Jackson Falls

My happy place was featured in Climbing Magazine this month. Check it out.

Jackson Falls

The Labor Day weekend has come and gone. My brother and I got out to Shawnee National Forest for some sport climbing at Jackson Falls. To get to Jackson Falls get ready for a 6 hour drive from Chicago and on a holiday weekend give yourself 2 hours just to get out of the city. With no camping permits or check-in times needed its not a big deal to arrive at midnight so your rested for a full day of climbing on Sat. We weren't the only ones that had that idea either. As we pulled up another car from Chicago was too. I really have to give it up to the climbing community every body down there was really nice and quick to offer their guide book in exchange for good conversation. We met some great people and even picked up a third person for a few routes that allowed us to take some wicked pictures.

Jackson Falls is certainly unique. The only place I know of that you have to climb down in order to scale up. It also caters to horse riders and ATVs in some areas. The camping is open and primitive, which makes for great setting when you need to leave the city behind. The forest canopy is so thick that you can't see stars which is a bummer but if you do like all of us you can turn on the head lamps and hike to the railroad tracks and look up .

Kenny on the Rappel

The climbing is mostly Sport and Trad however we did see some Top Rope. I have yet to venture into Trad climbing I am progressing though. I led my first 5.10a (below) on Spleef Peak. We hit this climb on Sunday and I have to thank my brother Kenny for some awesome pictures.

Kenny hit the shot perfect on this.

Shawnee National Forest Photos from May

At the end of May I went camping down in Southern Illinois. Its pretty amazing that after a six hour drive the country can change so dramatically. Southern Illinois is home to the only national forest in the state, Shawnee National Forest. Besides trees the forest is full of giant sandstone cliffs with water features and moss. Some of the best hiking and climbing is found in Shawnee. Most of our time was spent around Giant City State park which has a fantastic exhibit on the Civilian Conservation Corp that was part of President Roosevelt's New Deal. Giant City, with all of its sandstone cliffs and caverns was key during the Civil War as it was on the border of the North and South. The walls literally show their history. Generations have been carving their initials and dates into the sandstone since mid 1800's (earliest I saw). I have some mixed feelings on this. I like seeing the earliest accounts but the later and most recent etchings I could do without. Also the first etchings were certainly left for posterity, made with nice typography the graffiti I saw from this year was 5 min chicken scratch. Lets leave no trace out there and remember to tread lightly. Leave it to our imaginations as to who might have been here before.

This was the beginning of an extremely wet June.

Shawnee from a high point.

A damp foggy passage with my kid sister for scale.

Cave art or graffiti.

Andy in the cavern.

A dripping waterfall for serenity's sake.