Climbing Chimney Rock Nebraska?

I noticed this tower on the Nebraska state quarter. Searched mountain project for Chimney Rock. Turns out MP has no documented climbing in Nebraska! There's not a lot of info on Chimney Rock on the internet, and no info about climbing that I could find (other than Native American legend). I called the visitor center there, and asked about climbing. The guy on the other end of the phone acted like it was a stupid question. He said it is "not climbable" because the rock is so soft, and there is no documented ascent of it. I've never been to Chimney Rock but from looking at pictures it definitely doesn't seem "not climbable". The thing is falling apart, yes, but it is standing vertically. It doesn't make sense to me why it hasn't been climbed, although I'm sure there's a good reason. Is it really crumbling to the point where you can't go up at all? Could someone elaborate on why Chimney Rock hasn't been ascended?

John Alcorn wrote:I noticed this tower on the Nebraska state quarter. Searched mountain project for Chimney Rock. Turns out MP has no documented climbing in Nebraska! There's not a lot of info on Chimney Rock on the internet, and no info about climbing that I could find (other than Native American legend). I called the visitor center there, and asked about climbing. The guy on the other end of the phone acted like it was a stupid question. He said it is "not climbable" because the rock is so soft, and there is no documented ascent of it. I've never been to Chimney Rock but from looking at pictures it definitely doesn't seem "not climbable". The thing is falling apart, yes, but it is standing vertically. It doesn't make sense to me why it hasn't been climbed, although I'm sure there's a good reason. Is it really crumbling to the point where you can't go up at all? Could someone elaborate on why Chimney Rock hasn't been ascended?

Not a lot of info on the net? Seriously?

"The imposing formation, composed of layers of volcanic ash and brule clay..."
[From: nps.gov/nr/travel/scotts_bl… ]

Compare the old sketch and photos to modern ones:
nebraskahistory.org/sites/r…

"Chimney Rock is made of Brule clay with layers of Arickaree sandstone and volcanic ash interlaced within it; its oldest elements are about 28 million years old, said David Loope, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln geology professor.

Because the Brule is susceptible to erosion, it undermines the Arickaree, resulting in changes that are episodic and unpredictable — such as rock falls, he said."
[ From: usatoday30.usatoday.com/tec… ]

And finally from Reddit:
"First off, as far as I can tell, it's not open to climbing. Second, I can find no record of any climbs, and typically if something has been climbed you can find info on the routes and history of it on sites like mountainproject.com and summitpost.org.

The main issue here is the quality of the "rock". It's what climbers call choss, meaning very poor quality, crumbling, and unstable. It's more like a vertical sand clump than solid rock. It even appears a huge chunk of chimney rock fell sometime between it's discovery and the 20th century, significantly altering the size and shape of the thing.

The poor quality of the rock means climbing it would be very very sketchy, since the things climbers use to protect themselves from falling, namely bolts or other protection, would be very dubious. "

I like thinking about the idea of affordable anchors for shitty rock, like sinking thick re-bar deep for belay/rap stations...but whole sections or ledges could just slide off. I've had holds break off on sandstone routes before, and have heard the echo of cavities on granite routes too.

At the end of the day, risk is risk, which we try to minimize.

If you really want to ascend that formation, I'm sure you'll find a way!

there has got to be a way to get up this thing

You cant legally get anywhere near it. I was there about 10 years ago and the visitor center is as close as you can get. Cant remember if it was private property or what. I also remember the area was used for artillery and rifle training at some point in the early 20th century. Maybe some of the erosion was accelerated by people shooting at it?

Its been a few years since I was there but I also think it is on private property and doubt they would be into it being climbed for the sake of preservation. Hike up Scottsbluff and you'll get a sense of the rock/choss you're in for if you manage to get permission. I'm sure it could be done, take Palisade Things of beauty towers as an example. They would be pretty similar in many aspects.

First climb this:
mountainproject.com/v/west-…

If you feel good on that, check these out:
summitpost.org/monument-roc…

Don't know specifics about Chimney Rock, but it may not be the best idea to poach something as historically significant/recognizable as that, if it is indeed off-limits. If you are really hounding for epic choss/mud/clay climbing out in the Great Plains, go cut your teeth on West Pawnee Butte. See how it goes, if you have the masochistic gene and actually enjoy it, check out Monument Rocks in Kansas. Clay choss FA's for days!

John Alcorn wrote:there has got to be a way to get up this thing

You did see "private property" and "illegal", yes? Also "choss" and "dangerously loose" and "falling down"?

If you like, there is this choss-fest a bit further west:
mountainproject.com/v/facto…

So you live in Boulder and you're worried about climbing a choss pile in Nebraska? You need to get your priorities straight and quit using state quarters to scout new climbing areas. ;)

Thanks for the info y'all and go easy on me! I've never really seen one of these choss piles (never been to any midwest states, skirted through south Texas when I moved), so the idea of something this vertical that's enough of a choss pile to be "unclimbable" is new to me. I'm DEFINITELY not volunteering to go for a first ascent. It was just hard for me to believe that there hasn't been someone bold enough to do it yet. That thing must REALLY be crumbling for no one to have slithered up it. I'm gonna have to go see it for myself. Also Tapawingo what was that about state quarters being bad inspiration for climbing ambition? Pretty sure Half Dome, Long's Peak, Rainier, and the New River Gorge are on state quarters. And I'll have you know I've been taking in Front Range climbing as much as I can. Cheers!

That Nebraska thing looks super cool.

What about these piles of choss you can see from the highways here in Colorado
mountainproject.com/v/monum…
mountainproject.com/v/the-s…

John Alcorn wrote: Also Tapawingo what was that about state quarters being bad inspiration for climbing ambition?

I said used for scouting new climbing areas, not for inspiration. Was just poking fun nonetheless, glad you're getting out.

I will send it, lets go

There is a lot of stuff like this in the SD Badlands, on the reservations, and on public land in that area.  Probably would not have problems with access that you have for this.  

Haha. Badlands climbing. Try to ' send ' even a 45 Degree slope sometime.

I hear you can climb it, just not for 72 days after it rains or the wet rock police will be all over you.

They kind of call it the Black Hills / Badlands area. There's a lot of climbing in the Black Hills, but not in the badlands. Go climb ' Holy Terror ' ( 5.7 ) at the Needles Eye area first, which is excellent rock, before venturing out in the badlands.


The general terrain

The general rock quality

Very nice for backpacking.( If most of the pack contains water )

But the spoils are beautiful. I'm sure that would be a first ascent.

Ice tools!

And weld 6" knife blades on your crampon points AKA Freddy Kroger'ing that mother.