cja Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 ...So I'm always looking at that large escarpment up above Rhododendron as I drive through there, so I went looking to check it out Saturday, whilst en route to Pete's. We drove around on the roads outside Rhodie, and found that the road just before the ZigZag Creek/River goes up up up... Turns out there's a camping area that you can drive to up above the rock, about 2 miles up the road, and it's already been developed a bit--I guess somebody's been everywhere. Not a whole slew of clean lines, but this thing is huge, it's got several sections; altogether, probably more wall than Ozone, and higher in places. I only saw a few bolted lines, 6 or 7, and they're quite spread out from one another. So much potential, I was so excited we never made it to Pete's. We climbed one bolted line, maybe 45 feet, 10- I'd say, and quite nice, sustained. About 100 feet left of that was another line with the first bolt on short but pleasing arete, about 25 feet up. To that point is easy climbing with a nice handcrack for gear, and up above the arete, a super-fun second pitch a bit overhung, but traversing up on big holds; that route also is probably 10- range. Another bolted line farther left looked blank and hard in the middle, and also looks like it has a second pitch through a roof above, also hard looking-- hard enough that I didn't think I could do it, but looks well-bolted. There looks to be lots of trad potential too, but much (re-?)cleaning is needed. Does anyone have beta on this place? Is it new or old? What's it called? Is it in any of the local/OR/NW guides? Thanks, ca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtguide Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 You've discovered French's Dome. There's an actual guidebook, pub. a few years back, and a thorough rundown on routes in the last edition of Tim Olson's Guide to Portland Rock climbs. A very well-known and developed crag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cja Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 nope, sorry, not French's. Well up 26 past Lolo Pass Rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Contact Tim Olsen. he's re-working the guide book and said he has a few new cliffs to toss into the book. Bet this is one of them, but if it isn't, he'd appreciate hearing about it I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemp22 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 (edited) Might be this one: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/oregon/ramona_creek_crag/106286504 If so, Talk to Andy who works at PRG. Edit: but actually, from your description, that doesn't really sound right - where exactly was this in relation to rhododendron? you're not talking about up on Tom, Dick, Harry peak, right? Edited July 29, 2009 by hemp22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrygunJim Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Koopa crack is on the Romona Falls trail loop, a cool wall that could prolly be much more developed. Not the crag in question, however. It is definitely not Tom,Dick,and Harry. Think more like right behind Dairy Queen in Rhododendron. You get just a glimpse of the wall up the ridge as you pass by. The Rhodie crag has been climbed by Govy inhabitants for decades and they probably appreciate the lack of publication on it's existence...Though the last walk I took up there it looked like it hadn't seen much action lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 The Rhodie crag has been climbed by Govy inhabitants for decades and they probably appreciate the lack of publication on it's existence. So? It's public land, innit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrygunJim Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 couldn't agree more. more traffic = clean routes, bring the public. notice i wasn't trying to defend localism by posting all but the gps coordinates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Of course, I see that now. Its true, on the wet side anything that doesn't get traffic will revert to the primordial moss in fairly short order. Should I move this thread to the Oregon Cascades so you guys will have something besides Mt Hood in there? I've been thinking on suggestions to break out Hood separately from Oregon, and it makes sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Thanks Doug. Spring is the worst then it tapers off to @ 50 percent late summer like now. I see the Mt Hood posts spill over on this climbing thread in the spring as well. At one time earlier this year I think there were more visible Mt Hood threads on there than everywhere else combined. Of course, 90 percent of the Oregon threads at that time are all Mt Hood. 2nd most climbed Mt in the world after Mt Fuji. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion_sonya Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 It's called the Swine and has been trafficed by Mt. Hood locals for years. There are a few old topo's out there, but none have been published as far as I know. While there are a few undeveloped lines there, most of the plum lines have been done at some time. Many are mixed and probably mossy so it may not be obvious from the cliff bottom that a route exists. I would guess the route count is near 25 or so for the three 'main' areas. A little beta: The bolted line in the middle of the wall is called Opal's Arete and is 5.11+. The extension through the roof is Sea Hag Roof and is 5.12-. Both are tributes to the Late Opal who owned what used to be called the Food and General (FAG) in Rhodie. Up the road a few more miles is another good all traditional crag near the falls ... There are lot's of little hidden crags on the mountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cja Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 Thanks Orion for the info... I didn't mention that there is a rope up there implying somebody's been doing some work lately. I was hoping whoever that might be would take the bait and at least send me a message...? As far as moving the thread, as far as I'm concerned, put it where it belongs. Obviously I'm pretty green here and wasn't real savvy to where I ought to post this one. Hell I don't even know why I'm a stranger and not a Noob. Maybe I'll graduate with a few more posts or maybe I need to fill something more out somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 It's called the Swine and has been trafficed by Mt. Hood locals for years. There are a few old topo's out there, but none have been published as far as I know. While there are a few undeveloped lines there, most of the plum lines have been done at some time. Many are mixed and probably mossy so it may not be obvious from the cliff bottom that a route exists. I would guess the route count is near 25 or so for the three 'main' areas. A little beta: The bolted line in the middle of the wall is called Opal's Arete and is 5.11+. The extension through the roof is Sea Hag Roof and is 5.12-. Both are tributes to the Late Opal who owned what used to be called the Food and General (FAG) in Rhodie. Up the road a few more miles is another good all traditional crag near the falls ... There are lot's of little hidden crags on the mountain. Thanks for the info! Thats cool that they named some routes after Opal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Hell I don't even know why I'm a stranger and not a Noob. Maybe I'll graduate with a few more posts or maybe I need to fill something more out somewhere? From the site's FAQ page: What is the title that appears beneath my Display Name in posts? It's a system-generated User Title to give ranking to your postcount. You will progress through the various levels according to the cumulative number of posts you have made. What are these titles about? Everyone has a title within the forum. You will notice the title below the Display Name in each post. Some titles are automatically assigned based on the number of posts a user has made, and some titles are assigned by the forum owner to denote official representatives of the company or other VIPs in the forums. 0 stranger 25 n00b 50 journeyman 100 member 200 enthusiast 400 addicted to cc.com 700 old hand 1200 veteran 1600 Pooh-Bah 2500 spray'prentice 5000 sprayer 10000 Spray Master 13000 Elite Sprayforce Team 15000 Sick Spray Bird 50000 Lord of the Sprayers Cheer up! You're only 18 posts away from n00bdom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Hey CJA, noob or stranger, anyone who wants to talk climbing is more than welcome here. Glad to have you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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