Raindawg Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Took a little visit to the "Fun Forest" off Denny Creek Road a couple of days ago. It should be renamed "Forest of Shame". The place has been hopelessly abused. I've heard the old, lame excuse that Exit 38 is a choss heap left over from railroad construction so it's "O.K." to drill the crap out of it. Well the "Fun Forest" certainly isn't. It's a cute little crag of beautiful granite: We're not looking at El Cap, here. This thing is about 25 feet tall. My guidebook lists this tiny tower as a top-rope experience. The bolts are circled. This picture doesn't capture the full extent of the ridiculous metallic trail installed on this little face but I've circled the artificial elements I could pick out in the image...there are a lot more. Some seem to be installed next to protectable cracks taking smaller pro. Whatever. They're so close together you could practice aid climbing up this thing. The guidebook has a couple of route right here: It's either "Wild Mouse" (10d)...."Pro to 2" including TCU's" or "Flight to Mars" (11aR), so it seems that one of these was likely retrobolted or it's a relatively new bolted squeeze job. Why must this persist? Everything here can likely be easily top-roped. Quote
billcoe Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Holy crap.....I cannot begin to tell you have I wish I had some (NOT ALL DAMNIT) of my words back. Someone obviously just learned to climb in the gym and saw this lil crag.... I have told you before that I suspected that in our arguements we should, would and could be agreeing more than we would be disagreeing, such is the case here. Sad day. Quote
RuMR Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Took a little visit to the "Fun Forest" off Denny Creek Road a couple of days ago. It should be renamed "Forest of Shame". The place has been hopelessly abused. I've heard the old, lame excuse that Exit 38 is a choss heap left over from railroad construction so it's "O.K." to drill the crap out of it. Well the "Fun Forest" certainly isn't. It's a cute little crag of beautiful granite: We're not looking at El Cap, here. This thing is about 25 feet tall. My guidebook lists this tiny tower as a top-rope experience. The bolts are circled. This picture doesn't capture the full extent of the ridiculous metallic trail installed on this little face but I've circled the artificial elements I could pick out in the image...there are a lot more. Some seem to be installed next to protectable cracks taking smaller pro. Whatever. They're so close together you could practice aid climbing up this thing. The guidebook has a couple of route right here: It's either "Wild Mouse" (10d)...."Pro to 2" including TCU's" or "Flight to Mars" (11aR), so it seems that one of these was likely retrobolted or it's a relatively new bolted squeeze job. Why must this persist? Everything here can likely be easily top-roped. dwayner...i usually consider you a frickin' tool of the lowest order, but i gotta agree with you on this one... Quote
kevbone Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Did you climb any of the bolted routes? That’s what I thought. Still another version of your snob approach to the outdoors. I am in no way supporting this bolting job, but you seem to judge from a distance a lot. I work with a person who states she hates Thai food but has never tried it WTF….you and her need to get together and go bowling. Quote
RuMR Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 no dude...that's just wrong...sorry, i don't need to experience something necessarily to make a judgement call...PARTICULARLY if they've been bouldered or led before on available gear... Point is, its crap like this and exit38, newhalem, etc. that is causing such a negative reaction to sportclimbing... PS: Dwayner's still a dork though... Quote
rob Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 so, when are we going to go out and chop them? I'd sacrifice a Saturday. I've never climbed there, and I've been meaning to.... Quote
StevenSeagal Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 No, no, no...really, you guys just need to hop on these testpieces before judging. Soon you'll feel the adventure rippling in your blood, hands quaking as you make the clip while trying not to glance down in the far distance at that last bolt next to your crotch. Quote
tanstaafl Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 Someone obviously just learned to climb in the gym and saw this lil crag.... Because no one who learned to climb outside would ever overbolt anything, right? Quote
DCramer Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) The funny thing was last Saturday I was talking about this with a friend. The bolts are not “new.” In fact they pre-date cc.com. Back while compiling Sky Valley Rock I was told that some people wanted to turn the Fun Forest into a sport area. In order to spread the word about the place as a TR/lead area I decided to put it in SVR. As it turns out it was too little too late. Shortly after SVR came out I was shown a small hand drawn guide to new routes along I-90. One of the areas unknown to me was “Exit 42” which held several new routes. Later I was a bit surprised to discover an old area had been renamed and routes renamed and bolted. I went out once with the intention of removing the bolts but all I had was a crappy crescent wrench which wasn’t up to the task. The line in the second picture is The Mystical Garden of Free Wheeling Animals. A variation leading left to Wild Mouse has been bolted as well. The Pillar was originally TR’d but the main face (not the chimney) has been bolted for years and is actually a good route. I think a close look would reveal some old chopped studs. The chimney route to the left was bolted by the same group that bolted the Mystical Garden. Some old routes at the Fun Forest utilized bots. For example, Vulcan Death Group climbs past an ancient bolt ladder and the slab around to the left has a few scattered about. The area has some of the best cracks in Washington. Edited August 2, 2007 by DCramer Quote
crazy_t Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 I went there yesterday for the 1st time. Cool little crag, but I was surprised by the bolting too. Especially the protectable crack on the L w/ bolts every 4-5 feet. We just climbed a couple of short cracks around the corner. Too bad about the bolting; the joke is now it will likely see more action! Quote
Lithophiliac Posted August 2, 2007 Posted August 2, 2007 My .02 cents on the situation… I first climbed at the fun forest back in 1989 and loved it. I spent many fun evenings there when I was in school. Sure the routes were scary, but I got the on-sight on two of the routes pictured. The far right "tower" in the first picture had two bolts on it (one midway up the face and one for the belay. It was a scary lead, but good holds always appeared when you started thinking about the big whip. It was a great mental climb. Plus, if you didn't want to lead it, you could climb the back side and TR it. The main face route (second picture) was totally protectable and safe using the natural gear at the time and would be even easier/safer today with all the new stuff out there. It was a great trad lead with classic granite features. Now it has been reduced to a mindless clip feast I'm sure. I feel luckier each day to have started climbing back when the majority of climbers had real ethics and cared for the rock. I fear that real trad climbing won't even exist in a few years at this rate. Please one of you kind locals chop this crap so I don't have to drive over 200 miles to do it. When will the disrespect for established lines end?? Quote
MCash Posted August 5, 2007 Posted August 5, 2007 The first photo shows the 5.8 chimney on the left and E-Ticket (10c) on the right. Neither climb is leadable without the bolts. Both of those routes are pretty fun, there is no reason to get pissed over 2 good routes with fixed protection at a small crack climbing crag. Mystical Garden is the second photo has natural protection on it. It is very small in some places and would be a bit runout, but that is no excuse for bolting it. I am in favor of that one getting chopped. No, I haven't lead this one, but have inspected it carefully on rappel and TR. As for Forrest of Shame comments, I like that place. It has several VERY good routes on it like Wild Mouse, the 5.9 next to it, and Clash City Crack on the rightmost crag. A fun place to go climbing after work and much closer than Index. Quote
Dechristo Posted August 5, 2007 Posted August 5, 2007 The first photo shows the 5.8 chimney on the left and E-Ticket (10c) on the right. Neither climb is leadable without the bolts. ??? Quote
Raindawg Posted August 5, 2007 Author Posted August 5, 2007 The first photo shows the 5.8 chimney on the left and E-Ticket (10c) on the right. Neither climb is leadable without the bolts. So don't lead them, dude. It's a ridiculous example of overbolting...that little pedestal is about 25 feet tall with easily accessible top-rope anchors. Chop it and top it, I say. Both of those routes are pretty fun, there is no reason to get pissed over 2 good routes with fixed protection at a small crack climbing crag. Read the acres and acres of comments about bolting and grid-bolting and overbolting on cc.com and you'll get a grasp of the issues. Start by re-reading the comments above. Sounds like you're willing to "write off" the "Fun Forest" because it's small. As for Forrest of Shame comments, I like that place. Many do, and that's why some of us are disgusted with the way it's been treated. Quote
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