Oregon Old Timers, Roll Call!!!

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the goat

climber

north central WA

Sep 13, 2015 - 09:39pm PT

Thanks for the update Joron. Wayne Hack and Neal Olson shared our (Washington) site in C4 during the early 70's. I still remember Neal saying "there's no decent rock in Oregon," but it was pretty clear why they came to YNP and not Smith. A few years later sport climbing changed that.

Joron

Trad climber

Hoodland, Oregon

Sep 13, 2015 - 10:07pm PT

Goat, in the early days I think many felt Smith was not that great. OK as a local hangout that was pretty close to Portland, but ultimately it was just a training ground for the real climbing - Yosemite.

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

Sep 14, 2015 - 06:47am PT

Bob Ashworth cut his teeth at Smith Rocks.

Say, any of you PNW crew remember a guy from the 70s named Tor Archer?

Joron

Trad climber

Hoodland, Oregon

Sep 14, 2015 - 02:11pm PT

On my first Smith trip, Thanksgiving weekend 1970, Neal Olson took two rookie coeds up the Pioneer Route. I took some shots with my Super 8 movie camera and put together this short clip. The film quality is poor and shaky, but for what it's worth here is a vintage video.

[Click to View YouTube Video]

Tarbuster, I didn't know Tor

healyje

Trad climber

Portland, Oregon

Sep 15, 2015 - 11:08pm PT

Was there / is there a Portland climber last name Sowerby?

David, yes, our local import - solid as all get out. Not sure of his status as he did something to his shoulder (I think) a year or two back. I'd be amazed if he isn't still climbing hard, but just haven't run into him lately.

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2015 - 06:29am PT

I love seeing the posts on here. Makes my heart warm!!

Steve Venini, from Portland, is a sailing Captain in Florida, and a professional musician. Can't decide which one he's actually more professional at.....

Survival, Keith Royster, and Jay Kerr Dragontail Peak, 1982.

MH2

Boulder climber

Andy Cairns

Sep 16, 2015 - 07:49am PT

Thanks, healyje. David Sowerby came for a climbing competition in Vancouver in the '90s and chose a piece of classical music for his go on the finals route, a memorable contrast to the music chosen by the mostly younger other competitors.

This thread goes far and deep into the climbing past in Oregon. Many truly BITD photos.

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2015 - 09:27am PT

Woot!

Mark Wodtli, Scott Davis, Survival, Beacon Rock, 1978

Peter Green

Mountain climber

Davis, CA

Sep 16, 2015 - 01:04pm PT

As an Oregon newbie, just back from my first outing, the North Ridge of Mt. Washington, I'm looking for recommendations of other routes (without fewer placements, please) on that peak, 3FingeredJack, or others. Also seeking partners for ski mountaineering on the Sisters; seems wise to not solo near crevasses!

Thanks, -Peter

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2015 - 07:42pm PT

The West Ridge of Mt Washington was my favorite, but seems like it had 5.8 first pitch? It also has some pretty serious exposure as I recall. It was a long time ago. Maybe not the best n00b route? The leader needs experience, and the follower needs heads up too. That's my recollection. But absolutely loved that route!!

Joron

Trad climber

Hoodland, Oregon

Sep 17, 2015 - 01:15pm PT

I think it was 1974 when the Canal Road at Smith was closed, cutting off access to the park and the Old Climbers Camp. Access to climbing involved crossing the river in an inflatable raft ferry system downstream from where the bridge is now. Climbers started camping in spots between Rope de Dope rock and the current bridge location. In 1975 camping was banned in the park, but climbers mostly ignored the ban. One Saturday evening the State Police showed up and told us we were camped illegally. They said we could stay the night, but our cars were going to be towed. I asked one of the troopers if we could finish our dinner before moving the cars out of the lot. He said “yes, and you can finish your joint as well”! The Oregonian article says 70 to 100 persons were ordered out of the park that evening, but I think most everyone stayed.

Anyone remember the Monkey Face climber’s camp?

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2015 - 07:29am PT

Scott Davis, summit, Wolf Rock, after Barad Dur, 1979

Studly

Trad climber

Oct 2, 2015 - 04:53pm PT

Hey Survival, Cool Beacon photo blast from the past. Let me know if you ever come down to Beacon again, do some routes! Heres some photos from yesterday.

Hey Survival, That's a cool Beacon photo!

qigongclimber

climber

Oct 3, 2015 - 09:15am PT

fyi: First of all, it's Smith Rock, not Smith Rocks. Jeez.

One of the most unassuming but prolific climbers BITD (early to mid-70's in this case) was Wayne Arrington. In addition to doing countless first ascents at Smith Rock, few people know that he soloed Picnic Lunch Wall and did the first solo ascent of the Triple Direct on El Cap in March 1976. This was a few days after doing a ten hour blitz (for those days) of the South Face of Washington Column. He is still alive and kicking and doing some climbing.

After spending the night at the peaceful Monkey Face climber's camp, Wayne and I got up to an extremely cold April 1972 morning and proceeded to do three Monkey Face routes (NW Corner, East Face, West Face Variation) in 12 hours. We got to Bonn Street at the 11:40 mark and realized we could make the top in under 12 hours. Re-energized, it took 8 minutes to aid the bold ladder.

As we were climbing First Kiss, Wayne, who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, explained the flight dynamics of the falcons who were nesting on a cliff across the way. We notified a ranger friend of John's about the previously unreported nest, and the area was promptly shut down for climbing for the rest of the nesting season.

Joron

Trad climber

Hoodland, Oregon

Oct 3, 2015 - 11:31am PT

Good stuff Quigong!

Go Jeff!

This summer I hired a local retired logger to help me split and stack firewood. When he learned I was a climber he mentioned he used to log with Wayne Arrington. He was wondering if all the wild climbing stories Wayne used to tell the crew were really true!

Old Oregon climbing guides through the 1980's from the collection:

A Climbers Guide to the Smith Rocks, 1962 Mazama Annual - James & Jarold Ramsey and Vivian Staender

A Climbers Guide to Oregon, 1968 - Nicholas A. Dodge

A Climbing Guide to Oregon, 1975 - Nicholas A. Dodge

A Climber's Guide to Smith Rock, Beacon Rock and Stein's Pillar, 1978 - Jeff Thomas

Oregon Rock A Climber's Guide, 1983 - Jeff Thomas

Rocky Butte Quarry, 1987 - Mike Pajunas & Bob McGown

Smith Rock Topo-Giude, 1988 - Hubert Staub

qigongclimber

climber

Oct 3, 2015 - 12:36pm PT

Joron - I'd have to say that your logging friend was probably relaying true stories. wayne had so many wild times when climbing. Remember that a lot of his climbing was done solo, which in itself tilts the experience toward the epic side, even when the final outcome was ok. but it was his narrow escapes from helicopter incidents (described in some cases in newspapers) which blew me away the most. He sent me a picture once of a totally smashed helicopter with at least one tree through it. Not sure how he managed to emerge alive from that one. Of course, he got a lot of practice crashing helicopters when he was shot down six times in Vietnam….

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 3, 2015 - 08:11pm PT

Great stuff you guys, and great photos!!

I'll call it Smith Rocks if I want. I earned it!! It's one letter, and there's clearly more than one rock there!!
(But mostly we just called it Smith...)

Poppi

Trad climber

Portland oregon

Apr 26, 2016 - 07:35pm PT

What a great forum. I stumbled across it yesterday and it has brought back so many memories. Makes me want to get into my old slides from Smith and share. I started climbing there in 1970 with many of these great guys. Jeff Thomas, Dean Fry and I used to drive over from OSU to scare ourselves in 1970. Wade the river, camp at the top of Burma Road, set up a tyrolean across the irrigation canal when it was full. Jeff Thomas driving his blue Ford Fairlane as fast as he could up Burma Road because his dad told him it was easier on a car on a rough road to drive it fast, Dean and I would be screaming wanting him to stop. I climb once a year when I take my 5 granddaughters to Smith and top rope for a day. Still have all my gear but too many interest and I'm still working but thinking of retiring in a year. Hey Joron, call me sometime (Tim carpenter), would like to meet up, maybe Smith. Spent this weekend on the Deschutes in my drift oat fly fishing, drifted by the Trout Creek wall, looks pretty cool. Thanks for all the photos and memories! Think im ready for some ice cream at Juniper Junction.