Lost World Climbing

AKA: Sunrise Wall, Rust Rocks, Tumble Creek Cliff...

Intro:
Whatever you decide to call it, the experience is the same: a fantastic mix of 60+ mostly moderate trad and sport routes from 25-115 feet tall. It is made up of a dense, highly-featured, light gray basaltic andesite. It lies at the southernmost end of the generally west-facing escarpment that looms over the East Fork of the Hood River and Highway 35 corridor. This is the same cliffline that contains Klinger Spring and Pete's Pile, and it shares many of the same qualities. Tumble Creek runs just below the crag, and marks the end of the cliffline. Large Douglas firs and Ponderosa pines provide rotating shade across the walls, especially at the base, though it can still get quite hot around mid-day in the summer.

Climate:
The whole escarpment lies at an elevation around 3500’ on the east slope of Mt. Hood, which creates a unique micro-climate. The first snows arrive around mid November, and it is usually unclimbable until late April at the earliest due to a base of snow as well as seepage. Going into the summer, it quickly gets hot due to the predominantly southern aspect, but it’s not too hard to find a shady spot throughout the day. It also stays drier than west slope crags due to the rain shadow effect.

Erosion:
The soil is ashy and fine, which means it gets into everything, including your shoes and your rope, and also makes erosion a major concern. Additionally, this area has been identified as ecologically sensitive by Mt Hood National Forest management. A sustainable long-term approach trail and belay areas for all routes have not yet been built. Please tread carefully, minimize your impact, and reconsider bringing dogs and large groups.

Hazards:
There is little to no cell phone reception, so plan for evacuations accordingly. Local hazards include falling rocks, uneven trails, jagged branches, scorpions, ticks in the late spring and early summer, and wasps in the late summer into autumn. Again, maybe don't bring your dogs out here.

Top-Roping:
This crag is not convenient for setting up top-ropes from above. Sometimes you can set-up harder routes from the anchors of an easier route, but this will usually require trad gear. Be prepared to lead and clean your routes. Do not attempt to walk around to the top of the crag! This is likely to cause dangerous and unavoidable rock fall.

Anchor Hardware:
Anchors are currently equipped with a smorgasbord of hardware: wire-gate carabiners, mussy hooks, aluminum and steel rap rings, quick-links, etc. The original intent was to use these while development was ongoing, and then replace the less-than-ideal stuff when the crag was ready for primetime. That may not be the reality when you reach the top of a route. Replacing suspect anchor hardware with better stuff is always welcome, as long as you know what you're doing, and using certified hardware yourself.

No Toilets:
The closest toilets are at the Tamanawas Falls trailhead. Please go poop there before approaching or after leaving. The hillside is really steep, and a creek runs just below. If you must poop at the crag, do it in a Wag-Bag and pack it out. You do carry one of those, right?