Routes at Pinto Rock

[Off_White]

Anyone been climbing at Pinto Rock? I walked around it several years ago, and was intrigued to see a 5.10ish bolt protected sport route on the south end. Being a lazy sort, I've hoped someone has developed the crag and cleaned the choss. Its a great setting, up high on a ridge with views of Rainier, Adams, and St. Helens, and awesome huckleberries (well, a little later in the season..)

[sobo]

Exactly where is it, as it applies to road approaches, parking areas, etc? It sounds similar to a place I climbed at years ago without knowing what its name was. Do you use the PCT to get to it?

 

...sobo

[faust]

I've never been there but I read about it in Beckey's brown book. He describes four trad routes from the 60's, 5.2 - 5.6. Meager protection (no cracks, just slinging knobs) so I guess it wouldn't be surprising if somebody bolted some routes on it.

 

-matt

[Off_White]

Its virtually roadside, on a dirt road high up on a ridge above the Cispus River, south of Randle. The rock is of the welded tuff and cobbles variety, classic FRAC stuff that the sporties like. (you know, funky-rock-awesome-climbing) The road passes right under rock, and from a parking area at the south end, the approach is about a minute long to the single bolted route I saw there maybe 5 years ago. If you've hiked on the pct to get to something, it might have been Kirk or Shark Rock, a couple other of these volcanic thingys sitting up on ridgetops.