[TR] Elk River, ID- ER Falls and Mixed (fa?) - Upp

[wayne]

Trip: Elk River, ID- ER Falls and Mixed (fa?) - Upper and Lower Elk River Falls

 

Date: 12/13/2009

 

Trip Report:

Saturday Beau and I went east of Pullman an hour and a half to Elk River to search for Ice. We had a good warm up session the day before on the cliff behind the local furniture store

 

.

 

Great little crag after they close at 6pm.

 

 

Elk River is a park with view-point trails that take you by the middle and lower falls. We started on the Middle, which is the biggest.

 

 

Rapping in to the middle Falls

 

 

Beau led it in one long pitch

 

 

were off to find the lower falls hoping it would be more difficult. We found it to be.

 

 

 

and we found next to it, an area that would make a great mixed crag if bolts were added to the tops. Anyone in the area have a power-drill?

 

.

Possible Fa of a great mixed route we named The Public Option. 30m-WI3 M4. Super Fun Day!

 

Gear Notes:

2 kb's for the mixed route. 1 rope for everything

 

Approach Notes:

Follow any trail, they all lead to the river

[carversprint]

lol, great pics wayne. I really like the sign -includes anti-freeze!

[Alpinfox]

 

Beautiful picture Wayne+Beau!

 

 

 

[Jake_Gano]

Nice!!! I've know locals that have skied back there a few times to not find it in. The good local climbers I knew said it hadn't been climbed. There's a chance that it was climbed and never reported, but there's a good chance that is an FA.

 

So tell me you didnt drive all there just for the ice climbing?

 

 

[kurthicks]

Yep, I've never heard of an ascent, but have indeed skinned back in there before. Nice work guys. Sorry Wayne, I should have mentioned that gem to ya!

[AlpineBEAU.509]

Thanks! we thaught it had been climbed, A nice suprise when you go to a place not knowing what to expect. Really fun place for climber's in the pullman/Moscow Area. And good possibilities for development of some mixed climbing!

[pup_on_the_mountain]

Looks awesome!

[AlpineK]

Nice photos. It's a cool area

 

I do have to quibble a bit with this though

 

Beau and I went east of Pullman an hour and a half to Elk River

 

It's actually quite a bit more south than east South to Lewiston then SE to Grangeville then east.

 

Anyhow way to go

[wayne]

Wait a minute, are you saying the middle falls or the lower or both had not seen a publicly know ascent? Shocking, but there is no real significance who did. It should be a place that sees many ascents .The mixed crag will be a delight!!

[kurthicks]

That's how I know it Wayne. From what I hear, this cold snap was more like how it was long ago. The couple times I went back in there it was just an unprotectable egg shell. Sure it may have been done back in the '70s, but yours is the first known ascent as far as I know. I seem to recall asking the local historian (Crock) and he didn't know anything about it... congrats. I'm jealous and stoked for you and Beau.

[AlpineK]

I'm sure I would have heard about it when I was spending time in the region in the 80s. If you haven't already go talk to Mike Beiser at the UI Outdoor Program. He knows the local history pretty well.

[Off_White]

I think the two of you need to do more climbing together and patent the partnership name: WayneBeau sickie

 

Nice pics, thanks for the tale. No video, eh?

[wayne]

Off-meister.. lol

We are hoping to hook up in Hyalite after Xmas,

Cute play on words too.

Thanks, but dont expect big productions on all the climbs :-}

 

What a great (and Quick) ice season we had this year!

 

Cheers to all the many efforts!!

[pup_on_the_mountain]

I was talking to John Crock today. He and his partner went to check out these climbs earlier today. The lower falls apparently had water gushing down the middle, and the upper one had a hole that was getting bigger as they were standing and watching. They bailed. John says he never heard of these falls freezing completely as Wayne and Beau found it.

 

Nice timing WayneBuea .