Nailed at the Columns

[layedback]

In prep for a big wall I was doing a bit of aid climbing at a local crag. I drove a nife blade in a dirt filled fingernail width crack for the only protection I could get for quite a ways. I recieved some "negative comments" from a climber for driving the pin. My position is - No one will ever free climb this crack, the traverse requires a pin to protect, and its out of the main route aria. I would be the first to protest if I saw someone nailing on exablished or potential routes, but have no issue with placing a pin where I did.

 

I could use some some additional feed back on the issue.

[catbirdseat]

I say don't sweat it. It's not a route, just some manky crack.

[Cobra_Commander]

Well if you want feedback you've come to the right place.

 

And now it looks like you have justification from someone almost 300 miles away about a crag he's never been to. Just tell that guy who was pissed that catbirdseat approved you.

[catbirdseat]

Yeah, and you can tell him he can get in his car and drive 400 miles just to get in my face.

[Cobra_Commander]

sorry, I edited the distance. That extra 100 miles makes your authority all the more legitimate.

[DirtyHarry]

What are "the Columns?"

[Alpinfox]

What are "the Columns?"

 

Chuck Norris' fossilized turds.

[John Frieh]

Where the individuals who commented using the bolts at the top of the columns?

[ryland_moore]

I'd contact Mike over at Backcountry Sports. He has been around those columns for a long time and will know exactly what is acceptible practice there. Are you absolutely positive no one has ever tried to free the crack? Is it over to the right of the main climbing? You are talking about Skinner's Butte yes? If Mike says that it is not a good idea to be pounding in blades, ask him where a good place to do so would be.....Texplorer from this board, although living in Texass, would also be a good resource. Also, once the snow clears head up to Wolf Rock and do some of those aid lines. Pretty spicey!

[texplorer]

The columns are probably not a great place to hammer pins. The area sees pretty heavy traffic. I agree with Ryland about visiting Mike at Backcountry Sports.

 

There are lots of crags to the east of Eugene that have great hammering opportunities. Talk to Mike about some of those too.

 

Oh Ryland, I'm living in Vegas now.

Edited February 22, 2006 by texplorer

[JosephH]

Definitely go with Tex's comments - Skinner's is definitely not a place to be nailing. There is plenty of choss around Eugene you can go bang on and you can even get some A2-5 practice in while you're by varying just how chossy what you get on is.

[MATT_B]

What are you planning on doing for your first wall that you need to nail?

[ryland_moore]

My bad, Tex! I forgot you moved to Vegas to clip bolts and work for an all-male revue pretending you were from Australia. Hiding behind med. school as your front didn't last long!!!

[billcoe]

In prep for a big wall I was doing a bit of aid climbing at a local crag. I drove a nife blade in a dirt filled fingernail width crack for the only protection I could get for quite a ways. I recieved some "negative comments" from a climber for driving the pin. My position is - No one will ever free climb this crack, the traverse requires a pin to protect, and its out of the main route aria. I would be the first to protest if I saw someone nailing on exablished or potential routes, but have no issue with placing a pin where I did.

 

I could use some some additional feed back on the issue.

 

You have not said where you were. Was it in fact Skinners Butte? I suspect not. Where were you really?

[layedback]

The next wall I am training for is Tangerine Trip.

 

I was climbing at Skinners Butte.

[MATT_B]

Some how I was under the impression it was your first wall but after re-reading it is obvious I'm an idiot. As for nailing at the collums, right or wrong I would expect to get a little flack and raise eyebrows for nailing anything there. I would bet there is some other place around that is a little quieter that you can go pound a little iron. Good luck on the trip, I hear good things about it.

[texplorer]

I hear that the trip is a pretty crappy route. That is not to say you can't have fun on it. Nevertheless, I doubt you'll have to do much nailing on it. That that you do have to nail on won't be too tough and a "trial by fire" method should serve you well. Take whatever the supertopo recommends for pins and you'll probably have 2x too much gear. You should probably be able to do it without nailing. From what I hear its the most popular east face route now that Zodiac has been cleaned of fixed mank. Take pics and enjoy. That's a cool section of wall.

[JosephH]

I'd listen to Texplorer - he knows what he's talking about...

[shapp]

As a person who was raised in the Eugene/Springfield area, and whos first rock climbing experience was during the 5th grade at the columns, I would say never nail there regardless of the route. Nearly every line has been tried or climbed there free, and if the line you were on has not been freed, there are too many impressionable idiots there that might take your que and start nailing Ski Tracks or some other good route. If you PM me I can direct you to more appropriate places to practic nailing in your area.

[mountainmatt]

I have climbed at Skinners many times, and that is definitely not the place to be nailing.

[retired]

I believe Layedback is being modest when he doesn't mention that he probably has more time on the rock at skinners than anyone I know and has been climbing there well over a decade. I'm also sure he's not driving angles in 4th right. We're talking the choss way over on the right. The area is after all a quarry and was manufactured by pulling the rock away with cables, that and not blasting is the only reason folks are able to climb there today. I've never seen a knifeblade leave a true scar anyway. I remember a funny episode at skinners a couple decades back when local Mike Wonder thought a dangerous situation was developing and recieved premission form the city of Eugene to remove the offending rock. Cables were rigged and the column did fall and so did the one next to it and the next one over too. By the time the carnage ended my favorite route crack a no go was a true no go. Skinners butte has seen a hell of lot worse abuse than a knifeblade wound wher no one free climbs anyway. don't let em get to you layedback...you after all have the hammer in your hand...see you saturday bro

Edited February 24, 2006 by retired

[layedback]

My considerations are:

 

#Is the route an established free climb or could it be?

#How were the original lines put up at the crag?

#Can clean pro be used instead?

#Is the assent method damaging the crag?

#Are there established regulation or assent ethic not being considered (i.e. no power drills, ground up bolting, no fixed anchors)?

 

Keep in mind this issue is about driving one knifeblade to protect a aid traverse in a section that will not take clean pro and is out of the main climbing aria.

 

The colums is not the place to hammer your way to the top, or even practice driving pins. That said if I have a line I climb that requires a pin to protect and I have carefully considered all the items I mentioned above, then I have no issue with putting the pin in.

[ryland_moore]

Sounds like you thought it through. Not like you are drytooling Smiff tuff on some super-famous manufactured route anyways. Good luck on The Trip!

[Dru]

I remember a funny episode at skinners a couple decades back when local Mike Wonder thought a dangerous situation was developing and recieved premission form the city of Eugene to remove the offending rock. Cables were rigged and the column did fall and so did the one next to it and the next one over too.

 

[sk]

uuhh I don't know if i am a big enough girl to realy respond, but it is my understanding that all those nice holds in the thin cracks are thanks to pin scars. i agree with those who have said that it is prolly not a great idea to be nailing up fat crack or limp dick any more... but over on the right where no one realy climbs and it is all choss any way.... i do not see and issue with it. it isn't like you were drilling a bolt in. and leaving it. again my limited understanding is that knife blades are removed when you are done with the climb.

 

that said there are alot of inexperienced climbers at the collums. perhaps the person hasseling you just didn't understand what you were up to. the collums are great training ground.

 

another good person to contact would be Bill Sules (sooles) however you spell it. I believe he placed the chains at the top for our top roping pleasure and helps maintain the area to some degree or other. YAY responsible climbers. if i were you i would look at it as you contribution to the education of new climbers