climbing near Eugene, OR?

[chrisbursey]

Im considering moving to oregon in august, but I need to know how the climbing is there before I consider it. If anyone could give me an honest interpretation of how the climbing is there I would greatly apperciate it. I am mostly interested in single and multi-pitch trad routes. Also, how is the weather, and does it really rain all the time like everyone says? I would be moving to Eugene because thats where the school that my girl friend would be going to, but i told her if there wasnt good climbing I wouldnt go. I know its two hours from smith rock, but Ive only ever heard of this as a sport climbing destination. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[ivan]

there's plenty of high-quality trad climbing at smith as well - still, if you had a girlfriend in yosemite...

 

if you like climbing actual mountains, get yourself a school-girl from uw or western

[Lambone]

Smith isn't only Sport Climbing. There are fun trad routes that are usually less crowded. The cracks are a little funky and rough, but still fun.

 

The best place near Eugenbe is actually probly south in Roseburg, called Calahans...Sandstone sport climbing.

 

Eugene is a cool town, but yes it does rain a lot. Whether you go or not should also be a factor of where you are now, and how close you are with this girl.

[111]

You could spend a year in the lower gorge at smith and not tick it all. and right in downtown Eugene you have Columns (more like, tick them all in an afternoon, but whatever) and there are basalt columns all over oregon that need climbing.

 

As far as rain goes, 2/3 of oregon is desert (<15 in. per year) but the 1/3 west of the cascades makes up for the other 2/3 as far as precip goes.

 

As far as your GF and climbing goes, way to have your priorities straight!

[texplorer]

Ok Chris,

I have lived in Portland and Eugene.

 

First, Smith Rock is more like 3 hours from Eugene and it is spectacular. I second all the comments about the trad climbing there. You will be hardpressed to find a better single pitch trad destination than the gorge at Smith. There is plenty of sport and trad at Smith to keep you busy for 3-4 years of school in Eugene. Smith also stays dry since it is on the "desert" side of the mountains.

 

The problem is that there is not alot of other great places near Eugene and those that are closer are wet alot of the year.

 

As mentioned there are the columns right in town but they are pretty limited. I ended up soloing all of them except the .11 there.

 

The Calahans are ok but they are closely bolted sport.

 

Flagstone is about an 1.5 hours away and is pretty fun sport - recent routes however have spoiled the area with overbolted 5.3's (no joke)

 

There are a few other places less traveled and "secret" - Wolf Rock, Moolack, The Menagerie that are about 1.5-2.5 hours away. Check out the Mountainproject.com for info on some of these places. The others you'll have to find a local to take you.

 

Overall I would give Eugene the town and scene an A+++. Its a cool place with pretty cool people and you can get around town anywhere on a bike. As far as the climbing goes I would say it gets a B-. It's pretty dismall from Oct to June unless you make the trip over the mouuntains to Smith.

 

I think the top climbing Universities would be in Boulder, Flagstaff, Salt Lake, Sacramento, Vegas or Montana.

 

These are my opinions after having lived there and by no means are definative. Hope this helps

Edited May 13, 2008 by texplorer

[sk]

Chris,

 

I am an Oregon native. All Tex said is true. There is climbing here it just isn't Yos. the things i would add are Washington is close and there is a great deal of climbing there. 5 - 7 hours of driving takes you to some of the most beautiful cragging and mountain climbing in the world.

 

if you do end up coming to Eugene... send me a PM and I will be more than happy to show you around and give a belay at the collums.

 

on a personal note, if my boy friend told me the thing you told your girl friend about if the climbing was bad you wouldn't go, i would have kicked his ass to the curb.

[Jay Chute]

Theres like 5 sick places to climb within an ear shot of eugene. Theres Managerie and Wolf rock but these are not for beginners and take some hiking. Google Turkey Monster and youll find out. Everybody talks about smith but theres lines of people and its far from Eugene.

[fgw]

the best desert tower climbing in Oregon.

[ryland_moore]

It is all relative. I lived in Eugene for 4 years, and while I spent a lot of time at Smith on the weekends, I still never had problems driving up the the North Cascades and Leavenworth in WA almost every weekend during the summers to get my fix of alpine trad. Supplement that with sport climbing and exploratory climbing to the south and you will find plenty to keep you busy. Granted I'd leave Eugene at 5 on Friday, get to the TH at midnight and climb for two days before heading back and getting back to Eugene late on Sunday night, but it was well worth it. With gas prices being so high now, my opinion may change, but it beats a lot of other places I have lived. You could always move to Bend if the girl thing didn't wrk out and be that much closer......

[texplorer]

nice pic fqw

[fgw]

nice pic fqw

thanks!