Mt. Eerie Kids Climb

[mattp]

I'm thinking about taking my 7 year old nephew to Mt. Eerie tomorrow if someobody else wants to go.

[whidbey]

Was up today... The weather has been amazing! Very nice a warm. Have a great time!!

[mattp]

Sounds like we'll be there tomorrow. We'll probably hang out at Summmit Wall or whatever it is, but maybe if Toby is psyched we'll go for Snag Buttress. C'mon out and have some sun!

[mattp]

Toby and I had a good time. Sorry you missed it.

 

[TrogdortheBurninator]

[whidbey]

Matt, Your email didn't give me enough information to hook up... When I was up yesterday dozens of people did the climbing thing. anyways.. if you received my private email or anyone else... I'm close and can hook up with you to climb or just belay your ass... It's enough fun for me to watch climbers much better than myself.

[whidbey]

Good on you matt... hope you had a great day!!

[curtveld]

I've thought of taking my kids there, but recalled that most of the approaches & belay sopts have some exposure (probably more troublesome to me than them). What did you find?

[whidbey]

some really easy approaches available if you want to take kids... nothing but a good hike from the car and a little help from dear old dad/mom. Of course some are more serious but many routes are easy to get to.

[mattp]

Veld, the area is not entirely straight-forward and you have a legitimate worry but I think it is pretty manageable.

 

I have taken kids to the closest wall to the parking lot - "summit wall" or something like that, several times. The trail down to the bottom of the cliff is slightly confusing and does involve one passage down a blocky corner that is awkward and then a traverse where I have either set a hand line or spotted the kids, but I have managed to get even a couple nervous moms down there OK. I don't think the bottom of the crag is much of a problem, though if you had kids running around throwing a ball you'd certainly be worried about them. It'd be nice to have an extra adult to supervise. The top-outs, too, are a little indistinct and travel above the anchors could be worrying while, with the cliff being somewhat blocky, lowering is a little awkward.

 

I have not seen a more manageable cliffs on that hillside (though I have not been to all of them) and some provide even more cause for worry.

 

There are more easily managed crags at other areas, but I like Mt. Erie because of its high scenic value. Those nervous moms or the kids, too, will enjoy watching a ship out in the distance of hearing the cry of an eagle.

[curtveld]

Yeah, I was thinking of the summit wall, with its easy climbs and fabulous views. Given a little caution it sounds pretty reasonable, especially since the major concerns are behind once you reach the belay ledge. Now all I have to do is get the kids as fired up to go as I am to take them! Thanks for the info, guys.

[olyclimber]

start'm young

[olyclimber]

Lil Choss Puller

[olyclimber]

Straight Jacket

 

hijacking matts thread. these pix are from vantage this past weekend.

[Billygoat]

Methinks Uly needs these

[olyclimber]

you got me goat. ulee is about to outgrow his current pair, so providing they're bigger than his current pair, i'll take them. large feet run in the family

[olyclimber]

Arrgggg Matt!! I be a board pirate!

[mattp]

Hijacker!

 

Mt. Erie is the place for your SENDBOT!

 

[mattp]

Really.

 

[olyclimber]

That kids seems like he was suffering from lack of dry desert air!

[mattp]

He wasn't suffering too bad!

 

[minx]

i'm just glad to see that the youngun is climbing with chicken.

[olyclimber]

I really can't believe that Matt was out climbing without a rubber chicken. It just seems a little dangerous to me.

[corvallisclimb]

pretty soon here you'll need to have a kids pub club and a kids dry tool night!

[Dru]

Suppose you keep this up and your kids grow up to be Colin. Won't you be in trouble then!