Marcus_Engley Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 I can't give you names, but here's some general stuff... Royal Columns (across from the ranger station parking lot): lots of nice easier cracks, with several good 9s and 10s. One worth noting is right about where the main trail hits the wall. Good hands up through (or around) a little bush, then finish on overhanging fingers. 10ish, I think. The Bend: Once the trail gets to the wall, take a righthand trail that keeps going up the hill. At the top, there are some big belay ledges right beneath two really nice lines. The first, a 9ish, goes up and right through two roofs, and follows a hands to fists crack to the top. Just to the right of it is a beautiful 10a finger crack. There's also some good bolt-clipping at The Cave (a little farther up the road, on the right), and some very cool sounding routes at the Honeycomb, but I haven't been in there... Have fun! Watch for the nest of rattlers where the trail meets the wall, if you go to the cave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forrest_m Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 haven't climbed there a lot, but i can highly recommend 2 memorable climbs: the second pitch of Local Knowledge is one of the coolest 5.9s in the state, and the name of Pure Joy says it all. (10c fingers) both at royal columns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafael_H Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: ... Oh and where can I get a non Smoot guidebook? ... [This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 08-31-2001).] I have a thin guidebook I got from Jim Nelson, you can borrow. Never made it there though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCKY Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 Iv'e got copies off the org. guide.But it will cost you your crow bar.Love the cracks at the Tieton and free camping.It's now hard to get accross the bridge at the Royal columns the man has it shut off because one side is ready to fall into the river,Inca Roads 5.9 and Orange sunshine 10.B kicks ass the bend is cool also but harder climbing intent to deliver 10B private passion 5.7 way cool. and the guide book rateings are old school what up Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 31, 2001 Author Share Posted August 31, 2001 What org guide? It sounds like you get them off the web. Can you believe I still dont have a friggin guide for all that nBend rock Hahahha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCKY Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 Dude you have to be really sucked into P.N.W. history to have this guide ,it's got pics of Paul boving on boving's crack ,Andy Fitz on Moonstruck pillar ,Matt Kerns on Tragically Hip.Where do you think Smoot plagiarized his beta.I'll throw a copy in my rig and lend it to you the next Time I see you ,or we can hook up.Dude your such a crack head ,I can't belive you have'nt been All over crack heaven. [This message has been edited by LUCKY (edited 08-31-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 31, 2001 Author Share Posted August 31, 2001 I got my crack pipe heated up with some in it. Puff Puff see you out there Lucky! Sounds like a stoner age guide eh. Oops I meant stone aged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCKY Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [This message has been edited by LUCKY (edited 09-03-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 31, 2001 Author Share Posted August 31, 2001 Get up on Stoner's Ledge and break out the peace pipe homey! One day we'll have to do that and then fire up The Bone on Castle Rock together man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drederek Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 There is a largish spiral bound guide but I don't know where to get it. The people who had it were from Yakima. Inca Roads and Cutting Edge at Royal Columns are both stellar cracks. Orange Sunshine is a bold 10b. Imperial Master has it all. As of a couple of weeks ago the bridge was signed but people were going over anyway. If you like Pure Joy at the bend try wildcat crack up at Wildcat cliff, its twice as long and steep all the way. Check out the beehive while you're up there. The Land Down Under is a most unusual sport route and you can belay from the car! Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 31, 2001 Author Share Posted August 31, 2001 Hey Drederek do you have dreadlocks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 caveman: get yer guide at the gym in yakima. Its a climbing gym / kids castle? ( I swear thats what they said!). It's like six bucks but their hours are sheite. Lucky: only you can prevent campfire coments from coming back to bite you! Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 Oh, yeah, get on local knowledge! 2 pittch 10-b or c. Also the hardest 9 in the state ( my opinion) called introductory offer. Both at the bend and both sweet! Worry more about ticks than snakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasmith513 Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 You can also probably pick up the "Quick and Dirty" guide to the area at Hyperspud Sports on 1st street in Yakima. Last time I was there he had a few copies left. Its the most comprehensive guide to the whole area that I know of. Have fun, the Tieton is definately one of my favorite places to climb in Washington. But keep quiet about it cause right now there are zero crowds and it would be nice if it stayed that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCKY Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 OK my mouth has gotten me into Trouble in the past and will proably get me into trouble in the future !!!!!!! [This message has been edited by LUCKY (edited 09-03-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drederek Posted September 1, 2001 Share Posted September 1, 2001 Hey Caveman, do you live in a cave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 1, 2001 Author Share Posted September 1, 2001 What are the best routes out there? Oh and where can I get a non Smoot guidebook? I got my snakebite kit [This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 08-31-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle_Tricky Posted September 1, 2001 Share Posted September 1, 2001 I have fond memories of Orange Sunshine, the 10b finger crack at the Royal Columns. This was the first climb I ever attempted to lead. Bad idea. I went to school out in the wheatfields of Eastern Washington. We had a climbing wall and there was also a column of basalt 30 miles down the road with a steel cable wrapped around it for toproping. So after a month or two of playing around on toprope I felt strong and (way overly) confident. A friend and I borrowed a handful of stoppers and a couple cams from an experienced climber and headed out to the Tieton. We hiked to the Royal Columns, and spotted the first obvious crack. Some nearby climbers told us it was a 10b. I knew that my younger brother (who was 17 at the time and a fanatical climber) was climbing 5.12s so I figured that as his bigger, older brother, I should be able to climb a measly 5.10 no problem! It would be a good warm-up if nothing else...Of course I had never lead anything in my life, or followed anything, or placed a piece of gear, or cleaned a piece of gear, or even climbed an officially graded route, but hey, how hard could it be? My friend was even more clueless than me, but at least had the sense to know it: he was happy to let me lead. With a sense of invincibility, I started up the climb. Ten feet up, the reality of not being on a top rope started to sink in. I fumbled with the unfamiliar gear, and managed to place a nut. I moved higher and struggled to get in a couple more pieces. The rock went from slabby to steep to vertical. I had already used over half of the meager amount of gear I had, and I wasn't even halfway up. Above me, the route just got steeper and steeper and became gently overhanging.... My sense of invulnerability was long gone, and had been replaced by successive waves of terror and panic. My arms ached from gripping the rock and my legs starting shaking spastically. At this point my belayer alerted me that my first piece had come loose and slid down the rope. I looked down at the other wobbly pieces below me and immediatly lost all confidence in the gear. Fear sweat stung my eyes as I clung desperately to the rock. I knew I couldn't go on, but I was also convinced that if I fell, or even weighted the rope, my gear would pull and I would die. Finally, my stength and composure fading fast, I took the only option I thought gave me a chance of survival. Motivated by the fear of death, and too scared to consider hanging, I downclimbed and cleaned the borrowed gear as I went. I reached the ground without ever weighting the rope and collapsed, physically destroyed and psychologically broken. Â That was almost ten years ago. I've been back to Tieton many times since, but so far I've never led this particular climb... [This message has been edited by Uncle Tricky (edited 09-01-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drederek Posted September 2, 2001 Share Posted September 2, 2001 On my first (and only) lead of Orange Sunshine I got to the last move when I realized most of my pro sucked (especially the last one 10 feet below) and terror raised its ugly head. I could feel my jams greasing as I tried to shake out the pump first in one arm and then the other. The sun seemed to get hotter and I could feel my shoes starting to slip. Then a fellow about 15 feet away asked me if his top-rope setup a couple of columns over looked OK? I tried to swallow so I could reply, then succeded and said "give me a minute and I'll look!" I don't think he knew I was sketchin but his confidence in me made me believe in myself once again. The final move was easy when in the proper state of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verticalturtle Posted September 3, 2001 Share Posted September 3, 2001 Just got back from there. Tieton cracks ROCK! Thin to win!! Orange Sunshine was great w/ great pro and jams. Also at the bend Imperial Master is a great Stout .11c if you are into those tight cracks as I am. Bummer about the slab at the beginning though. The Bend Highlights were Living for the City (?) .10c and 'Desperate' .11c/d SSSSSustained but short; both my partners thought it was aptly named. It was my first route of this grade and as long as you wait till your hands pass those spots has some great pro, albeit thin. Hey Capt! Did I run into you there at Royal Sunday? vt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCKY Posted September 3, 2001 Share Posted September 3, 2001 Caveman I've made a copy off the RC and the bend it's in my rig ,got a project i'm going to start in NB thur.lets hook up and I will give it to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 4, 2001 Author Share Posted September 4, 2001 Ok Lucky if I can make it out there thursday. VT nope Sunday I was at Wildcat cliff getting spanked on Wildcat Crack. There were some great climbs but the ones I liked the most were Inca Roads and Wild Cat Crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljosephnozel Posted September 4, 2001 Share Posted September 4, 2001 Although Matt Christensen's out-of-print guide to Tieton was quite good--I perused a copy last fall--I do not know where one could obtain a copy. The most comprehensive guide currently available is Quick and Dirty Guide to the Tieton River Climbing Areas, by Yale Preston and Norm Reid. (Most likely available in Yakima). As a disclaimer, however, some of the photos--particularily Bend West, leave something to be desired. It is a bit of a challenge locating some of the routes, but WELL WORTH THE EFFORT!! Tieton is a stellar climbing area. Every time I visit Tieton, I wonder when the crowds will finally catch up. Has not happened yet, so I guess I am not going to complain too loudly about the quality of the guidebook photos. . . . And, in closing, I just have to throw out a list of some of my favorite Tieton routes: Inca Roads, Ball and Chain, Ignorant Pursuit (awesome offwidth), Orange Sunshine, Paul Maul, Solar King--at Royal Columns; Salmon Song, Reckoning, Ambient Domain, Seizure, Living for the City, Winds of Change, and Mutiny in Manila--at the Bend. Enjoy! Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted September 4, 2001 Share Posted September 4, 2001 I got a copy of that Quick n Dirty at the climbing store in Leavenworth. I think its better than the Smoot guide but using both in conjunction might be the best way to find some of those cracks where the route is listed as "6th route right of XXX" or whatever and you can't find XXX. I like that name "Long Strange Clip" on Deadhead Wall or whatever its called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 4, 2001 Author Share Posted September 4, 2001 All the guides I used were sufficient for me. Although I saw many people approaching me asking what they or I was climbing. Perhaps some sort of confusion with all the formations looking similar and all. Oh well if it keeps people away good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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