The top of the crag is private property. Don't go up there if you don't need to and you really shouldn't need to unless there's an emergency. MORE INFO >>>
"The climbing and part of the approach at Trout Creek sit on a fuzzy boundary of BLM and private land. The land on the mesa above the columns is part of a huge piece of property owned by the original settlers of Gateway, the Vibbert family. It is used to graze cattle and for several months every year as a pay-to-play bird hunting “preserve”. The property also contains an old homestead, a large productive farm, ponds, creeks, 4x4 roads, and an amazing solitary gravesite on the canyon rim between the crag and the campground. What we have here is an old sprawling property with several spotty boundaries on its BLM borders. The family had some BIG reservations about people being up there, mostly because they assumed climbers would want to cross their property and of course they had concerns about liability.
Why have things changed? By NOT attempting to access the crag over private property, we’ve built trust with the before-weary Vibberts. They feel much better about us being in the area (and that REALLY matters in this case) compared to their initial, understandable reservations. So long as we continue to respect their land by NOT using it to access the cliff, more climbers shouldn’t be a big deal…and more climbers is what posting will bring.
I had the recent opportunity to meet with the guy who manages the hunting preserve for the Vibberts. He mentioned that he checks-in on the crag (what the family calls ‘dry island’) and has been very impressed with the fact that people have been respectful of the land. The Vibbert family loves the area and appreciates the fact others do too (even if the climbing is abrasive and physical!!). They’re thankful we take the time to walk in from the campground and that we encourage others to only access the climbing from below (I.E. lead rather than walk around to TR/rap ). Since neither the county nor the Vibberts are 100% clear on the boundary lines with the BLM and since they once owned all of what is now Gateway, the positive relations we have established are key for long-term access." -taken verbatim from a post by Jeff Wenger on the topic.
BETA PHOTO: The final bit of crack and upper roof traverse can...
Description
This was one of the northern end's final "potential" lines listed in the last edition of Wenger's guide. The neighboring lines to the right and left had also been "potential" but were also plucked recently. In keeping with the area's tradition, this was led on-sight ground up. The bottom half of the pitch is great 5.9 hands and fingers to a small shelf on the column face to the left. From there, make progressively harder moves up the tightening fingercrack until it pinches down for a bit, forcing some creative stemming and crimping to a small upper shelf. Continue a short ways on good fingers to a set of anchors recently installed by Jeff Wenger. A great outing-harder than most of the north side climbs and pretty lichen-free.
Location
On the northern side of the crag. One corner left of a newer climb "Ol' Dirty Bastard" and one right of another new line "Buried Alive".
Protection
Cams through #2 BD with doubles of finger size, small stoppers for crux. Chain anchors.
The line right of ODB is Talkin' It Clean (5.9+). This was the original Jeff Wenger line and has the anchor that both Desperado and ODB finish on. Pretty full-value "5.9"!
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