Climbing Meadow Camp
Bend, Oregon
Elevation: 3900 Feet
Meadow Camp is just around the corner to Mount Bachelor from Bend, roughly 10 miles outside of the city limits, maybe less. Their is a sweet cliffband that runs parallel with the river up above it about 80 feet. I am not sure what kind of rock exists on those cliffs, but they are short, verticle and can be pretty featureless. They are also renowned for chewing up fingers with sharp, jagged edges and ledges.
Joel and I went out May 1, 2004, a balmy day of moderate heat and intense sun. We tried to stay in the shade when we could.
I would like to throw in a side note on being able to climb without grade:
It is so choice. It is freedom and strength that surprise you because your mind and body will rise to the challenge of already being up there and confronted with it without having to think about it first.
It is a top-ropers paradise, being just too damn short to really try to do a lead. Load-balancing slings and webbing are a must for this area, as the two bolts up on top of each block were not put in there with a specific climb in mind.
The other interesting thing about it is that I have no idea what any of those climbs are named. I don't really know of anyone who has any names for those climbs. And I am horribly tired of of calling climbs "that one around the corner from the off-width crack by the large boulder?" That describes eighty percent of the climbs I have done out there. So in that spirit, without regard to whomever may have named it, climbed it, snatched first or second snootchie-bootchies; I am assigning them names. Because I climbed them first.
7 Lizards A Leapin
5.10a
Joel is getting his lizard on this pumpy, edge and ledge fiesta. Basically, stay completely off the back rock for style and grade points. The beginning is small divot pockets and smeering. Past that, you have some sharp ledges, side-pulls and a three fingered bridge in a ditch. The top has a mini-crux of pulling yourself on nubbins with good feet. Overall, we both thought with the start completely off of the block on the left was a nice 5.10a.
Liehard with a Vengence
5.9
This is a sweet 35 - 40 foot lieback, never any really technical moves as you drop into a burlfest of lat blowing lieback. Attack it like an animal. The foot wall is perfectly vertical, at a ninety degree angle for most of the climb and lazy sine wave on your grip wall. You will smear on dimples and an occasional bump. It has a bulge at the top that takes the last part of you to hang onto and make it to the top. I have had people I have climbed it with give it a 5.10a, but I think its more for strength than technique. Joel tried to stem it and found that it was not only harder, but mildly fruitless.
Indian Stacking
5.10b/c
This was finger crack paradise with a nasty flair on the lower section and shutting itself to probing fingers about 10 feet from the top. The start is slightly overhung, camming and stacking your fingers into pretty grippy rock. Then squeezing your body into a flare so you get a finger stack above your head. A higher ape index than I possess may have an easier time getting up through that flare. The last part is just sweet finger crack. There is a large boulder to the left of the crack that you basically have to lean on because of body position for the crack, style points and grade allow for only the minimal amount of leaning on the boulder, no foot or hand placements on it. Also same for the crack, no face holds, crack only for hand and foot placements. This was a great climb. Probably my favorite at Meadow Camp.
Locations
Last question you might be asking is: "Where are those climbs?" Dunno for now. I am not going to draw topos. Go out for yourself and see if you can id them from the photos. You can write me if you actually have questions. I would also like to know other names and such if someone has correct info on these climbs. There has to be proof! I don't believe none of you stinkin' climber types.
This picture here is a great one of Indian Stacking, note the flare on the left above that block, arching slowly up and right until it ends at the top of the rope.
