Nailed at the Columns

[Mos_Chillin]

by a

[mountainmatt]

The University of Oregon Outdoor Program used to have an extensive guide that detailed every route at the butte. As I recall, every possible manifistation of a route had been done there, and several "contrived" routes had been put together where you would use only one hand, etc. None of these routes required pins...

[corvallisclimb]

Seriously who the hell should care, i imagine it was prbably some "cool" climber dudes from UofO that heard nailing is bad, when they dont know the differnce beetween a RURP or a bong, and have never swung a hammer... the columns is a training ground, and you where training, KBs leave almost no scar in basalt. as long as no one is nailing bongs into fat crack everyone should relax. id like to see someone get some clean gear or there fingers in a true KB placement. if the columns really had pure ethics we would be building our anchors out of gear not clipping into one of the 30 bolts drilled on top. in fact i praise you for having the guts to nail there, ive handplaced beaks there but thats about it.

 

layedback - is that you Cody who had graciously belayed me on crutches while starting my aid career? let hook up again sometime and do some aid!

[mountainmatt]

I guess I define a the ethics for nailing a little differently than you.

 

I believe that routes that go clean or are top ropes (as most of the climbs there are) should not be climbed using pins. There are plenty of boulders that can be used to test pin placements that are not established climbing areas. Ethics that suggest people can nail on established clean climbs sets a very irresponsible precedent.

[layedback]

When I see that 15' of finger nail width dirt filled crack in a guide or see peaple even top roping that seam, I stop putting the knife blade in it.

[sk]

When I see that 15' of finger nail width dirt filled crack in a guide or see peaple even top roping that seam, I stop putting the knife blade in it.

 

yep seatle climbers interested, as soon as the sun shines eugene pub club goes at 5:30 at the collums you are more than welcome to join us and check out our back yard crag. the collums are an amazing resource, but not all the cracks there are climable or worth climbing for that matter. after about 14 years or so on that little crag i think layed back is familure with what goes and what doesn't.

[mountainmatt]

Why don't you post a picture of what you are talking about, maybe I am getting the wrong idea from your description.

[kadyakerbob]

dont sweat it, ive nailed a few pins here and there at the culumns. dont sweat it, but if you need to practice try to headout to a more obscure place. Also did you try to nail the thin crack to the right on satisfaction? if so i could see the scars from a few knifeblades. What wall r u planning on?