE corner ridge ramp through to the tree line. This load of loose rock has always existed above the ridge ramp, but in the past two years a significant amount of it has migrated down to the top of the ramp where the last pitch ends, and worse - close to the ramp's edge and ready to rain down on the Grassy Ledges and SE Corner base as in this incident.

 

Take-away Lessons and Imperatives: Topping Out

 

By coincidence, Jim Opdycke happened to be across the tracks watching a party on Young Warriors and witnessed the whole affair. He had also noted the problem with the loose rock load at the top of the ramp earlier in the day when doing YW and so this past week he went up to deal with it and made a good start at it all. But the biggest problem with this stretch of loose rock is people trying to head up directly through it to get up to the tourist trail, versus taking the walkoff trail which first heads right from the top of the ridge ramp for a short distance before turning up. This has become even more of an issue this year, because where last year there was an almost reasonable direct path up, this year it is blocked by a slide of rock and people have instead been heading up right along the outside edge of the ridge ramp. Jim cordoned off this stretch with a ribbon and markings that direct you to the walkoff trail. As illustrated in the photo below it is imperative that folks take the walkoff trail to the right - away from the edge - and not head up directly through the stretch of loose rock.

 

And while a few folks may not be entirely comfortable with the idea, once you hit the top of the rock ridge ramp you should stop and belay your partner up, after that you should NOT be roped for the walkoff from that point on up to the tourist trail. There is, unfortunately, no path between these two points where dragging a rope isn't far more of a rockfall hazard than a safety device. The danger in this case isn't to the party topping out, but rather to everyone below should a rockfall be caused by the use of a rope up to the tourist trail. So please, look at this photo to get an idea of where the proper walkoff path goes and take it in the future.

 

 

Take-away Lessons and Imperatives: Controlled Ropes and Footfalls

 

The climber involved in this incident no doubt meant no harm, but it well illustrates the risks associated with unconsidered and uncontrolled footfalls. Pretty much from the time you hit the trail up at the parking lot until your return there you need to be in complete control of every footfall. This is normal when you're actually climbing, but at Beacon it is equally important you be in control of, and know where and how your feet are landing, on all of the ledges and any of the ramps or paths that top out to the tourist trail. For that matter it also helps keep the climber's trail down to the South face from being torn up and maybe prevent a sprained ankle. The imperative here is simply to be in control and if you get so tired you're losing control of how or where your feet are landing then simply slow down so you can move carefully. Jim also wanted to remind folks traversing Grassy Ledges roped up to keep your rope off the ground by any means - drape it over bushes, clip the rap anchor as you go by, put a draw on the pine tree - anything will help prevent rockfall. The bottom line is that even though a lot of loose rock got cleaned up during the pre-open work session this year it is simply impossible to eliminate every rockfall hazard at Beacon Rock. The best way to do that is for everyone to be in control of your rope and feet at all times and places while you're out there.

 

Anchor Replacement Project / Winding Down

 

As was mentioned we've been winding down on the anchor work for the summer and will be wrapping up the project by the end of the season. Last tasks for this coming winter include anchor replacements on:

 

- Boardwalk

- Rythmn Method

- Rock Police

- Riverside

- Above the chimney at the top of Flying Swallow

- Above Dastardly Crack

- Pipe Dream

- Silver Crow

- A couple of 5pc Powers bolts to stainless steel bolt changeovers

 

This will finish the project up and leave the anchors at Beacon with known 2005/2006 install dates and consistent materials which should make things far easier for the next crew to tackle all this 20-25 years down the road.

 

Anchor Replacement Project / Piton Checking

 

Another aspect of the project has been inspecting all the pitons we've come across and either resetting or replacing them as needed along with restoring others that were stolen or broken. In general, Lost Arrows and Bugaboos (thicker Knifeblades) are bomb out at Beacon while Angles and Knifeblades are not. Angles typically have too little metal surface area in contact with the rock to stay secure over decades and Knifeblades are simply too thin for the long haul.

 

Jill's Thrill

 

The upper Leeper-Z with the torn eye was replaced last year and this week the lower euro Knifeblade was replaced. The old one was split in a scalloped shape as seen below (and note the edge of the split area is well rusted meaning it has been split for a long time). Half of the blade could not be removed and so that specific placement could not be reused. A new longer Bugaboo was placed at the nearest point possible which turned out to be about 14-16 inches lower but still works well as a first piece of pro on the route and for getting by the first "pod" till you place a piece of your own pro.

 

 

 

Fear of Flying

 

The first three pins on this route all outwardly looked good, but all three were dislodged simply tapping them to hear how "solid" they were. The two Knifeblades were badly corroded inside the crack, and the angle in reality had very little "bite" going for it at all - like a 3/4" in the back of an opening in the crack. The angle was the first pin you encounter on the route and was in a perfect smaller nut placement (HB blue or #2 Rock) and Jim felt it shouldn't be replaced so be prepared with an appropriate piece. Here's pics of the two knifeblades - very unhappy (note how good the part exposed outside the crack looks):

 

 

 

Desperado

 

Even if its short, this is an absolute classic route. The anchor pin at the base of it was snapped off long ago and is probably the reason the route has seen little or no traffic in recent years. This Knifeblade has been replaced with a Bugaboo which should help folks get reacquainted with this great old line.

 

Rookie Nookie

 

The missing lone pin has been restored to this great route as well putting yet another classic back in commission for all to enjoy.

 

Stone Rodeo

 

Stone Rodeo is the 5.12 route up the obvious overhanging shield as you come down to the SE corner. It was retro-bolted by the FA's but the last two pieces of protection are the original small Angles draped with a bit of ancient tat. My hats off to Vern from Corvallis who did the route a couple of weeks ago and said simply, "I wouldn't want to fall on those pins" - no kidding from what we've seen of the state of other small Angles. Checking these pins should make for quite the epic later this year.

 

...But Pins Are Bomb

 

At this point most all of the pins out at Beacon have been checked and either given a thumbs up, reset, or replaced so you can be confident about clipping them when you come across them. In fact, after replacing over a hundred anchor bolts out there, almost all of which were bad, we appreciate good pins all the more. You can check a pin simply by tapping it with a hammer and listening to it. With bolts, on the otherhand, there is just no way to tell what's going on behind the shiny facade. Pins are bomb, but basically the only ones appropriate as fixed pro out at Beacon are Lost Arrows, Bugaboos, and soft metal euro spade pins (only the medium or long ones in all cases, not the short ones).

 

[ Note: As an aside, all the replacement pitons have come from John Middendorf's spare pin rack which he ebayed last year along with all the soft and hard goods he had left over after the sale of A5 to Black Diamond. ]

 

West Face Reclamation Battle

 

Another project for this winter will be to start the long battle with the poison oak dominating all the routes on the West face to the left of Jensen's ridge. The plan is to cut the vines this winter and attempt to clean them during the 2007 season. We'll definitely need some brave and / or immune volunteers for this one...!

 

Climber's Bulletin Board

 

The bulletin board in the parking lot at the top of the climber's trail used to be open so folks could put notes up. Due to repeated vandalism the BRSP was finally forced to screw it shut to protect necessary official postings and notices. A board available to climbers has been needed for some time and a solution has been proposed that we simply use the backside of the existing board. To that end material has been gathered for a hinged cover similar to the frontside and so the climbers' note board should be up and running by next weekend.

 

 

Joseph Healy, Jim Opdycke, Bill Coe

Beacon Rock Climbers' Association

Beacon.Rock@AvaSys.com

[JosephH]

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Beacon Rock Update - 9/17/06

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*** SAFETY NOTICE: RAP ANCHORS ***

 

All the anchors at Beacon have been refreshed in either the 2005 / 2006 seasons with the exception of a half dozen or so outliers few climbers are ever likely to use and those will be hit by the end of the this season. No anchors need augmentation of any kind. Existing slings will be maintained as required on an annual basis. No rap anchors currently require additional slings, cordage, chains, links or rings of any kind. The slings installed are dual, independent milspec 1" slings in a nested equalizing figure-eight configuration with two Fixe 50kn SS rings. If there are no rap slings / rings on the heavy Metolius rap hangers at any of the anchors it is because either none are necessary for a smooth rope pull or a rap at that location is typically not done or is ill advised.

 

In particular, rapping from below the p2 slab on the SE Corner is not typically done or advised, nor is rapping from the SE Corner tree. The better rap in the case of the base of the p2 slab is to go back to the p1 anchor and rap back to the base of the route - or contine up the slab and (with a 60m rope) do two raps from the p2 anchor on Young Warriors which is located immediately straight ahead and to your right once you turn the corner at the top of the p2 slab. In the case of the SE Corner tree - please do not rap from the tree - either stop short of the Tree Ledge and do the Young Warrior raps, or proceed up one more pitch to the standard raps up on Grassy Ledges or, for the fastest way down, rap Flying Dutchman.

 

If you have any question about any of the anchors at Beacon Rock please email the address below...

 

 

*** SAFETY NOTICE: CAR BREAK-INS***

 

The BRSP Staff wanted everyone to know that someone has been driving up and down Route 14 breaking into cars along the way including several recent incidents at Beacon. They advise you to be sure and not leave anything of value visible inside your your vehicle.

 

 

Joseph Healy, Jim Opdycke, Bill Coe

Beacon Rock Climbers' Association

Beacon.Rock@AvaSys.com

[Mr_D]

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[Harkin_Banks]

Post deleted by Harkin_Banks