On warm, sunny days, ropes, harnesses, bicycles and University students take over a small part of Skinner’s Butte: The Columns, a local climbing area.
About 10-minute bike ride from campus, University students, faculty and classes use The Columns. The community also takes part. Often times church groups or Riverhouse groups take students there to practice their climbing skills.
Located at Second Avenue and Lincoln Street, The Columns is named after the columnar basalt that is found there. This formation creates cracks in between the columns, which are ideal for practicing crack climbing. The established routes there range from easy (5.6) to difficult (5.11).
The other convenient feature of The Columns is its short height. The anchors at the top of the routes can be reached by a short walk up the left side. From there, climbers can lower a rope from the top of the climb, which is called top-roping For more advanced climbers, The Columns is a great place for practicing traditional leading, where climbers place gear as protection while they climb.
University student Nathan Liebenstein has been climbing at The Columns for a little more than two years.
“I like the location. It’s so convenient,” Liebenstein said. “The cracks are great, and I love crack climbing. There’s a fun atmosphere.”
The Columns were created around the beginning of the 1900s when the area was a rock quarry.
“You can picture the workers banging away at the rock and chipping it out. It’s how the place originated for climbers,” said Michael Strong, director of the Outdoor Pursuits Program at the University.
The area is maintained by the Riverhouse and the City of Eugene. They have established the bolted anchors and do routine bolt inspections to make sure they are safe. However, there have been problems with rock fall in the area. Strong said that people have pulled rock out while climbing there. There is also loose rock at the top and currently the right side is fenced off because of loose rock.
The Columns are also notorious for climbers with poor safety skills In order to climb safely, the anchor must be set up properly and the climber must be belayed with proper technique.
“Take a class or clinic from a qualified company, club, or school with a good skills progression,” Strong said.
He cautions against going out with a friend and assuming they know what they are doing.
There are several classes at the University that teach safe climbing skills and where students can experience climbing at The Columns. Rock III and Intro to Lead Climber are both offered this spring. Rock III focuses on the basics of climbing outside, with an emphasis on safe anchor building. Students go to The Columns and Smith Rock. Intro to Lead Climber focuses on traditional climbing. Students climb at The Columns once a week for several hours and practice their leading skills.
“Enough variety to get beginners going and it can push the limits of a skilled climber,” said Strong.