The following entry is quite possibly Beacon Rock's first trip report. Published in the December 1914 edition of the Mazama: A Record of Mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest (Volume IV, Number 3, pages 93-94), C. W. Howard recounts the story of not only his climb on the Pioneer (Spike) Route but also of the first ascent of Beacon Rock as well as a fascinating Native American legend.
The text is not edited as seen here on our blog and it should be noted that some of the author's references are outdated (Castle Rock) and do not express the views of the Beacon Rock Climbing Association or anyone else living in this century!
The original text can be found in the Beacon Rock State Park library as a gracious donation by the Mazamas and the Beacon Rock Climbing Association or by clicking here for another online copy.
Castle Rock presents one of the best rock climbs near Portland. It may well be called one of the "Guardians of the Columbia," as it is an isolated tower of columnar basalt, 1146 feet high, and stands on the north shore of the Columbia River, on the line of the "North Bank" Railroad, about 40 miles east of Portland. The base of the rock covers somewhere near 30 acres, and the sides of the rock are almost perpendicular to the very top. There is some vegetation on the rock but it is to be found only on the narrow ledges, which have been able to collect enough soil to support its growth and consists mainly of a few stunted firs and small shrubs, the lower portion of the rock being rather thickly covered with poison oak.
Until recently the ascent of Castle Rock had always been considered impossible. For several years there was a standing offer of $1000 to anyone who succeeded in placing the American flag on the summit. In the early days there was keen rivalry between two steamboat lines whose boats plied the Columbia River, and Frank Smith, of the "Regulator Line," with George Purcer and Charles Church, by means of ropes, iron pins and an unlimited amount of nerve, scaled the rock for the first time during the summer of 1901 and unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and "Regulator" banner, to the breeze. These were the first flags to wave from the summit of Castle Rock, as never before, as far as they could ascertain, had human foot trod there.
There is, however, an old Indian legend to the effect that a beautiful Indian princess named Wehatpolitan had climbed to the top of the rock. She was, so the story runs, in love with a young chief of a neighboring tribe and when she was sought by her lover in marriage her stern father denied the request and killed the messenger. The lovers, however, were secretly married and met often, unknown to the father. After a time the father gave Wehatpolitan to a chief whom he favored. This chief kept close watch of the princess and soon discovered her secret meetings. Upon the news being imparted to the father he invited the unfavored lover to his lodge, promising to forgive him and that he and Wehatpolitan would be duly wed. This, however, was but a ruse and when the expectant lover arrived at the lodge he was seized upon and slain. Soon after this Wehatpolitan gave birth to a child and when the stern parent decreed that the child should share its father's fate Wehatpolitan caught up her child and disappeared.
In vain the tribesman searched for her. Next day they could hear wailings from the top of Castle Rock and discovered that the poor girl with her child had climbed that seemingly impossible height. No one dared venture to climb up an save Wehatpolitan and on the third day the wailings ceased. Then the half-crazed father at temped to reach his daughter and seemed to have succeeded, for at last he disappeared among the crevices of the rock high up toward the summit. He never returned and it was thought that upon reaching the top and finding the bodies of his daughter and the child had given up hope of being able to get down and so had lain down with them and died. And thus runs the Indian legend of Castle Rock.
Since 1901 a few small parties have succeeded in climbing to the summit of Castle Rock. A party of Mazamas, under Mr. Benefiel, made the climb in 1912, but on October 11th, 1914, the Mazamas made an official climb of the rock and 47 persons reached the summit, this being by far the largest party which has ever stood on its summit at one time. Mr. E. C. Sammons was the leader of the party and to make sure that everything would be in readiness for the main climb, he made a preliminary trip two weeks before. Mrs. C. E. Dillinger, better known to the Mazamas as "Auntie"; Miss Anne Dillinger, Sammons and the writer made up the party. We left Portland on October 3, arriving at Butler at 7:30 P. M. Here we left the train and with somewhat heavy packs hiked about two and one-half miles to our camping place on a small creek about a quarter of a mile from the base of the rock. This was a perfect location for a small camp we soon had a good fire burning and then "Auntie" toasted pumpernickel and prepared beef bouillon -- a delicious rapast before retiring.
After an early breakfast Miss Dillinger, Sammons and I started the climb, leaving "Auntie" to guard camp and to have dinner prepared for us when we returned. With little difficulty we found the dim trail up the west side of the rock, this being the only practical route to the top. When you stand near the base of Castle Rock and, looking upward, have the trail pointed out to you, you little wonder that was long thought to be an impossible climb. The rock overhangs in places and the rest of the way is just about perpendicular. It is only by working back and forth along the narrow ledges and occasionally pulling yourself up sheer faces of rock by means of the scant shrubbery or a tuft of grass (and sometimes with your nose and eyebrows) that your are able to reach the top.
The most difficult part of the climb is met when about half way up the rock, or about 600 feet above the ground. Here the trail ends at the bottom of a chimney leading to the base of a bald face of rock about 60 feet high and entirely devoid of vegetation. There are no crevices for hand or foot holds, and to negotiate this chimney and rock face the first climbers had drilled holes and set some iron spikes, by which one could pull himself up. A rope was afterward hung from above. On our reconnoitering trip we found that some of the spikes had become loose enough to become dangerous and that the permanent rope was badly rotted. We stopped here long enough to re-drill the old holes and set in a few additional pins. We also hung a new 70-foot 1-inch rope to replace the old one. Setting the pins on this place was adventuresome work. First Sammons and then myself took turns at it, being suspended in mid-air, as it were, by a painter's noose made in the large rope. Hanging over the wall added zest to the sport, but I was glad that the rope was new and in perfect condition.
This dangerous place once surmounted, the balance of the climb is made without especial difficulty, though one must constantly be on the alert for falling rocks and lest he made a misstep, any one of which might prove fatal. We remained on the summit long enough to take a few photographs and then retraced our steps. When we had dropped down off the rock face and through the narrow chimney Sammons, who was in the lead, threw his weight on a dead fir tree, about 6 inches in diameter, to let himself down to a lower ledge of rock. The tree, which had nearly rotted through at the base, snapped under the extra weight and went down with Sammons, while Miss Dillinger and I held our breaths in horror. It was only rare presence of mind and a skillful twist of his body that enabled him to throw himself inward, while falling, onto the first ledge of rock about 8 feet below. He landed in a heap with his feet hanging over a sheer precipice of about 200 feet.
On the official climb two weeks later, because of the large number of women who were inexperienced in difficult rock climbing, our leader, Mr. Sammons, hung a number of ropes over the more dangerous places. This proved a wise precaution, for the rains of the week before had made the footing most unsatisfactory, especially where there was a scum of earth and decayed leaves on the sharply sloping basalt ledges. In the main climb one or two persons were struck by small rocks dislodged by the climbers above, but otherwise what is probably one of the most ambitious climbs on the "Local Walks" schedule of the Mazamas came off successfully and with credit to the organization. An official Mazama record box and register were left on the summit.
The owners of Castle Rock contemplate blasting a winding horse trail to the summit, that tourists may have the advantage of that most wonderful view of the Columbia River. The view from the rock is magnificent, one being able to see for miles up and down the Columbia River gorge.
Those who made the official Mazama climb were: R. W. Ayer, C. E. Blakney, H. G. Burco, L. F. Buck, T. R. Conway, William Clarke, Geraldine Coursen, A. M. Churchill, Lella L. Dean, L. P. Dellaire, Edith Ellis, Pearl Ellis, F. J. Glover, Charlotte M. Harris, Pearl Harnois, A. R. Hine, R. W. Heston, R. T. Johnstone, D. M. G. Kerr, Joseph Lind, P. C. Lind, D. G. Lebb, Dr. C. V. Luther, F. P. Luetters, Edith Moore, R. W. Montague, Caroline Montague, Martha Nilsson, Anna D. Nickell, P. G. Payton, E. F. Peterson, Arthur Peterson, Florence Prevost, John Pauer, George X. Riddell, Osmon Royal, C. W. Roblin, Rhoda Ross, Lena Searing, Georgia Smedly, George F. Scott, J. C. Sharp, C. J. Sieberts, H. J. Thorne, A. B. Williams, Louis Waldorf and E. C. Sammons, leader of the expedition.
The text is not edited as seen here on our blog and it should be noted that some of the author's references are outdated (Castle Rock) and do not express the views of the Beacon Rock Climbing Association or anyone else living in this century!
The original text can be found in the Beacon Rock State Park library as a gracious donation by the Mazamas and the Beacon Rock Climbing Association or by clicking here for another online copy.
 |
| Castle Rock. 1--View showing east face. 2--North and west front, route of Mazama ascent. 3--A grand rock climb; west side. photos by C.W. Howard, Portland. |
Climb of Castle Rock.
By C. W. Howard.
Castle Rock presents one of the best rock climbs near Portland. It may well be called one of the "Guardians of the Columbia," as it is an isolated tower of columnar basalt, 1146 feet high, and stands on the north shore of the Columbia River, on the line of the "North Bank" Railroad, about 40 miles east of Portland. The base of the rock covers somewhere near 30 acres, and the sides of the rock are almost perpendicular to the very top. There is some vegetation on the rock but it is to be found only on the narrow ledges, which have been able to collect enough soil to support its growth and consists mainly of a few stunted firs and small shrubs, the lower portion of the rock being rather thickly covered with poison oak.
Until recently the ascent of Castle Rock had always been considered impossible. For several years there was a standing offer of $1000 to anyone who succeeded in placing the American flag on the summit. In the early days there was keen rivalry between two steamboat lines whose boats plied the Columbia River, and Frank Smith, of the "Regulator Line," with George Purcer and Charles Church, by means of ropes, iron pins and an unlimited amount of nerve, scaled the rock for the first time during the summer of 1901 and unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and "Regulator" banner, to the breeze. These were the first flags to wave from the summit of Castle Rock, as never before, as far as they could ascertain, had human foot trod there.
There is, however, an old Indian legend to the effect that a beautiful Indian princess named Wehatpolitan had climbed to the top of the rock. She was, so the story runs, in love with a young chief of a neighboring tribe and when she was sought by her lover in marriage her stern father denied the request and killed the messenger. The lovers, however, were secretly married and met often, unknown to the father. After a time the father gave Wehatpolitan to a chief whom he favored. This chief kept close watch of the princess and soon discovered her secret meetings. Upon the news being imparted to the father he invited the unfavored lover to his lodge, promising to forgive him and that he and Wehatpolitan would be duly wed. This, however, was but a ruse and when the expectant lover arrived at the lodge he was seized upon and slain. Soon after this Wehatpolitan gave birth to a child and when the stern parent decreed that the child should share its father's fate Wehatpolitan caught up her child and disappeared.
In vain the tribesman searched for her. Next day they could hear wailings from the top of Castle Rock and discovered that the poor girl with her child had climbed that seemingly impossible height. No one dared venture to climb up an save Wehatpolitan and on the third day the wailings ceased. Then the half-crazed father at temped to reach his daughter and seemed to have succeeded, for at last he disappeared among the crevices of the rock high up toward the summit. He never returned and it was thought that upon reaching the top and finding the bodies of his daughter and the child had given up hope of being able to get down and so had lain down with them and died. And thus runs the Indian legend of Castle Rock.
Since 1901 a few small parties have succeeded in climbing to the summit of Castle Rock. A party of Mazamas, under Mr. Benefiel, made the climb in 1912, but on October 11th, 1914, the Mazamas made an official climb of the rock and 47 persons reached the summit, this being by far the largest party which has ever stood on its summit at one time. Mr. E. C. Sammons was the leader of the party and to make sure that everything would be in readiness for the main climb, he made a preliminary trip two weeks before. Mrs. C. E. Dillinger, better known to the Mazamas as "Auntie"; Miss Anne Dillinger, Sammons and the writer made up the party. We left Portland on October 3, arriving at Butler at 7:30 P. M. Here we left the train and with somewhat heavy packs hiked about two and one-half miles to our camping place on a small creek about a quarter of a mile from the base of the rock. This was a perfect location for a small camp we soon had a good fire burning and then "Auntie" toasted pumpernickel and prepared beef bouillon -- a delicious rapast before retiring.
After an early breakfast Miss Dillinger, Sammons and I started the climb, leaving "Auntie" to guard camp and to have dinner prepared for us when we returned. With little difficulty we found the dim trail up the west side of the rock, this being the only practical route to the top. When you stand near the base of Castle Rock and, looking upward, have the trail pointed out to you, you little wonder that was long thought to be an impossible climb. The rock overhangs in places and the rest of the way is just about perpendicular. It is only by working back and forth along the narrow ledges and occasionally pulling yourself up sheer faces of rock by means of the scant shrubbery or a tuft of grass (and sometimes with your nose and eyebrows) that your are able to reach the top.
The most difficult part of the climb is met when about half way up the rock, or about 600 feet above the ground. Here the trail ends at the bottom of a chimney leading to the base of a bald face of rock about 60 feet high and entirely devoid of vegetation. There are no crevices for hand or foot holds, and to negotiate this chimney and rock face the first climbers had drilled holes and set some iron spikes, by which one could pull himself up. A rope was afterward hung from above. On our reconnoitering trip we found that some of the spikes had become loose enough to become dangerous and that the permanent rope was badly rotted. We stopped here long enough to re-drill the old holes and set in a few additional pins. We also hung a new 70-foot 1-inch rope to replace the old one. Setting the pins on this place was adventuresome work. First Sammons and then myself took turns at it, being suspended in mid-air, as it were, by a painter's noose made in the large rope. Hanging over the wall added zest to the sport, but I was glad that the rope was new and in perfect condition.
This dangerous place once surmounted, the balance of the climb is made without especial difficulty, though one must constantly be on the alert for falling rocks and lest he made a misstep, any one of which might prove fatal. We remained on the summit long enough to take a few photographs and then retraced our steps. When we had dropped down off the rock face and through the narrow chimney Sammons, who was in the lead, threw his weight on a dead fir tree, about 6 inches in diameter, to let himself down to a lower ledge of rock. The tree, which had nearly rotted through at the base, snapped under the extra weight and went down with Sammons, while Miss Dillinger and I held our breaths in horror. It was only rare presence of mind and a skillful twist of his body that enabled him to throw himself inward, while falling, onto the first ledge of rock about 8 feet below. He landed in a heap with his feet hanging over a sheer precipice of about 200 feet.
On the official climb two weeks later, because of the large number of women who were inexperienced in difficult rock climbing, our leader, Mr. Sammons, hung a number of ropes over the more dangerous places. This proved a wise precaution, for the rains of the week before had made the footing most unsatisfactory, especially where there was a scum of earth and decayed leaves on the sharply sloping basalt ledges. In the main climb one or two persons were struck by small rocks dislodged by the climbers above, but otherwise what is probably one of the most ambitious climbs on the "Local Walks" schedule of the Mazamas came off successfully and with credit to the organization. An official Mazama record box and register were left on the summit.
The owners of Castle Rock contemplate blasting a winding horse trail to the summit, that tourists may have the advantage of that most wonderful view of the Columbia River. The view from the rock is magnificent, one being able to see for miles up and down the Columbia River gorge.
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| Castle Rock, an isolated tower of columnar basalt 1146 feet high, on north bank of Columbia River 40 miles east of Portland. Photo by H. J. Thorne, Portland |
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| View looking east from summit of Castle Rock, showing rugged cliffs of Oregon shore. Photo by H. J. Thorne, Portland |
Those who made the official Mazama climb were: R. W. Ayer, C. E. Blakney, H. G. Burco, L. F. Buck, T. R. Conway, William Clarke, Geraldine Coursen, A. M. Churchill, Lella L. Dean, L. P. Dellaire, Edith Ellis, Pearl Ellis, F. J. Glover, Charlotte M. Harris, Pearl Harnois, A. R. Hine, R. W. Heston, R. T. Johnstone, D. M. G. Kerr, Joseph Lind, P. C. Lind, D. G. Lebb, Dr. C. V. Luther, F. P. Luetters, Edith Moore, R. W. Montague, Caroline Montague, Martha Nilsson, Anna D. Nickell, P. G. Payton, E. F. Peterson, Arthur Peterson, Florence Prevost, John Pauer, George X. Riddell, Osmon Royal, C. W. Roblin, Rhoda Ross, Lena Searing, Georgia Smedly, George F. Scott, J. C. Sharp, C. J. Sieberts, H. J. Thorne, A. B. Williams, Louis Waldorf and E. C. Sammons, leader of the expedition.
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