Outdoor practice wall in Tacoma?

[Jamie]

I thought I recalled there was an outdoor climbing practice wall in Tacoma. But when I looked for the location on-lone I'll be dammed if I could find anything. Is it still in existence?

 

[DPS]

Spire Rock at Sprinker Park in Spanaway. http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/services/recreate/spirerock.htm. I used to boulder there when I lived in T-Town. Come for the greasy climbing, stay for the ambiance.

Edited March 27, 2012 by DPS

[Jamie]

thanks DPS, we are two old timers and one newbie who need to warm up and practice before we go to the great outdoors and climb.

[DPS]

Be aware of the objective hazards: used syringes, used condoms, human feces, and weirdos dressed up in superhero costumes hitting each other with foam bats.

[chris54]

Be aware of the objective hazards: used syringes, used condoms, human feces, and weirdos dressed up in superhero costumes hitting each other with foam bats.

 

dejavu -- I feel like your describing Rocky Butte.

[markwebster]

Spire Rock is not that bad. I was out there last summer with my wife and daughter and didn't see any syringes, nor did I get offered any drugs. I wouldn't go there at night necessarily...

 

It's hard to beat free if you are on a budget in Tacoma. And it has cracks, something Edgeworks doesn't have. I've taken falls on stoppers placed in Spire Rock. In the spring and summer, it can be a lovely place to hang out after work.

 

There is a video you can view on this page that shows the rock reasonably well. The video is of the guidebook I wrote about the rock.

http://www.websterart.com/html/spire.php

 

If you want the guidebook, buy it from the Tacoma Climbing gym, which is where we go when it rains in Tacoma:

 

http://www.edgeworksclimbing.com/

 

[Jamie]

I viewed the video, thanks for the link Mark Webster. Say hello to Daniel for me.

[laurel]

Just a warning: the WAC Basic Class will be at Spire the next 2 Saturdays (April 7 and 14) from about 7AM to 4PM. Of course there's no rules saying the general public can't use the rock but there will be about 60 of us on the thing.

[DPS]

Spire Rock is not that bad.

You are right, its not that bad. Each of those things really only happened once.

[Off_White]

Do they still have the ice axe heads embedded in the top so you can practice your boot/axe belay? The loose chockstone on a spindle in the chimney? Little dedication and rock identification tags attached here and there? I always kind of liked Spire, though not enough to drive there from Olympia very often.

[DPS]

They had the ice axes, but the chockstone had frozen in place. I think many of the id tags went missing.

[KevinJ]

Thanks for posting about this, it's right on the way home! Anybody know of some weekly meetups there?