Realistic Portland Area info request

[layton]

Hey, I may be havin' to move to Portland to go to school. Realistically, how much good climbin can I expect for a weekend jaunt? Is smith reasonable for a weekend? Good routes on Hood or Adams (Yoccum ridge, Rusk Ice cliff anyone)? Any climbing within after-school distance? Does anyone ever go to the N.Cascades for a weekend alpine climb, or is that too far? Anything else. I don't care about walk-ups, or mountaineering. I'd rather go to the gym, go running, watch a movie, or hang out with my girlfriend. Am I doomed? Please help me out, I really don't want to move from the mecca of moderate alpine land.

[Off_White]

Well, I don't know about the alpine world, Hood is okay, some of the other volcanoes look interesting, but I prefer the North Cascades, which are a long pull from Portland. Aside from that drawback, Portland is a great place, one of my favorite cities. Rocky Butte and Broughton Bluff are both after-school distances away, Smith is probably 3 hours, Beacon Rock is a total crack house, and there's bound to be more rock I don't know about. I haven't much climbed around there, but I've recently gotten a copy of the new Portland Rock guide, and there looks to be plenty of diversion. The urban delights are good too, distinct neighborhoods, great transit system, a great music scene, and yes, I think there are a couple indoor gyms. I just went to the Crystal Ballroom for the first time to see a show, and its the best room I've been to in a decade. So, don't stress too much at the prospect of moving there, I think life could be good.

[jkrueger]

 

 

[ 06-28-2002, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: jkrueger ]

[sketchfest]

The climbing scene in the Portland area isn't all that great, but then again, it isn't all that bad either. Rocky Butte is the closest to downtown, but you need to be aware of what's going on around you and specifically who is hanging around the top of your route. The garbage is deep, but there are some good routes.

 

Broughton has some nice stuff and Beacon is good when it's open (nesting birds keep it closed until mid-July). Petes Pile, out of Hood River, has some good routes and of course there's always Smith. As far as Alpine goes, you can find great routes on Jefferson, Washington and the N. Sister, but you won't find the same quality as the N. Cascades.

 

Make the move, Portland is a good place to live and it's fairly close to most everything.

[rbw1966]

quote:

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Originally posted by jkrueger:

Trad in Portland

 

Bouldering in Oregon

 

I've heard tell there is no climbing in Portland, in which case Bend and all its majesty is 3 hours away; less with smooth traffic and a heavy foot.

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Its not entirely correct to say there is "no" climbing in Portland although what is actually within the city limits (Rocky Butte) is not all that great as has already been pointed out. My biggeset problem with the Butte isn't so much the garbage or people (it used to be a LOT worse) but the highway noise. If you are very far from your belayer you will scream yourself hoarse trying to communicate in various areas. Good time to practice those rop-tug signals?

 

I'm a bit confused though Michael. You mention climbing Yocum but then you say you arent interested in mountaineering. Yocum sure seemed like mountaineering when I was on it.

 

Be that as it may, the North Cascades is quite a haul from Portland for just a weekend but I've done it for three day weekend trips several times. Smith is relatively convenient and absolutely a good weekend climbing destination year-round. There's challenging rock to be climbed on Illumination, Steel Cliffs, Pete's Pile, French's Dome, Broughton's etc. Beacon is a great place to climb to get that crack fix. Pick up a copy of Portland Rock Climbs (new edition) for more information.

 

Vantage and Tieton are pretty close too. I have a buddy in Yakima I visit once in a while and its just about as far to the Tieton River from my house as Smith.

 

Portland's a great place to be for mountaineering as well. You're within a few hours of Adams, Jefferson, the Sisters, Hood, St. Helens, Rainier, etc.

 

Hope this helps.

[iain]

quote:

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Originally posted by Off White:

I just went to the Crystal Ballroom for the first time to see a show,

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The Crystal sucks. I hate that floor. Ringlers downstairs is great for wasting a Sunday playing free pool w/ a few pitchers on the side.

 

I hate mountaineering. Anyone for Yocum? Hilarious.

 

There is climbing to be had around PDX.

[Walter_Burt]

Cragging and some alpine stuff in the North Cascades are definitely possible for weekend trips from PDX, especially w/ a 3-day weekend. In the pre-sprout days we did a number of Squamish, Index and Leavenworth trips, as well as a number of alpine jaunts such as Slesse (21/2 day), Bear Mtn(3-day), Dragontail (2-day) including driving from here. It's a grind, but worth it as this is a great place to live. The trick is to not be too tired on Friday to leave in the afternoon so you can either be at, or near your destination for an early approach on Saturday, or for that matter, Friday night. Monday at work is for sleeping anyway.

 

Besides, this place is more liveable and has better beer than any other large city in the US.

[rbw1966]

I agree with Iain about that floor at Crystal. Every moron in town has jumped up and down on that surface and usually next to me--as if keeping my hand steady as I swill beer isn't hard enough.

 

McMenamins beer sucks too, but thats a different rant.

[layton]

Thanks for the info!!

 

It's either Porland, or Silicon Valley (which totally blows except for the Sierras which seem just a wee bit closer compared to Portland and the N.Cascades).

 

As for my mountaineering comment...I define mountaineering as non-technical snow walking, or mountain hiking (i.e. standard routes up to 4th class 40 deg snow), or "going up the backside of shit." I'm not putting those routes down, they're great for a nice jaunt up into the mountains. Just not my bag. The yoccum ridge does not seem like a snow-walk.

[iain]

So are you saying Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills should be renamed?

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

So are you saying

Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills

should be renamed?

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With the fee demo, those hills aint "free" no more

[erik]

"mountaineering feedemo of the hillz??"

 

larry would be soo proud!!!

[layton]

No,keep the name! I bring a single-sided xeroxed copy of Freedom of the Hills on heavy stock paper in my "ditty bag" along w/the 10 essentials I keep in my "2nd pack" which I wear backwards on my chest. The only thing that doesn't fit is my Seattle Sombrero.

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by michael_layton:

I bring a ..."2nd pack" which I wear backwards on my chest. .

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The official approved name of these is "Euro BackPacker Pregnancy Simulator". CE approved!!!