Aerie Interlude
5.12+,
Trad, 100 ft (30 m),
Avg: 3.5 from 2
votes
FA: unknown
Oregon
> Central Oregon
> Trout Creek
> Main Wall
Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closure 2020 UPDATE/Private Land Boundaries
Details
2020 Seasonal Raptor Closure Update: Trout Creek is open to climbing on May 15, 2020. The Golden Eagles have nested on the Warm Springs side of the formation.
SEASONAL RAPTOR CLOSURE TAKES EFFECT JAN 15 EACH YEAR. Climbers have demonstrated 100% compliance rate and must continue. Violators are subject to a ticket and fine. The BLM will be monitoring the territory, which includes all of the crags and the approach trails. The closure could be partially lifted May 15th, depending on the nesting scenarios.
blm.gov/or/districts/prinev… blm.gov/or/districts/prinev… ADJACENT PRIVATE LAND
Please respect adjacent private landowners. While the climbing area is mainly BLM, a portion of the cliff and access may be on private property. However the entirety of the Main Wall is public with a solid buffer of space before the boundary, so you are allowed to access up above that wall. Please be aware of the rest of the private land above the cliff though. Local climbers have established a positive relationship with the adjacent private property owners and it is important to maintain their trust for long-term access.
Description
Climb the bouldery direct line between Steelhead and Gateway, via tiny face holds, flakes, painful tips locks, and some huge patina plates. Aerie Interlude is essentially a face climb and a series of 2 boulder problems with stances. The first is v4-v5, and the second is v6-v7. After the upper problem, you'll hit a hero jug rail on the left (similar to Mayfly) and finish up some stemming and finger cracks as per Gateway.Airy Interlude, in the Needles, is one of the country's most famous routes. This route was established on the last day of Trout's climbing season, before the eagle nest closure. Fans of crosswords will know the word Aerie, it must be Will Shortz's favorite way to crowd in the vowels.
Location
Near the left end of the the wall, between a ringlocks splitter on the right and a grey-toned stem route on the left. This climb has very obvious patina flakes and jugs, and is easy to find. It has unique and athletic movement, huck a TR lap after doing Gateway or Steelhead!
Protection
~ 2-3x from black alien to yellow, single #2 Camalot
From the ground I placed:
Black Alien
Blue Alien
#2 Camalot
Black Alien
Silver C3
(Crux)
If you don't have a silver C3 (I don't think any other cam models are that small) I'm sure other gear is fine, maybe just a bit lower.
![Finishing the second crux on Aerie Interlude. Photo by Zach Clanton.]()
[Hide Photo] Finishing the second crux on Aerie Interlude. Photo by Zach Clanton.
![Aerie Interlude is the face climb between Steelhead and Gateway]()
[Hide Photo] Aerie Interlude is the face climb between Steelhead and Gateway
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Bend, OR
The rack described above would be quite bold. It protects well with a mix of red and green c3s, the aforementioned #2, and maybe a black alien or two. Plus a selection of fingers-tips sizes for the finish. I think you could also completely avoid placing a tiny C3 with RPs which the upper crux would take quite well. Take care placing gear in the middle as the left side of the crack is quite hollow for *almost* all of the moderate moves. Nov 8, 2017