rabbit ears approach?

[dan_forester]

anyone know the best way to get to the rabbit ears (by table mtn in the columbia gorge)?

 

thanks,

Dan

[fgw]

Sent you a pm - basically, might want to check this:

 

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/169290/the-rabbit-ears.html

 

 

[dan_forester]

thanks for that link, radek - didn't get yr pm, though?

 

I guess what I'm wondering is where exactly the best place to leave the PCT is - a few years ago I bushwhacked around the area following lots of spurious flagging tape but didn't see anything like a decent route to the base of the bunny ears. sounds like I just need to try harder.

[cluck]

 

I guess what I'm wondering is where exactly the best place to leave the PCT is - a few years ago I bushwhacked around the area following lots of spurious flagging tape but didn't see anything like a decent route to the base of the bunny ears. sounds like I just need to try harder.

 

Turn right at the place where the spur trail for the Table Mtn hike from the road hits the PCT. You are right about the bush wack. It isn't too bad. You just have to keep going. You get views of the ears periodically. My experience on the way there is to steer a bit right and lower than you think. Otherwise you end up having to do more boulder hopping than you might like. Have fun on the dirt thrutch up to the base of the "climb". If you like 3rd class weed, root and blow down pulling, you will like this one. One suggestion. Wait to do this until later in the fall, Winter or early Spring when the worst of the Summer crap has died down. Makes the schwacking much more simple.

[dan_forester]

hey, thank you cluck. that's roughly the area I thrashed around in a while ago. anyone up for a fall tour of what sounds like a gorge classic, let me know.

[billcoe]

I might be up for it on a rest day.

[letsroll]

Yo dan I would be up for that as well. Who is going to pack the beer???

[dan_forester]

how about this saturday?

 

 

[billcoe]

Sorry, climbing.

 

Real climbing....

Edited September 13, 2007 by billcoe

[dan_forester]

bill, what snobbery - too good for root pulling! someday I'd like to give this "real climbing" a try, though.

[dan_forester]

thanks cluck & fgw for the approach/climb beta. my buddy Tom & I went up to the rabbit ears yesterday. I think we took a little different path to get there - after scouting it out on the "2 chiefs trail" we took the pct west from the spur trail junction maybe 3/4 mile, then bushwhacked north/northeast to the base of the gully on the east side. we didn't gain too much elevation on the bushwhack, so it was pretty easy.

 

the 3rd class dirt thrutch/root pulling extravaganza was among the best I've ever done, complete with rotten-log-ladder climbing. and I won't spoil the adventure quality of this route by offering too much specific beta, but I will say you can leave most of your rack at home for this one. long slings to hitch tiny pine trees provided the best pro for the route. I did get a couple of larger cam placements in that provided some measure of mental comfort. bring webbing for the rap anchors (a couple bolts, and pitons placed by the ancients).

 

the view from the summit is pretty awesome, actually made me wish I'd brought a camera. and the rock quality rivals that of some of Oregon's most majestic peaks...by which of course I mean that it's really, really awful. probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.

[cluck]

and the rock quality rivals that of some of Oregon's most majestic peaks...by which of course I mean that it's really, really awful. probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.

 

I'm glad you had fun. It isn't exactly climbing and the rock is of the most special quality. But, it is different and was fun. Every time I drive through the Gorge and look over fondly at the Rabbit Ears and smile knowing I likely won't have to go up there again but happy I did so safely once.