Spilling The Beans: Nason Ridge

[drater]

Don't make me kill you.

 

I was referring to the "unlike anything else in the state" part.

 

Coming east before becoming a fulltime crystal gazer?

Edited May 14, 2007 by Blowboarder

[kix]

prolly no further east than the icicle.

 

 

[EWolfe]

Thanks, Kix.

 

BB: Yes, we all know that you are the master of the "secret" crags.

 

My reference was to the ones we all know.

 

Enjoy your solidarity while it lasts, don't be bitter when it is no more.

[drater]

BB: Yes, we all know that you are the master of the "secret" crags.

 

The surface has barely been scratched.

 

Those lines look pimp, I like your cave.

[sparkytheflash]

Secret areas are bullshit.

No,crowded areas are bullshit.

 

with routes from 5.10 to 5.12, chances of being crowded ever = 0%

 

It is possible that G-spotter hasn't seen world wall I at its worst where there are people on every route from bust a move to reptiles and from the corner to the end of the world. there are plenty of climbers that would flock to a climbing area that had quality routes from 5.10 to 5.12 more than enough to over crowd the area. as long as we are courteous to each other willing to work together and respectful of any land owners over crowding won't have to be an insurmountable problem.

 

sometimes it is nesesarry to keep climbing area quiet until things are work out with land owners. it is not usually because the developers are trying to keep something for themselves they are just trying to be respectful. as far as i know they had every intention of releasing the information once issues were resolved. after the trail went in more people found out about nason than had ever before and they were true to their word.

 

Perhaps G-spotter is a 5.13 or better climber and does not climb where the rest of us mere mortals reside in the 5.10 to 5.12 range. Regardless I feel I am in one of the most populated sections of the climbing community that being the 5.10 to 5.12 range. I am constantly waiting in line for climbs but you know what I do, I ask the climber where they have climbed lately or what goals they have for the season and i share many of my recent experiences and by the time we are done talking they are usually finished with the climb. Let's take a greater interest in each others climbing instead of fighting about how crowded it is or how close the bolts are or how many anchors are on a route. Nothing will ruin this sport more than infighting amongst ourselves.

 

Dave

 

[sparkytheflash]

I am new to this forum since I've been lock out of it for 3 years or so because of an inactive account and I was reluctant to establish a new email address, but I am back and I am sure many of you know me and are not aware of it. Mr. E. named many faithful contributors to the climbing at Nason, but I believe he forgot a few names that I am sure was not intentional but that should still be noted since they put in their fair share of hard work and time into Nason ridge as much as anybody else there. Matt Kerns, Greg Collum and Jason Kohler(who's name may have been mentioned by a username) are a few men that really could care less if their names were listed in a forum on cascade climbers. I feel, however, that if this venue is going to take off it is important for the climbing community to know the roots of their favorite climbing areas and that people know who all the major players involved were so we can thank them for their hard work when we see them at various crags or around town, we owe it to them to show our gratefulness for the work they have done.

 

I have unique knowledge of this area since I too was introduced to it by one of the route setters, that being Matt Kerns. Matt knew the property owners personally and did his best to keep a good relationship between the owners and climbers. Climbers were even allowed to park on their driveway at that time. Things were going well until someone camped on their driveway. Hence the name of the route in the center of the biggest cave that starts with the green sling, angry camper (I'm assuming he was angry because he couldn't camp on their driveway). It is not important who this climber was, since they know who they are, but instead it is important that we learn from their mistake.

 

In March 2006 shortly after I began going to Nason ridge with Matt a note was posted on a tree just down the driveway with a no trespassing sign next to it (I believe the no trespassing sign is still on that tree but the note is gone). The note read something to the effect of "Climbers: The owners of this property have put in a trail that begins behind the mail boxes. Please use that path rather than coming down the driveway." Matt and I were very excited about this development since it meant that our access would be preserved for a longer period of time and were astonished that the owners would do all that work for us as well as themselves. The trail looked like it was no more than a week or two old. Matt and I spent about 2 hours going through there and trimming back many of the branches that were missed, moved logs and hung more ribbons than were already there to make it easier to find your way through. The important thing to note about this trail is that it is on the owner's property. Their property according to Matt extends 50 feet east(right) of the driveway. They have been gracious enough to put this trail in on their own property and we need to repay them the favor by being as invisible as possible when we cross their land. I believe that is really what they want is to just not see or hear us if at all possible.

 

I am not aware of the no trespassing sign in question which is interesting because I stopped to get an address off one of the mail boxes just 3 or 4 weeks ago. Perhaps it is recent. I am certain that if there is a new no trespassing sign behind the mail boxes it was because too many people were walking down their driveway. If we can impress upon all the people that we tell about this area the importance of being courteous while crossing their property and give them good directions so they don't have to walk down their driveway and if we avoid parking too close to the entrance of their driveway we can preserve many good years of climbing at this awesome place allowing us time to make other arrangements for a trail that interferes less with their property.

 

Another issue that is worth noting concerns the route setters. Nason is set up very uniquely and generously in that the anchors at least on Collm's and Kern's (I'm not sure if I've been on Erik's routes so I cannot comment on how his anchors are set up) routes are set right at the lip of the highest roof so the chains will hang down with ovals and lockers on them. They would like to ask that anyone visiting the crag please leave the fixed draws and anchor carabineers in place and do not remove them. If something needs replacing and you take the responsibility to remove it then take the responsibility to replace it, don't just take it off for someone else to get screwed by the absence of the gear. Also the equipment at the base needs to remain where it is. Don't steal the route setters gear. This will keep them happy and they will continue to set awesome routes for us. Let's work together to keep this venue open and a safe place to climb.

 

Dave

 

[Off_White]

Dave, thanks for the wealth of first hand information and history.

[EWolfe]

Most excellent reporting Dave. Thanks for the information. I did deliberately leave out the names of the developers because i didn't feel it was my place to "Out" them. Now that you have, I would like to say thanks to Matt Kerns, Greg Collum and Jason Kohler for all of their hard work and great routes.

 

Dave: my routes are the three or four .11s on the right side of the East Wall, and the entire smaller crag just east of the main formation.

Any work going on in the huge goat cave east of there?

 

Again, thanks for your updates and info, they are invaluable for maintaining access.

 

Erik Wolfe

[sparkytheflash]

That's a good point about outing them. to be honest i do not know Greg personally but i feel connected to him through Matt. Matt on the other hand realizes that his work in tieton, nason and other places are often talked about and is pretty open about where he developes if there are no access issues. when the trail was put in he gave me the go ahead to help spread the word. so i felt comfortable mentioning his involvement. but it is good to be Cautious. he also expressed a desire in the past to help inform people of the protocal (ie. leaving anchor bineers and other equipment on the wall and at the base, not walking down the driveway with the trail present now and not parking too close to the driveway as well) that needs to be established at nason now that it was getting more attention from other climbers. thanks for the feed back erik.

 

Dave

[sparkytheflash]

if some are wondering why this thread was moved from the rock climbing board to the access board, it was for 2 reasons.

 

one because it really is more about access issues rather than just a new place to climb. that became apparent pretty quickly considering the discusion that took place.

 

second is because one of the routesetter that knows the owners of the property very well is concerned about the additional no tresspassing signs that have recently appeared along the road by the mailboxes, which were not there when the owners put the trail in a year ago last march. obviously the development of that trail has no solved the problems that the owners of the property had hoped it would solve and are appearently reconsidering their position on the matter of allowing climber traffic to pass on their property.

 

we must take this slowly and go through the proper channels with regards to nason access or access there could be limited to an even greater and more long term extent if we are not careful. this routesetter has requested that if you know where nason is to tread lightly and definately do not walk down the owners driveway! if you can't find the trail go climb somewhere else. we should all do our very best not to over-advertise the location of nason not because we are trying to keep it for ourselves but because there are real land ownership issues that need to be worked out before any and all climbers can enjoy the great climbing at nason.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

dave

[Alpinfox]

 

There were four cars (the most I've ever seen) parked by the end of the driveway last weekend.

 

I wonder what impact this thread has been having on traffic up there.

 

[EWolfe]

Bump. Any updates on access? New route development?

 

Erik

[billcoe]

The area is awesome and is perhaps the only area where you don't have to have any footwork skill or endurance to climb hard.

 

 

This is what I can bring to the table. My foot work and endurance suck with the lowest of them. Ask anyone.

 

 

However, once we're done discussing my inadaquacies...........ahhh, shit, I bet you really don't need any of my advice from an old man..... but...well, just hearing the phrase "route developer" still grates hard....these routes have always been there, someone just finally climbed them. To be a "developer" ya grind and crank some bolts into some plywood in a gym....P.l.e.a.s.e! . Any pussy can do that. Hell, I could do it...or at least in a gym for sure.

 

Hope that it all goes well for you folks, but now that it's on the internet....sigh......

 

PS, I wonder if anyone else can still see new route potential from this picture *cough*tradgear*cough*crack*tradgear*cough*.

 

 

This must not be one of Mister E's routes, what is that between bolts? 3 feet? 2? But I digress, great color on the pics, but do you really want this on the internet?

[crazy_t]

Got to echo the fact that Kerns is a badass. You wouldn't hear that from him, but the guys pulls down.

[billcoe]

Got to echo the fact that Kerns is a badass. You wouldn't hear that from him, but the guys pulls down.

 

Don't know Matt, but Jason wanders down this way on occasion. I was once up in the almost deep woods (for sure a no people area) and here comes Jason wandering through with his lil pup in a child carrier....it's so so shockingly out of place and time.....very surreal. The lil kid was a champ, really a keeper. Jason sure seems like good people and a good father. The guy had arms the size of my thighs, and really hadn't been out much at that time cause of back related issues.

 

Hope he's feeling better.

[EWolfe]

Bill: I almost lead that crack on gear, but it peters out at the top. But here's a .10+ crack/trad climb for ya just around the corner:

 

 

And our favorite boulder boy, somewhat out of character:

 

 

Erik

[lancegranite]

Kohler is the Colt Seavers of PNW rock climbing.

[bwrts]

almost looks like the man.

[lancegranite]

The guy is the unsung hero in my book.

And, he's never been with anything less than a 9!

[olyclimber]

i see that nason is getting pimped in rock & ice as a place to check out

[billcoe]

i see that nason is getting pimped in rock & ice as a place to check out

 

Yes it must be the middle part of the sequence.

 

1) Spray about the secret place on the net.

 

2) Have it picked up en mass by the pleebes, dicks and asswipes.

 

3) Either lament the closure, or reminisce about the old days before the government got involved and started dogging everyone and charging for parking.

 

 

#2 commencing.