PDX Climbing Urban Wall

[castlecrag]

So, the Seattle has plenty of urban spots to get some bouldering/climbing in close by (Marymoor, Beacon Hill, UW rock, Tacoma), but Portland is essentially w/o any options (minus the little wall up near Rocky Butte). Whussup?? 8D

 

Granted I’d much rather be climbing on real rock vs. these man made structures, but I was thinking that an outdoor wall in one of the local parks would be a nice addition to Portland. There are times when a trip out to one of the local crags is not an option, but a wall close in to the city would be a nice place to get a workout in w/o having to tool around in a gym

 

So my question for ya’ll is, does anyone know why we don’t have an outdoor wall in PDX? Has anyone tried to get a wall built in PDX? (Minus the stealth wall built under the bridge for DT’ing, that lasted 6 months), nice attempt Johnny

 

The biggest hurdles I see to getting one built are

 

1) Liability – There should be ways around this since SEA area has added these structures to their parks. Plus we got skate parks all over the place, so their should be a pretty good argurment to knock this obstacle out

2) Money – Climbers aren’t exactly loaded with cash. A little fundraising effort could help with this one

 

just think, wouldn’t it be great to have a wall with a few splitters, some bouldering, and a nice traverse for a little urban training?

 

 

 

[JosephH]

Rocky Butte - real rock, real urban.

[John Frieh]

Has anyone tried to get a wall built in PDX? (Minus the stealth wall built under the bridge for DT'ing, that lasted 6 months), nice attempt Johnny

 

:laf:

 

The one I'm working on right now should last longer than 6 months!

 

I told you I'd help you build a climbing wall in your backyard! It will help your property value anyways

 

You should pay for one to be made Kirb! You're making the big bucks these days!

 

 

[cj001f]

there's several rock embankments you can climb. open your eyes

[billcoe]

You should pay for one to be made Kirb! You're making the big bucks these days!

 

 

Kirby, is that you?

 

Hey, the Railroad built one for us in Lake Oswego.

 

In the fine tradition of "if you bolt it they will come, and come they did". BTW, the center right route only has 1 good bolt for the anchor in case you're over that way with a drill and a bolt. John can give you the "tour de frieh" if you need directions.

 

BTW, I always figured that Salem would be a canditate for this, and I think someone told me that they had built something?

[ryland_moore]

If you drive on I-5 North past the Portland Blvd. exit but before you cross over to the Island, you will see some climbing holds drilled onto the noise barrier wall on the right hnd side. have no idea how to access these. Also, someone needs to put up some routes under the bridges by North portland off of Interstate just past Widmer! Those would be some sweet routes! Chatanooga did it, why can't PDX? They bolted and added on holds to the Walnut Street bridge right in downtown Chataboogie.

 

 

 

[John Frieh]

To date ODOT has chopped all routes/holds/bolts off bridges.

 

[kevbone]

If you drive on I-5 North past the Portland Blvd. exit but before you cross over to the Island, you will see some climbing holds drilled onto the noise barrier wall on the right hnd side. have no idea how to access these. Also, someone needs to put up some routes under the bridges by North portland off of Interstate just past Widmer! Those would be some sweet routes! Chatanooga did it, why can't PDX? They bolted and added on holds to the Walnut Street bridge right in downtown Chataboogie.

 

 

Ryland

 

 

Ryland...look closer and you will see someone has tied strings onto those "holds" you are referring too. They are there as weights to hold up the small trees on the other side of the wall.....I wondered about them for a while before I took a closer look.

[ryland_moore]

John, is it because they were pout up without permission? I know the guys at Rock Creek Outdoors who got the Parks Department to put up the wall. it runs like a regular climbing wall, with membership dues, it can be rented for groups, and staff to monitor and set up routes. Maybe that is too organized for most, but it would prevent the routes from getting chopped and by the time you ad up all the investment you lost on gear being chopped/removed, you could have simply paid the parks Department for a membership and still have the ability to climb there....Thanks for the update kev. It hslds trees up on the highway side? So, they cannot be used for climbing?

[castlecrag]

You guys are right in the sense that there are a few options out there. but there are a few drawbacks to each place.

 

Lake O

(+) South Facing, a few good routes

(-) not really much in terms of bouldering, limited selection of continuous cracks

 

Rocky Butte

(+) good selection of quality routes, some limited bouldering

(-) North facing which means often can't be climbed in winter, noise, needles, russians throwing beer bottles on my head

 

Bridges, and other structures aorund PDX

(+) Plenty of options aorund the city

(-) The days of evading law enforcement to climb are over (unless your name is John)

 

I was thinking of having a place that would be able to take the best of the urban areas and be a good training playground. I'm thinking of a Marymoor with a few extras like splitters for Joseph

[kevbone]

Thanks for the update kev. It hslds trees up on the highway side? So, they cannot be used for climbing?

 

If we are talking about the same thing (which I think we are), then it appears to be rocks thrown over the wall holding up trees on the house side of the wall.....weird!! At first I thought the same thing.....what are climbing holds doing here?

[billcoe]

You guys are right in the sense that there are a few options out there. but there are a few drawbacks to each place.

 

Lake O

(+) South Facing, a few good routes

(-) not really much in terms of bouldering, limited selection of continuous cracks

 

I got to hook you up with Ujahn, he use to live a block off the lake and has a couple of "secret" (God imaging that, a secret sort NONE OF THE WANKERS THAT POST HERE KNOWS ABOUT but me right in the middle of an urban area) bouldering spots which I showed up to and got my ass kicked good enough to get a burn and want to go back.

 

Rocky Butte

(+) good selection of quality routes, some limited bouldering

(-) North facing which means often can't be climbed in winter, noise, needles, russians throwing beer bottles on my head

 

Limited bouldering? I need to get you out here too. Best place in the world to do laps is right off the road on top. 2 laps and I'm spent, so 4 laps for John. BTW, I showed up the other day, first time this year and there was NObroken glass where the Russians use to be. Probably still should wear the helmet so you don't get tagged by a washing machine or 2.

 

Bridges, and other structures aorund PDX

(+) Plenty of options aorund the city

(-) The days of evading law enforcement to climb are over

 

I was thinking of having a place that would be able to take the best of the urban areas and be a good training playground. I'm thinking of a Marymoor with a few extras like splitters for Joseph

 

If Tim Braun still runs Portland Parks and Rec, he'd be the guy to approach with this. #1 dude, real good guy, if we could get him behind something.....?

 

Ideas? thoughts? Approaches? I don't think suggesting drilling into the Interstate bridge will fly by the engineers. I had an old climbing buddy who said that there was hot and cold running heart attacks in the engineering dept over there after they had built the friggan Fremont Bridge (I-405): no one had run a design simulation of what would happen if, during below freezing temps, an accident happened and traffic came to a wall to wall standstill ON THE BRIDGE.

 

Too much weight and too cold as it turns out: and it would collapse is what they determined one cold winter long after it was built. Total failure. Fit and Retro-fit were sitting on a fence, Fit fell off: RETROFIT.

 

Kind of like when they build that fancy Expo center with the acres of pretty glass. No design accomodation for how they were to get up there and clean it. RETROFIT!

 

So I wouldn't think you'll get to drill holes into the thing, even itty bitty 3/8 or 1/2 diameter.

 

But......

[castlecrag]

good points Bill.

 

My thoughts were to first get some rough esitmates on how much a project like this might cost. If it is reasonable, then I could approach someone within Portland P&R to see if there is any funding and/or support for a project like this. Knowing the state of the local government budget, it might take more of a grassroots effort to kick this off. More pub club fundraisers, or some funding from Club Milf members (since they are all loaded ya know)

[ryland_moore]

I just read that the City of Portland is flush with money due to development on the West side but that Multnomah is in the negative.......I am just saying that the bridge in Chatanooga built in theearly 1900s and still in use (limestone) was drilled. Are there are stone bridges around Portland like that? or all steel? it would be awesome to have Thailand-esque routes coming off of the Morrison or Burnside Bridges. They are retrofitting the Sellwood and Sauvie Island bridges right now. ouldn't they find an easy way to allow for bolts and hold holes? It really would not adffext the structure......I know this is a pipe dream....