If only the Gorge was more solid...

[ARob]

I drive through the Gorge quite often and have come close to causing a few accidents because I am gaping at the huge rock buttresses or waterfalls It always exasperates me a little that the Missoula Flood couldn't have torn off a couple more layers of chossy bassalt to get to the solid stuff. I drive and think of what might have been. I'm wondering if anyone else day dreams like this and also if it was all solid and places like Crown Point and Table Mountain had awesome face lines going up it, where the Gorge would stack up among other world class climbing spots. Just thoughts from a wandering climber bored at work.

[JosephH]

Having had a house in HR and an apartment in PDX for work for years I drove 84 like a million times between the two. Pretty hard not to wish it had all firmed up more. If it had, it would be like the Blue Mountains east of Sydney - paradise (well, minus the flocks of parrots that strip your car and house of trim).

[ivan]

major bummer for sure - it did leave beacon and the mighty, mighty crags of the ozone n' bitchzone though!

[billcoe]

I drive through the Gorge quite often and have come close to causing a few accidents because I am gaping at the huge rock buttresses or waterfalls It always exasperates me a little that the Missoula Flood couldn't have torn off a couple more layers of chossy bassalt to get to the solid stuff. I drive and think of what might have been. I'm wondering if anyone else day dreams like this and also if it was all solid and places like Crown Point and Table Mountain had awesome face lines going up it, where the Gorge would stack up among other world class climbing spots. Just thoughts from a wandering climber bored at work.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Until they moved out, I use to have my kids yelling at me too! "Come on dad, watch the road!!"

[Plaidman]

I have gotten very good at assessing rock driving at 70 miles an hour. It's a lot harder on the Oregon side when traveling east if you are the driver. Similar problem when driving west on on the Washington side. It's harder to drive 70 miles on that side too.

 

If the Gorge was only granite.

[JosephH]

If the Gorge was only granite.

 

I'm pretty sure you meant sandstone...

Edited December 2, 2010 by JosephH

[Plaidman]

If the Gorge was only granite.

 

I'm pretty sure you meant sandstone...

 

No I meant granite! Sandstone sucks. I know you were just giving me shit.

[Corduroy Man]

I have gotten very good at assessing rock driving at 70 miles an hour. It's a lot harder on the Oregon side when traveling east if you are the driver. Similar problem when driving west on on the Washington side. It's harder to drive 70 miles on that side too.

 

If the Gorge was only granite.

 

I'll second that Plaidman!!

 

Rock on!

[Off_White]

Don't believe everything you think Plaidster, you should come play in my yard sometime.

[Plaidman]

I got up to Leavenworth this summer and played in Icicle and Tumwater. Got to do the Saber on Castle Rock. Now that's what I'm talking about. Sick Lumpy Ridge-esk GRANITE!

[ARob]

I know this is totally pointless, but if it was all solid, what areas do you think it would rival. It wouldn't be no Yosemite and I've never been to the Red. But the aesthetics and easy access to big walls would be pretty compelling to people from around the world. Since we are going down this road of "what could be lane" I wish we had freezes like last year every year. I should probably stop now because I drive myself crazy wishing things like geologic epocs turned out differently rather than being thankful for what we do have. On that note, Hood is getting fucking feet of snow and I will be patrolling both days this weekend, so I am thankful for that.

 

2 points if you read that whole thing.

[stevetimetravlr]

I think there are some sections of good rock in the Gorge that have not been found yet. Obviously there are some good developed crags already, but there is so much that is not readily accessible that there has to be some hidden gems, its just going to take some humping and bushwacking to get up to them to check them out. What about that wall across the river from Beacon that looks so clean and perfect, but very hard to hike to? I see potential in many places, just need time and money and a big frickin drill!

[Plaidman]

I know this is totally pointless, but if it was all solid, what areas do you think it would rival. It wouldn't be no Yosemite and I've never been to the Red. But the aesthetics and easy access to big walls would be pretty compelling to people from around the world. Since we are going down this road of "what could be lane" I wish we had freezes like last year every year. I should probably stop now because I drive myself crazy wishing things like geologic epocs turned out differently rather than being thankful for what we do have. On that note, Hood is getting fucking feet of snow and I will be patrolling both days this weekend, so I am thankful for that.

 

2 points if you read that whole thing.

 

What is my score? You have me mussing about a granite Gorge now. You bastard!

[ivan]

mt hamilton woulda been tre cool

[Plaidman]

I think there are some sections of good rock in the Gorge that have not been found yet. Obviously there are some good developed crags already, but there is so much that is not readily accessible that there has to be some hidden gems, its just going to take some humping and bushwacking to get up to them to check them out. What about that wall across the river from Beacon that looks so clean and perfect, but very hard to hike to? I see potential in many places, just need time and money and a big frickin drill!

 

I am with you on all that.

 

[Plaidman]

mt hamilton woulda been tre cool

How about the face of Table Mountain? I have stood on top on those detached pillars. It is straight down for 2000 ft.

[beaconben]

when I drive thru the gorge with my wife and kids she never lets me drive due to the almost crashing while looking at walls thing.

 

I hate to bring up the rat cave online, but how good of rock is that. solid enough to climb.

 

one of these days I will make to make an attempt on the big wall section, on one of those walls to the right of ainsworth. I will call the route "you're gonna grab a patch of weeds and fall on your ass."

 

how tall do you guys figure those walls are. I am guessing about 800 feet.

 

how about going top down on the crown point wall to see if a line can be cleaned down to "solid enough"?

 

here is another thing, not all the rock is that crap basalt. there are some non basalt walls. example, crown point falls.

[Plaidman]

I am with ya Ben. All the way to the top. Let's prove all those bastards wrong.

 

I have a problem driving in the Gorge too. If I only trusted my wife to drive....

[ivan]

problem w/ trying to clean anything big on crown pt would be dumping it on the train-tracks i'd imagine

[beaconben]

I do recall reading a tr on st peters dome. pretty terrifying. I will get turned around quick on stuff that loose.

[stevetimetravlr]

Speaking of driving in the Gorge, Justin and Kenny did a new route yesterday that they called "Air Bag Deployment".

 

[denalidave]

Speaking of driving in the Gorge, Justin and Kenny did a new route yesterday that they called "Air Bag Deployment".

Oh, do tell...

[billcoe]

OMG! Is this "Air Bag Deployment" a climbing route or did this involve an automobile?

 

 

 

I think there are some sections of good rock in the Gorge that have not been found yet. Obviously there are some good developed crags already, but there is so much that is not readily accessible that there has to be some hidden gems, its just going to take some humping and bushwacking to get up to them to check them out. What about that wall across the river from Beacon that looks so clean and perfect, but very hard to hike to? I see potential in many places, just need time and money and a big frickin drill!

 

Good rock? Und now, I zink zat you are playing wit me!

[stevetimetravlr]

I will let those guys post up. All i can say is it must have been wild, as they were a little shaky all day. They kept saying, we don't care if there is no ice, we are just happy to be here and breathing. We did about 7 routes, and poor Justin got talked him into leading this crack climb and then old Steve forgot to give him a 2 inch cam for the crux. So he had in this crappy Alien and horrible cam, neither would have held body weight, and he was looking at a bad fall, but he manned up and powered thru it as by that time it was to late to reverse the moves to get the right gear. I was a little upset, as I got all sweaty belaying.

[ivan]

stoopid can't die