Need advice: Climbing with a kid, Portland area.

Hey folks

Newish to the Portland area and my girlfriends kid is psyched to try rock climbing. Although indoors gym is the easy answer, I'd rather get him outdoors first.

Can anyone recommend any crags (and routes in particular that suit the following criteria?)

Easy access, within 1.5 hrs of SE Portland
Walk up access to anchor area if possible?
Less than 100ft (I use a 70m rope)
Multiple climbs in the one area
Possible bouldering areas close by for something else to do?
Routes that a short but strong 7 year old could do (i.e. - no real technical or reachy moves)

I'm out of action with a broken shoulder but I'm an okay climber and pretty experienced with gear and am used to setting up Top Rope anchors using all Trad gear so am not really fussed with it if there's not fixed anchors on a route. Mostly I'm just not sure if people get shitty when you rig up an anchor and top rope a route that people normally lead? I'm from Australia so not quiet sure about the local ethic.

Thanks for any help!

Also, if anyone is in the same boat and wants to get their youngins out climbing get at me. It would be cool to meet some other people in the area.

Cheers.

I'm not a local, but I've visited and climbed a few times at Broughton Bluff.
There aren't any walk up anchors, that I know of, but there is a good variety of easier routes. Hard to say whether crowds will be an issue for you or not, as it was hit or miss when I was there. If I recall correctly, there were fixed anchors on all or most of the routes.

Info:
mountainproject.com/v/broug…

Or google broughton bluff climbing.

If he likes that, it's about a 3 hour drive to Smith Rock, (Thousands of climbs!).

Enjoy your new backyard crag!

-Evan

You can easily walk up to any of the anchors at Brougton.

>Less than 100ft (I use a 70m rope)

Huh?

Ball wrote:You can easily walk up to any of the anchors at Brougton. >Less than 100ft (I use a 70m rope) Huh?

70 meters ~ 200 ft

if i was belaying the kid from the bottom, i'd only have 35m / 100ft of rope to play with.

Broughton actually only has 1/2 a dozen routes that are easily accessed from the top on Hanging Gardens Wall. If you are looking for TR only routes, either Rocky Butte cliff or Horsethief cliff are going to be your best bet.

Haha, missed the part about the shoulder injury. Was assuming you would be able to lead the routes to put up the TR. Sorry about that!

I might also recommend Bulo Point or Trillium Crag (aka Mosquito Butte), both listed in the book Northwest Oregon Rock. Probably MP has some info too. Trillium is a little less travel time, but can be a little difficult to locate. Bulo has great camping, especially if you can go on a week day when it is not likely to be busy. Both are in the Mount Hood area.

70m = 229ft FYI. Not 200.

JasonP wrote:70m = 229ft FYI. Not 200.

bentobox wrote: 70 meters ~ 200 ft

yeah i like to 'round down', means when i join pitches together i never have to stretch the rope to make it

;)

(the "~" symbol means "close enough")

Also, thanks for the advice everyone!

I went to the mountain store and got some guide books, gonna do some scouting missions to see whats out there.

The first few routes on Red Wall (Arcturus to Classic Crack, not sure about Thai Stick) can be top roped easily.

~ridiculous

Rocky Butte with a kid might be a little weird at times, with that said there are many fun and varied routes with easy TR access. It's only worth an afternoon and it's really crowded but there is a micro-crag called The Columns in Eugene(literally in Eugene) that is kinda neat with the easiest TR access I have ever seen. Really only worth it if you are in the area but The Garden bouldering area is only about 30-45 minutes east of it. You could always go to the Lost Lake boulders.

Setting up a TR at Rocky Butte or Broughton should not bother people, it's seems like it's pretty standard fare for both those places. Just use common sense/decency when you make your decisions.

Good luck with your shoulder.

Watch out for poison oak

You could do what we did in my local area. Buy some hardware and scope out an area that is low and safe then over bolt some 5.1 to 5.7 climbs in an area no one cares about and call it "trainning wheels" or something like that.

JW

Heads up - Rocky Butte is one of the most dangerous places I've ever climbed and I've been doing it a long time. If it's even just humid out the clay at top can get slick as snot. A few folks have died out there at least on a highly experienced climber.

It may be a small area, but don't let that fool you - you come in at the top and so you're always operating around an edge up there, be super careful. Can't say it's particularly kid-friendly between the broken glass and all the used condoms and syringes.

Healyje wrote:Heads up - Rocky Butte is one of the most dangerous places I've ever climbed and I've been doing it a long time. If it's even just humid out the clay at top can get slick as snot. A few folks have died out there at least on a highly experienced climber. It may be a small area, but don't let that fool you - you come in at the top and so you're always operating around an edge up there, be super careful. Can't say it's particularly kid-friendly between the broken glass and all the used condoms and syringes.

I'll second that. I hate that place for those very reasons.

Healyje wrote:Can't say it's particularly kid-friendly between the broken glass and all the used condoms and syringes.

ew.

sounds like an average day skating at burnside.

Micah Klesick wrote: I'll second that. I hate that place for those very reasons.

Such a bummer that it is where it is. I hate to hate it. If that place was out in the forest it would be a great little gem. Kinda like Stoney Point.

Mike Brady wrote: Such a bummer that it is where it is. I hate to hate it. If that place was out in the forest it would be a great little gem. Kinda like Stoney Point.

Absolutely agree. I've got several routes there that I like. However, I have yet to go to Rocky Butte without finding both used condoms AND used needles, let alone the broken glass everywhere. Its a sad state. I used to go there since I lived like 5 min away, and always took a garbage bag with me, and filled it up, but what finally convinced me to forget Rocky was when I was climbing, and a bottle came over the cliff, and then when I got to the top, some kids were playing around with my anchor...

Micah Klesick wrote: Absolutely agree. I've got several routes there that I like. However, I have yet to go to Rocky Butte without finding both used condoms AND used needles, let alone the broken glass everywhere. Its a sad state. I used to go there since I lived like 5 min away, and always took a garbage bag with me, and filled it up, but what finally convinced me to forget Rocky was when I was climbing, and a bottle came over the cliff, and then when I got to the top, some kids were playing around with my anchor...

holy jesus that last sentence makes me shudder.

anyway. i got lucky and the missus decided she wants to go to crater lake so we're going to do a day at SRSP on the way there.

I'll leave the local crag hunt for when we get back.