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.
Monster starts as a tricky tips crack that gradually opens up to fingers and hands.
The technical crux comes fairly low, but after a couple of decent rests in the middle you'll still find yourself looking at a good deal of ever-widening hands before you reach the chains.
The opening sequences can be made significantly easier if you cheat a bit by laybacking and using the next crack over to the left, but if you're a purist try going straight in.
This is an incredibly fun route.
Location
Just to the right of JR Tolkein. Start on the block and climb the chalked tip jams on your right.
The consensus on the grade of this route from many who climb at the crag regularly as well as some very talented visiors is that it's more of a 12-. In either case, come expecting thin locks, bad feet, and difficulties seeing the next good lock right off the deck.
Hey Max, you are probably right about 12-. When we put it up we thought 12- was fair, though to try and stick with the traditional Trout Creek rating style we subtracted a bit from that... I guess I can't comment on how it compares to other similarly graded routes at the crag as I only climbed there the one day, but I think 12- would fly at many other crags and quite possibly Trout Creek, too. Have fun out there, that place is amazing!
By Peter Franzen Administrator From: Portland, OR Nov 4, 2009
Well that makes me feel a little bit better about my effort. I thought that the opening moves were pretty burly for an 11.
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