Trip Report
Chimney rock idaho, Aug 2011 Photo TR

by Ezra Ellis
Sunday August 28, 2011 4:59pm
So I made it up to Chimney rock idaho from spokane on a day trip on august 10th. I managed to con a college buddy that I've known for 17 years into going with me. He has only climbed maybe 2 times in the last year and hadn't climbed trad since the Late 1990's.

Some how, I managed to convince him that I was incompetent to lead the climb. We hadn't seen each other since maybe 2002, but hit it off right away, like we hadn't missed a beat. We mostly talked about the usual, women, beer, politics and climbing. What else do to dudes ever talk about right?

The approach directions in Thad Laird's new "Rock Climbs in North Idaho" Guide book were lacking, but I managed to pilot my moms Toyota Taco up there with out incident.

The approach was snow free until we descended in to the Mount Rotham Cirque, we managed to not go sliding and only had ski poles to assist us. Neon green ones from the 1980's at that.

We climbed the rapel chimney. Hope you enjoy. It was rated 5.7 but did the 2nd pitch hand crack variation, which I swear is 5.8 at least.

Enjoy the pics!
https://picasaweb.google.com/101456895320831392738/ChimneyRock#5646009953976884274

  Trip Report Views: 3,469
Ezra Ellis 		About the Author
Ezra Ellis is a trad climber from WA, & NC & Idaho.

Comments
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 28, 2011 - 05:06pm PT
It was rated 5.7 but did the 2nd pitch hand crack variation, which I swear is 5.8 at least.

BWA HA HA HA hahahahahahaaa!!!!! I know the feeling bro, believe me.

I've had that feeling a LOT since about my 47th birthday!!
hobo_dan

Social climber
Minnesota
  Aug 28, 2011 - 05:14pm PT
That Priest Lake area is sweet. My buddy did the FA on Canary Legs a million years ago
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 28, 2011 - 11:12pm PT
Survival, my sudden lack of fitness as a climber started at 32 when I had a kido,

Hobo- that's awesome you friend must be either R. Bergner or T. Nephew?
I love the preist lake area too, I used to camp on those white sand beaches when I was kid in the 1980s.
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Aug 28, 2011 - 11:26pm PT
Looks like fun!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 28, 2011 - 11:41pm PT
Survival, my sudden lack of fitness as a climber started at 32 when I had a kido,


Yeah well I had kids too. But there was a period where I didn't climb much at all, so it wasn't so glaring!!! :0)
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
  Aug 28, 2011 - 11:47pm PT
thats a sick looking 5.8! the walls round them parts look amazing.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 29, 2011 - 11:01pm PT
Karodrinker,
the walls around there were amazing, the rock is stellar, if a bit licheny. A new 5.10+ off width went up in July of this year, put up by the son of a world class alpinist, John Roskelley! He wrote about it in the summit register. Cool history!!
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Aug 29, 2011 - 11:24pm PT
Ezra: Great area and thanks for the report.

Sometime in the mid-70's we were up there and witnessed a fighter-jet that lined up on Chimney Rock. It then went throught the Chimney-Rootham gap, about a hundred feet off the ground, with its wings verticle.

Damn-near shook us off Chimney Rock.
Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Aug 29, 2011 - 11:38pm PT
Wonderful trip report.
You've got your nice back country tower,
you've wild flower.

With the happy looking climbers, that beautiful peak and the succinct little writeup, it couldn't be beat.

It climbing looked pretty steep, too.

Darwin
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Aug 29, 2011 - 11:40pm PT
Sweet batch of pics. TFPU, man....
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 30, 2011 - 11:33pm PT
Darwin and Skully, thanks for the kind words!

Fritz
1. What route did you climb in the 70s?
2. Was it a FA???
3. Please scan up some old pics from your climb if they survived...:)

Best,
-Ezra
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Sep 8, 2011 - 10:26pm PT
Any body else been up there this summer?
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Sep 8, 2011 - 10:30pm PT
Nice! I've always wanted to go there.
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Sep 8, 2011 - 10:31pm PT
Ezra: Per your earlier question:

No first ascents on Chimney for me. Climbed the standard route in 1973 and the Rappel route in 74. I tried a new route on the East Face a year or two later, and retreated.

My only new route in the Idaho Selkirks was a 5.7-5.8 on the south side of Harrison Peak in 1973. I was too anti-guidebook to submit it for publication.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Sep 15, 2011 - 10:57pm PT
Fritz,

That's awesome that you got the Fa of the classic route on harrison's in 73'. Gnarly, any pics from that???

Donini- If I lived close I'd show you around, this piece of rock is 500 miles from my home...:)
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Sep 15, 2011 - 11:11pm PT
Ezra: I am not close to a copy of Randall Green's Idaho Selkirk Guidebook. I recall several routes on the S. side of Harrison, and I am unsure which route I did in 1973.

The slides are not scanned, and there is an amusing story (or two) about the route: which I first aided the crux on, then did free within a year or two.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Sep 15, 2011 - 11:49pm PT
Well lets hear the story,
here a link on summit post to the south face standard route...

runs up the dead center, from what I can tell!

http://www.summitpost.org/s-w-ridge-is-on-the-left/79594/c-162936

Randall Green lists the FA as "unknown"
Go
Recent Trip Reports