A scant 5 miles north of Beacon Rock will afford you amazing views of the North side of Hood, the Columbia River, the top of Beacon Rock 5 miles below and a good stretch of the Gorge are all seen from the base of this south facing cliff. If it's not raining or cloudy of course:-) This was another cliff Jim Opdycke, along with his buddy Mike Janick, found.
There is some great andesite rock and some obvious marginal broken looking rock. Pick what ya want to get on. Show up and play pick a line or additional info and the list of routes can be found in "Northwest Oregon Rock", which is the new 2012 companion guidebook to Portland Rock Climbs both by Tim Olsen. www.northwestoregonrock.com/
There is room for many more routes if anyone is into that. Certainly the fun and airy ridge climb on the far side called Conga Line is worth a lap.
Getting There
Turn at the road right next to the Beacon Rock Ranger station (Kueffler road) heading north. Set your odometer just as you turn, you will go exactly 5.1 miles to the Jimmies entrance. The first 1.5 or so is still Beacon Rock state park and nicely paved. Head past the equestrian trails on the right and group camp on the left. Eventually you'll see some mailboxes on the left and get to the end of pavement. There are 3 choices take the center one (gravel). Top sign says "end country road". Keep driving straight ahead. There are a couple of smaller roads that branch off later, but just go straight on FS road 1400 heading northerly, which is the best of the gravel roads up there. Right at mile 5.1 look right (east) you will see an old skidder road from when they logged the Yacoult burn off in here in the 30's. The main road soon goes left were you to continue. Pull in on the skid road and there is room for a couple of cars at the end (@ 300 narrow feet further) There is also parking on road 1400 on the left, or go past the next sharp left turn and there is room for about 3 cars to park on the left.
The short version is just follow the short easy and obvious trail easterly for 1/2 mile. More specifically, it drops down a slight hill directly to the east of the turnaround at the end of the skid road. Go about 100 feet down before heading slightly to the left and more northerly, following the trail which becomes more pronounced as it starts to parallel and gently rise up the hillside heading easterly again. At this point, you should be seeing a very pronounced trail, and are probably no more than 300 feet from the car which is back up the slight hill. Follow the trail the distance of about 3 city blocks long and it leads you directly to the talus at the base of Jimmies.
The 1st pitch to access all of the center routes has no bolts. As it's been getting climbed a potential placement may have appeared here or there. The operative word is may". Or may not. Been just 3rd classing it although it's a easy 5th class climb in it's own right and getting easier as the loose stuff gets knocked off. Don't whine or bitch about it, just do the right thing and stick some quality Stainless bolts in if it disturbs you. The rap anchors are there both pitches, and @ 10 bolts on the 5.10ish 2nd pitch of Jimmies Favorite.
The place needs more routes and more bolts. Have at it.
Edit 9/20/2012: 3 bolts are in now to get to Scorpion ledge via Jimmies Favorite.
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