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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Is that an ophiolite that I see?
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Fossil Rock is some sort of igneous conglomerate, definitely cobble climbing. Yes, the bolts here always make me a little anxious.
Pinto Rock is on a ridge top high in the Southern Cascades, sort of equidistant from Rainier, Adams, and St. Helens. More of the same igneous conglomerate, but with some real boulders embedded. There's been a bunch of activity here in recent years, some pretty moderate multi pitch routes. Not my photo, pilfered from a friend.
Maybe BJ has good geological info on this stuff.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2018 - 07:26am PT
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Off White has jogged my memory. Old friend Bryan Burdo spoke about finding conglomerate outcrops south and west of Rainier, I think.
edit:
Which Randle agrees with, after looking at the map.
And Fossil Rock is a little further north, west of Rainier.
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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That was probably Pinto Rock, its the one with the road at the base. There's also Kirk and Shark rocks, but they're hiking affairs. Some years ago (like 15?) I was picking huckleberries in the area and scoped out Pinto Rock. It had a number of 5.easy scary looking unprotected routes listed in the brown Beckey guide, and one new looking bolted modern route on the very south end. Never figured out who put that in, but Bryan Burdo, energizer bunny incarnate, is a good candidate. I know it wasn't Yoder et al. Some of that circle, notably Brenden Sullivan, is who's been active there of late, putting up maybe a dozen routes.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2018 - 07:42am PT
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Bryan was looking around in the course of restoring his health from a combination of tendonitis and chronic fatigue, if I remember. He said the area was good for walking and exploring.
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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BJ, funny you mention the Eocene sandstone, I've got an outcrop of Tenino Sandstone in my yard with 30 some routes on it. Yes, digression from the original post, sorry all, but if you could send me a link to the stuff you referred to I'd appreciate it.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2018 - 04:18pm PT
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No need for anyone to be sorry. The OP already opened the door to digression by using the word 'enigma.'
Maxwell is an enigma, though hopefully not as hazardous an enigma as Mount Garfield (a la Beckey).
Some good photos from Michael Levy:
http://www.flatearthphoto.com/photos/photos-2/
An account of an ascent in 1922, or was it 1859? The writing recalls an earlier era.
http://www.beyondnootka.com/articles/maxwell.html
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2018 - 05:38pm PT
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The ELMS historical articles in your link are a great resource. TFPU
Welcome, but let me be clear; most of this is a mystery to me. Maybe it is true that all who wander are not lost, but I am not sure where I am.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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A single voyage up Black Elvis will set you straight laddie. A mind clearing mantle at the top for the sake of clarity. Talk to Off if you venture anywhere near Tenino while south of the border on I5 close to Olympia and you can catch my drift. Hercules you will be...
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2018 - 07:32am PT
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a mind clearing mantle
Is that what the holes are for?
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2018 - 02:39pm PT
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Andy are you goofin' on Elvis?
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 4, 2018 - 08:21pm PT
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A few people live in Burgoyne Bay.
This thread may become rambling and forgetful.
Did I mention that Jon Nelson lived on Salt Spring for 2 or 3 years and climbed with Randy Atkinson, there?
As an Index new router that ties back to Clint Cummins' participation. In a digressive rambling sort of way.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 4, 2018 - 08:48pm PT
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Nicely said, Jim!
And I'm not factoring in the Independently Wealthy...
I hope to tell you about John, soon.
Our nearest neighbours are Ken and Sharon Tara. They are good neighbours to have. He does excavating. He did some for Randy. They raise and sell beef and pork.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2018 - 04:07pm PT
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No doubt you have discovered the channel ridge trail network, highly recommended for a nice late winter ramble. My understanding is that to some extent its been ravaged by a high-end subdivision put in with no real regard for long term aquifer capacity
I think that trail system came up in conversation, once, and there may be a way to walk to it from the south end where we are.
I have not discovered much, yet, and a lot of what I have found only raises more questions.
The guidebook by Gus Oliveira has been helpful. I now know the Maxwell Bluffs and have been to the lower tier bolted routes and the base of the main cliffs. I have had no luck locating the Quartzite Crag mentioned in the guide. A process of elimination is underway. Not many hiding places left.
Randy has also not found the Quartzite Crag, though he says he spoke to Gus about it. It may be on private land. It is said to have one bolted route.
Randy mentioned a quartzite band, and sure enough the geological maps show one under the conglomerate of Maxwell. Next time I was out I noticed that the outcrops in the lovely open slopes south of Maxwell were not conglomerate.
One thing I did discover:
Foweraker (1974) considered the annual available recharge to the bedrock aquifer(s) on Mayne Island from precipitation as 25.4 mm (1-inch) or about 3 percent, based on an average annual precipitation of 838 mm (33 inches). As a similar climate and bedrock environment exists for Saltspring Island, the same recharge rate of 25.4 mm (1-inch) was utilized on a regional scale in the 1977 report and in this report.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wsd/plan_protect_sustain/groundwater/library/saltspring/saltspring.html
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2018 - 07:14pm PT
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Thanks for the follow-up, Greg. I like it.
For some reason memory offers up that Mr. Smaill worked in water in some capacity for the government in Nanaimo.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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If you believe there's nothing up his sleeve, then nothing is cool.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2018 - 09:05am PT
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The Salt Spring Rock Climbs guidebook has a "Quartzite Crag" below and south of the conglomerate bluffs.
According to the geological maps the layer under the Maxwell conglomerate is granite and granodiorite.
Outcrops near the Girlfriend trail on the south side of Maxwell look like this:
Here is a corner of one of the lovely Garry Oak slopes. A conglomerate boulder has traveled to get here and the prevailing rock type shows down and left.
There is nearby rock that looks like quartz. To a layperson.
edit:
I'm aware that quartzite is metamorphosed sandstone, where the sand may have originally been quartz. My main experiences with it were the Gunks and Devil's lake.
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Paul_in_Van
Trad climber
Near Squampton
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Hey MH2 and all,
Glad to see you are finding out about SSI climbing. I worked with Gus, Pete and Mike for a while a number of years ago climbing the stuff they had put up and doing a few FFA along the way. Most of the people that were climbing alot have moved on or away. I don't see many people out when I am over there visiting family and getting on the rock here and there. Mike is still living there, but got out of climbing and Gus, Sam and Pete moved away.
The guidebook (there is a second edition) details pretty much everything that has been opened.
Interesting that the land use seems to eliminate climbing from the park. Not sure of the politics there, but could be a push to keep bolts out perhaps? Could be NIMBY action going on as well.
On the subject of the rock quality, it definitely ranges from pretty solid to barely hanging on. I have found that you can tell from the weathering which end of the range you will be playing in. White is bad, grey and weather worn is likely ok.
Also agree the Buns in the Oven (BIO) is one of the best climbs there, just fun climbing, solid rock and an awesome place to be.
If you have questions about climbing on SSI, feel free to ping me.
Climb safe
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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I believe you can find some fun bouldering at Ruckle too although it's greenschist or some crap like that iirc and has the odd exploding hold when weighted above the wave splash zone
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Paul_in_Van
Trad climber
Near Squampton
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Regarding the quartzite crag, I'll have to check the guide when I get home. My recollection is that it is under Maxwell on the S side. Access from the wineries on Fullford-Ganges Road kinda area.
There is a hit for this on thecrag.com, only route there is Holy Smoke 5.9.
If I can't find it then I can call a couple people and see how to get there (though it is possible that you have to cross private property to get there or it is on private property, so you might not be able to get there or may have to ask permission).
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