vantage rock fall

[tomtom]

Sooooooooooooooo sick of people dissing on "Vantage". Actually you can diss on Vantage all you want - it's a crumby little town with no climbing. Frenchman Coulee, however, is a really fun place to climb, great cracks, fun well-protected sport routes, good weather. So the rock is a little loose - isn't climbing supposed to be a little risky? Use some common sense, for Dog's sake! Been climbing there for 20 years now - never pulled off a loose rock without meaning to. Question: Why do Washington (maybe just wet side?) climbers feel they have to name every crag after the last town they drive through on their way there from Seattle? (even when the crag actually has a name?) If every place was like that, we'd be climbing at Terrebonne, Almo, Slade (KY), Las Vegas, Joshua Tree (oops, guess that one's OK). I think all the choss-dissing wankers SHOULD go climbing at Vantage (I think maybe there's a V23 or 5.15h up the north face of the Golden Harvest Motel) - and stay away from Frenchman Coulee, it's getting a little crowded from all those poor uninformed non-snobby folks that actually enjoy the place.

 

Actually, most of the climbing is not in Frenchman Coulee, but on the walls of Echo Basin.

[Edlinger]

Sooooooooooooooo sick of people dissing on "Vantage". Actually you can diss on Vantage all you want - it's a crumby little town with no climbing. Frenchman Coulee, however, is a really fun place to climb, great cracks, fun well-protected sport routes, good weather. So the rock is a little loose - isn't climbing supposed to be a little risky? Use some common sense, for Dog's sake! Been climbing there for 20 years now - never pulled off a loose rock without meaning to. Question: Why do Washington (maybe just wet side?) climbers feel they have to name every crag after the last town they drive through on their way there from Seattle? (even when the crag actually has a name?) If every place was like that, we'd be climbing at Terrebonne, Almo, Slade (KY), Las Vegas, Joshua Tree (oops, guess that one's OK). I think all the choss-dissing wankers SHOULD go climbing at Vantage (I think maybe there's a V23 or 5.15h up the north face of the Golden Harvest Motel) - and stay away from Frenchman Coulee, it's getting a little crowded from all those poor uninformed non-snobby folks that actually enjoy the place.

 

Actually, most of the climbing is not in Frenchman Coulee, but on the walls of Echo Basin.

 

True about the echo basin fact.

And to chip in-if you are going by town names, the crags are actually closer to Vantage as a crow flies (via the river) than to George or any other town so you are correct if you call the area "Vantage". Keep doing so.

[G-spotter]

Anybody remember the Vance Atkins accident story from Vantage where he pulled off a giant block, hit his belayer, broke his belayer's shoulder, belayer lost control of the belay, Atkins then fell on and hit belayer, breaking his ankle and rupturing the belayer's spleen? Yeah, helmet would have made SUCH a difference there.

[Alpinfox]

...

My advice... if you are going to Vantage for your dose of sun, clip bolts and leave everything except the quickdraws at home.

 

I remember once seeing a picture of someone holding a chunk of rock WITH A BOLT IN IT that fell out of one of the climbs at the Feathers.

 

 

[G-spotter]

It was Rodchester's photo (RIP)

[mountainmatt]

Yeah, helmet would have made SUCH a difference there.

 

Next time you go to Vantage, just bring one of these:

 

[Bishopp66]

Can we go ahead and agree on two things?

 

1. It can be a bit dangerous at Vantage (Frenchman's Coulee).

2. Let's change the name to Frenchman's Shit-ee. Now that the toilets are gone, a little chossy rock will be the least of your worries.

 

And now for the best climbing quote ever... while camping at the feathers last weekend, an un-named climber tourched a huge puft of grass. This was a hugh fire, the hillside was a-glow. A few of us ran over and saw that someone was there (we thougth a camp fire cought something else on fire). Un-named climber was holding a beer with a huge grin on his face. He looked over at us, seeing the concer we had for what was going on he said: "I usually wouldn't do this, but I've got a helluva buzz on". I felt bad for the wasted fauna, but it was quite classic!

[CollinWoods]

"I usually wouldn't do this, but I've got a helluva buzz on"

 

"Vantage is quite the place to pary..."-An Unnamed Climber

Edited April 15, 2009 by CollinWoods

[Raindawg]

 

Un-named climber was holding a beer with a huge grin on his face. He looked over at us, seeing the concer we had for what was going on he said: "I usually wouldn't do this, but I've got a helluva buzz on". I felt bad for the wasted fauna, but it was quite classic!

 

Thanks for proving my point that it isn't all just a bunch of crack-smokin' Gorge concert-goers that are trashing Vantage. Climbers are certainly playing a role. Apart from the self-righteous grid-bolting "creationists" who leave their permanently affixed garbage every few feet, you got your brush-burning maniacs, indiscriminate crappers (some with their crapping dogs), and granola-bar-wrapper leavin' "climber/outdoor environmentalists" who LEAVE THEIR TRACE as a regular mess at the base of some of those FANTASTIC "climbs".

Makes...me...wanna...HURL!!!

[Matt_Alford]

Now you guys are scaring me. I was just starting to love those trad routes. Has anyone taken a whipper on gear at vantage...safely?

 

Granted, I knew the plates fall out occasionally, but those cracks don't look that rotten.

 

20 footer on Bob's Your Uncle with a a Blue TCU. No worries.

[obwan]

Climbing desert basalt can be sketchy in the early Spring after all the Winter freezing, and then the thaw.

It's been said before at Vantage, if you like the jugs holds so well - you even get to take one home now and then.

Regarding Trad falls there - Tony B. just reminded me of one he calls a 45 ft whipper. Lucky for me I had an experienced belayer, I peeled on Pat's Crack (not a difficult climb) as I was trying to get my hand in the crack, and jiggled the rope which caused the piece to walk out. I was about 65-70 feet up and about 15-20feet above my last pro - a Metolius #5, four cam unit (black); and it held. The total fall was then a 40-45footer - one called a "screamer" as the free fall is long enough to cause a scream. Being light wt (120lbs) and a new rope sure helped , also the Fall factor was low, say about.4 or.5 - not one to brag about.

[rob]

There used to be an entire extra wall at vantage, but it fell on me once while climbing. Good thing I had a helmet on.

[sobo]

There used to be an entire extra wall at vantage, but it fell on me once while climbing. Good thing I had a helmet on.

Gee, and it was only a single column that fell off while I was climbing on it. I feel cheated...

[goatboy]

Hey Plaisir, you sound really "non snobby."

 

As a West Sider, I was wondering what you call the climbing areas that I refer to as Index and Mazama?

 

You must have a really informed name for those places.

 

[goatboy]

...

My advice... if you are going to Vantage for your dose of sun, clip bolts and leave everything except the quickdraws at home.

 

I remember once seeing a picture of someone holding a chunk of rock WITH A BOLT IN IT that fell out of one of the climbs at the Feathers.

 

 

I saw a rock on the trail at Vantage with a bolt attached to it, my first trip to Vantage, walking to the Sunshine Wall.

[fredrogers]

Hey Plaisir, you sound really "non snobby."

 

As a West Sider, I was wondering what you call the climbing areas that I refer to as Index and Mazama?

 

You must have a really informed name for those places.

 

 

Well, technically, Fun Rock is on the border Mazama and "Lost River", then you have Goat Wall (In between Mazama and Lost River), and Prospector is Beyond Lost River.

 

Seriously, who gives a hoot?

 

I'd suggest bringing a helmet to Mazama as well, esp. in the Spring. It was cold here this winter and the rock is chossy to begin with.

 

 

 

 

 

[MarkMcJizzy]

Sooooooooooooooo sick of people dissing on "Vantage". Actually you can diss on Vantage all you want - it's a crumby little town with no climbing. Frenchman Coulee, however, is a really fun place to climb, great cracks, fun well-protected sport routes, good weather. ..... Question: Why do Washington (maybe just wet side?) climbers feel they have to name every crag after the last town they drive through on their way there from Seattle? (even when the crag actually has a name?) .....it's getting a little crowded from all those poor uninformed non-snobby folks that actually enjoy the place.

 

I have heard it refered to as Vantage many more times than "Frenchmans Coulee". I first climbed there in 1981 with Doug Klewin, and we refered to it as Vantage. I spoke to Fred Stanley and Jack Powell seperately and soon after, and they both called it "the climbing near Vantage". I don't know what to tell you, but I suggest that you brush up on the requirements for your 509'er merit badge, and have the Clinic at Moses Lake remove that chip from your shoulder, it makes you seem like a snob

 

Sincerely

A proud 360'er

 

 

[max]

...have the Clinic at Moses Lake remove that chip

 

Hey 206'er:

 

I think you're thinking of Medical Lake.

[Gary_Yngve]

Question: Why do Washington (maybe just wet side?) climbers feel they have to name every crag after the last town they drive through on their way there from Seattle? (even when the crag actually has a name?) If every place was like that, we'd be climbing at Terrebonne, Almo, Slade (KY), Las Vegas, Joshua Tree (oops, guess that one's OK).

 

Where do you get that from?

 

Climbers don't drive through Vantage. You drive to George for the Taco Truck. The road is called Old Vantage Hwy, I think. Maybe folks didn't want to call it Freedom Coulee.

 

Regarding other areas in WA, I see general regions and then individual creeks, trailheads, and walls.

 

Yeah, we do have the areas Index, Leavenworth, and Darrington that are named after towns (and Index after a mountain too). But I think that works well for quickly explaining what you're doing. I can go climbing one day in the Icicle and another in the Tumwater but describe the whole thing as Leavenworth. Within Darrington, Squire Creek, 3 o'clock Rock, etc. Index.. LTW, UTW..

 

Tieton seems to be named after the river. Erie is not called Anacortes. X32/Little Si is not called North Bend. What else am I missing?

[Peter_Puget]

It’s a 509 inferiority complex. “Vantage” was known as “Vantage” for years before the 509 contingent started publicizing their “discovery.” Mark McJizzy first went there in 1981. I was taken there by another person around the same time. The person that took me there asked me if I wanted to go climbing at “Vantage.” I jumped at the chance to check out a new area and didn't confuse undocumented with unclimbed.

[Dirtyleaf]

I still don't understand why this subject is brought up as often as it is. By now the overall dislike and chossy nature of vantage has been well established by many an intrepid adventurer.Madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes, is a little push. Rocks will fall, come loose, and break apart. If Vantage bothers you, go somewhere else.

[MarkMcJizzy]

It’s a 509 inferiority complex. “Vantage” was known as “Vantage” for years before the 509 contingent started publicizing their “discovery.”

 

Calling the major Washington rock climbing areas after the nearest town is not new. The first three guide books to Pugetopolis rock climbing: Guide to Leavenworth rock climbing (Beckey, 1965), Rock climbing: Leavenworth and Index, a guide (Carlstad and Brooks 1976), Darrington and Index rock climbing guide (Beckey, 1976). Dr Whats his name needs to vent his anger at these three, and get off his bully pulpit.

[Peter_Puget]

Whatever you do don't mention Peshastin Pinnacles!

[G-spotter]

Cashmere Crags?

[CollinWoods]

There is a "town" of Peshastin.