Area 51

[kevbone]

Anybody know anything about this place? I have been there once, just walked the base and checked it out, about 4 years ago. I have heard there has been developement going on. Anybody???

[crimper]

uh-oh, kevbone. is your trigger finger getting itchy? is ozone feeling played out to you....

 

you know as well as i do that (allegedly) a hood river-area couple bolted many of the lines there, but couldn't complete them. so most of the best faces have already been rapbolted, then left unfinished. i also heard (you were there, i thought) that they put many of the bolts where there are no apparent clipping holds, and just generally made a mess of what could have been a fine crag.

[kevbone]

Yeah, yeah daddio, as you pointed out I already know all that. I was/am looking for more/different info. Anybody??

[catbirdseat]

This info?

[kevbone]

Yep, thats the info I needed!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited July 31, 2006 by kevbone

[orion_sonya]

The last time I was there was bout 3 years ago. It looked like most of the lines had been developed, so I can't imagine too much more recent development.

 

Everything seemed to climb fine in my opinion. The hardest line there felt like 12+ and had some hard clips, but was do-able. I thought it was developed OK, and is a pretty good moderate crag.

[JosephH]

Possibly the HR crew doesn't want it on the Internet anymore than you do you-know-where. I'd ask questions by pm'ing Jim Anglin at "Retired" here on cc...

[scion]

I've been out there once this summer, and it's really a pretty decent crag. Around 65 routes from 5.8+ up to at least 5.13b. I've only done a handful of the climbs there, but those criticisms don't seem justified in my opinion. The biggest negative at Area 51 is that it just doesn't get that much climbing traffic, so there is a lot of small, loose rock to rain down on your belayer. You can contact the developers at area51climbing at yahoo dot com for more info or a copy of their guidebook (that email address is from memory, but I think it's right).

[kevbone]

Thanks all!!!

[retired]

I'll be there tomorrow, come on out...or does it really exist???

[kevbone]

I wont be there tomorrow, but looking to check it out in the next couple of weeks.

[retired]

let me know and if I'm around I'll meet you there.

[still_climbin]

The President of the United States says Area 51 doesn't exsit.

[area51]

Paul from hood river here. Crimper is right, sorry for fkn up a good crag. If you show up, bring a selection of nuts and cams and a helmet b/c of all the bad rock....

Edited September 11, 2006 by area51

[retired]

I've heard it described as welded 3/4 minus...poorly welded I might add...Paul hope the ship arrives soon so I can muster the courage to go back up there...such a scary place with bad rock, man eating kitties and such.

[crimper]

Hey Paul from Hood River: I think that due to its location, relatively short season, and scarcity of moderate routes, Area 51 is never going to "blow up" and get crowded. It's at least a two hour drive from portland, and nobody from bend is ever gonna drive to area 51. and bulo is the perfect decoy for that area, don't you think?

 

i think Area 51 will stay pretty chill for a long long time, even without the standard "poison oak, loose rock and bad bolts" misinformation.

 

also, my comment about bad clipping stances, etc., was based on pure hearsay, and i could be wrong. i hope i'm wrong!

 

so enjoy your local crag. it will never be a destination, and for you and the rest of the hood river locals it's better that way.

 

maybe one day i'll get back there, but i doubt it.