Giant's Staircase 

FA:  Type:  Sport Consensus:  5.7 [details] Length:  2 pitches, 60 feet Views: 345 page views Submitted By: Peter Franzen on Jun 21, 2006 Add Photo  Add Comment

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BETA PHOTO: Sarah leading Giant's Staircase, 5.6. Wet & muddy ...

Description 

This is the easiest route at French's and provides a nice route to the top of the dome.

There are two starts to this route-- the first (listed as #1 in the Portland Rock Climbs book) starts at the far downhill side of the dome and climbs up a ramp/ledge sytem to an anchor. There's a fine variation that starts just uphill (climber's left) of this and goes up 4 or 5 bolts to the same anchor. This is listed as #4 in the book (it also says there's no pro, which is incorrect).

There are 2 options for the second pitch. One can traverse way around to the right before going up past a manky anchor to the summit (60m rope required), or go straight up and right through some steeper 5.10 climbing. Moving around and right is recommended.

To descend from the top walk to the uphill side of the dome (nearest the parking lot) to an ancor and do a free rappel down (50m rope is ok).

Location 

The bottom-most route at French's. Walk down the trail to the bottom of the rock and look for the bolts up the slabby jumbled face.

Protection 

Quickdraws