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Eugene Rock Question


joshzielinski

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I was making a delivery to Eugene for work the other day and noticed some rock outcroppings on the far northern end of Eugene (near Mac. River, so almost Coburg). The rocks (basault and pillar-ish from a distance) are visible from I-5, on the East side. At this point in they are highlighted with splashes of gold scotch broom all around them. They appear to be in the backyard of a fairly large house.

 

Does anyone know if these are accessible/have any development?

 

Just curious...

 

P.s. if anyone on here knows of any rock in the mid-valley area besides the usual suspects all over the internets i'd like to expand my after work climbing locales. not expecting much... just a place to practice from time to time.

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Not the quarry but yeah a half mile or more SE-ish of that. Nicer looking homes scattered here and there 1 appears to be directly in front of said crags.

 

The broom really drew my attention there, though I am always sort of scanning those Coburg hills for something climbable. there are some big, formerly developed boulders in there. and lots of poison oak.

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There is a bunch of climbing areas in the Coburg hills and there are even bolted anchors on much of it. Some of it is pretty good climbing. I climbed there when I was living down there (with permission).

 

However. It is all on private property and the land owners have no interest in having climbing on the property and likely never will.

 

Unfortunately you would best forget about it.

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josh,

 

My curiosity for the Coburg Caves goes back to 2001, returning on a spring break to corvallis, living in ashland. A couple of sessions at the crux, got the lowdown pretty quickly - its a bit of an urban legend but if you ask people around eugene you'll probably get a similar story:

 

The property is private, and the landowner was first contacted about climbing by a very distinct group of people. Landowner granted this small group access and whoever they decided to bring with them. Beyond this first party the landowners have declined other groups. The rumour is if you show up, guy on horseback will show up, shotgun in hand and kindly/maybe not so kindly git you off his property.

 

P.S. Sent you private message.

Edited by Checat
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The owners of the area have in the past been very open to letting people use the area - But the 10% of all groups did their normal thing, like have beer party's, breaking the bottles on the rocks, starting fires, some of which went out of control, Having dogs with no leash chasing the cattle, with some injured, and litter - And just basic lack of respect for others people's property - So it was shut down to access - Also now the area is managed by Nature Conservancy and they are not open to access either. Again a few, mess it up for everybody.

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I did climb there a few times in the mid 1990s, there are good bolted and trad lines, but it is private and you will get busted poaching. It sure would be cool for the Access Fund to take up the issue. If it were public it would be a great resource.

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So I had a look into my big Gray binder with all sorts of notes, scraps and topos of all things Oregon choss, and the crag is/was? owned by John Jaqua family (promient local attorney at one time, maybe now deceased). They used to or still do own a big farm accross the road a bit next to the river by the crag. I actually asked to get permisson to climb there in about 1993 or 1994, and they said no, I even offered to help maintain the trails and wooden stairs etc. out there, still no. Also there is a nest up on part of the crag routinely used by Osprey each year. My understanding is that the Nature Conservancy doesn't own the land with the crag, they own some grass land up above that is habitat for the fenders blue butterfly. Anyway, there are some good routes there that only a couple of guys, brothers, and you know who you are, have long term permission to climb there.

 

The three times I visited, I poached it, getting caught the last time, I did ask permission before I tried the poaching. Getting caught wasn't too big of a scene, but I wouldn't recommend it. This was also about 15 years ago, last time I visited it.

Edited by shapp
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hey all thanks for the wealth of info. like i said this was a question sparked purely by curiousity (not with any intention). i have no plans to climb the stones. as a farmer i have more respect than most for property rights and i will respect the privacy/will of the owners. just looked like such a gem, so close to the 5...

 

funny thing though... i have a cousin who was employed by the nature conservancy maintaining butterfly habits in the Coburg/Eugene area. seems i found were he was working. that was a few yrs ago. how do they call it, "its a small world"? especially in OR.

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