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Adopt-a-Crag: Broughton

April 21, 2024

Portland Area Climbers Coalition completed an Adopt a Crag at Lewis and Clark State Park.

With nearly 40 people on site, we cut back vegetation along the whole crag, regraded parts of the trail, made a belay platform, installed multiple rock steps, cleared a large fallen tree and rebuilt that section of trail, decommissioned a rouge trail, hardened a muddy section of trail with a rock garden and more.

Thanks to Bailey Beltramo from Portland Rock Gym for the great photos of the climbing community giving back!

Before and after photo of Circus Act's belay platform and trail stairs. Before is a dirt slope, after shows multiple stacked-rock steps.
What’s up with the giant belay platform at Circus Act?! Glad you asked. The first pitch of Circus Act gets regular traffic as an easy trad lead, it’s often used as a “first lead ever” type climb so it sees some peculiar traffic patterns. The base had turned into a muddy slip and slide. It’s difficult to make a belay platform at the top of a slope without stabilizing the slope below the belay platform as well.
A photo of improvements made to the approach trail to Bat Wall
This is the trail just North of Bat Wall. In this photo the climber is walking North from Bat Wall and the lovely model is on the trail. This section of trail was muddy and not very clear leading people to try to cross the stream in many different places including the trail to nowhere going up the hill to the right.
A rock crossing made across a creek to prevent slipping and further erosion.
We fixed this by covering the trail with rock so it is no longer muddy and there is only one obvious path.
Logs and other detritus are laid at the bottom of a boulder, preventing access to a "trail to nowhere."
We also closed down the trail to nowhere and transplanted native plants to prevent further travel and the subsequent erosion here.
A group of five climbers moving a single large rock to make steps.
Rocks are heavy. Steps are nice!
A wide angle photo of multiple climbers working at the base of a crag.
A beautiful day for a well-attended crag day.
Climbers working along a trail; at least 8 are spread across different spots.
Multiple groups worked together to make improvements to the trail along a large length.
A group of five climbers laughing and working together.
A group of five climber volunteers take a break to laugh while working together on a trail.