[TR] Fossil Rock 7-24-11 - assorted routes

[Off_White]

Trip: Fossil Rock 7-24-11

 

Date: 7/24/2011

 

Trip Report:

Went out to Fossil last Sunday with Miladugga and had the rock to ourselves and a really swell time. Only others we saw was a team of three hikers who just about blew my lid chatting at me from the top as I was finishing a route.

 

It was a nice day, Mt Rainier was visible with a nice cloud hat, though you'd never tell from this photo

 

The chossy chunks of the Boyal Bobbins Wall provide a fine way to reacquaint oneself withe the joys of cobble pulling.

 

There's a fine perspective of the Battle of the Bulge from up there, pity there was no one to pose on the route for me

 

More fun choss next to the cave where the trail comes up to the rock

 

The peculiar igneous conglomerate of Fossil makes for some interesting textures, kind of like a coarse aggregate concrete

 

Why do people suck so much? This party people trash pile is up at the base of a great wall on the north side. I'm bringing my big pack and a couple contractor trash bags next time I go back.

 

It's interesting that I have a faintly negative image of Fossil, but I have a great time when I go there. I think I'm getting over that problem. While it's not destination, its a fine example of a local crag with a lot of entertainment value.

 

As an aside, any of you folks out there who've restored bolts to the closed Ottoman Empire and have been climbing there, DNR is hip to this and planning to clean the wall of all gear to protect the habitat, nesting peregrines, and some obscure rare fern. If you want your bolt hangers, best you should retrieve them yourselves. I had this from the mouth of a DNR employee just last night.

[Drederek]

Fossil is what is and will never be more. Glad you guys got out to enjoy the day. There are a lot of nice 'holds' bolted onto the Ottoman empire, someone oughta snag em!

[mattp]

Nice one, Off. Washington's best climbing areas may be Smith Rocks and Squamish, but there are a lot of great climbing areas in Washington!

[Captain panther]

Nice! I love fossil! I've been developing those boulder fields below boyal bobbins for about 2 years now. theres a few big ones with bolted anchors for top roppin too if anyone is interested. still workin on gettin a guide from yo yo too

[Benjamin Neil]

I love fossil. I learned to climb there and every time i climb there its like coming home

[Jens]

Fossil Rocks!

[hanman]

Nice TR Off- I love conglomorock and cobble stomping, so I guess I'll have to finally get down there-

 

MH

[Eric K]

I was out there around a week ago. There was a guy taking some of his friends climbing. The problem was this guy knew NOTHING about climbing. He had about 5 quicklinks a rope, and a atc. He was using the quicklinks as quickdraws and clearly had no idea what he was doing. once his friends were done toproping 5 quicklinks up he began to self belay using a Petzl Croll. Once he was a few feet up I asked "How do you plan on getting down?" He told me he was making it up as he went, so I told him to come down. Then I climbed to the top of the route belayed him up to the top with me, and then showed him how to thread the anchors and clean a route properly. Hopefully he will be climbing a little more safely for now on.

 

P.S. I enjoy fossil rock to

Eric

[Off_White]

Eric, now that's a public service, good on ya!

 

Mark, you'd have a good time I'm sure. I'd love to check out your Big 4 tower route too.

[billcoe]

Big time good Karma points Eric.

 

Thanks for the TR Off! How high are these rocks?

[Off_White]

Oh, really tall, some are a full half pitch! I think everything lowers off with a 60m, though there may be some exceptions to the rule.