Southern Illinois bouldering

[no grain]

So, my partner ditched me for the Red this weekend, it's ashame...

I was thinking of busting to the Shawnee National Forest area. Does anyone have camping information and perhaps beta on where to go. I already scoped out drtopo.

Is anyone going to be there this weekend?

Thanks.

[quicksilver]

You can camp at Fern Cliff State Park which is just off the highway before you turn to head back to Drapers Bluff. People also camp at the parking lot for Jackson Falls. Kinda of spooky back there. There is also some climbing at Fern Cliff. Eric does not allow camping at Drapers without getting his o.k. Have Fun

[rhunt]

if you know the "The Holy One"..he can hook you up with directions and beta to the Holy Boulders..

If climbing at Jackson, which has tons of good sport climbing and bouldering, camp at the parking lot area.

See Pigsteak(the holy one) for details..

[pigsteak]

no grain...

camp at the main falls, no question.it is only "scarey" if you are not used to it. drtopo is just OK. the holy boulders are not recommended right now, as the temps are supposed to hit 80 this weekend.

we will be there all weekend..ahnging around group therapy or emporer of the north..just ask for pigsteak or Big E...we'd love to show you around.

[Eagleman]

Jackson falls kicks ass... lots og good sport and some good bouldering. Camp for free in the litte forest area near the parking. Theres no clean running water, you can purify your own from the little stream nearby and there is an outhouse so you got a nice place to take a shit. If anyone thinks its "scary" at the falls its probably because it completely different than miguels. I spent a week and a half down there over the summer and only saw one other group of climbers for 2 days on the weekend.

[tomdarch]

The camping at Jackson Falls is fine. You'll reach the 'bottom' of the road at a stream crossing. You can either turn right and stop before you drive off the cliff (this is where the outhouse is). You can cross the stream and look for camping right around there or take a left just after the stream and there's some more space uphill a bit.

[Eagleman]

Theres no cliff by the outhouse...i always drive past the outhouse and park in my campsite. The closest access to the climbing is probably about 100 yards down a small path that leads to a fixed rope that you can handline down.

[andy_lemon]

Yeh, there is no cliff by the outhouse... it is at least 100 yards away, feels a bit further. If you happen to be down there on a busy weekend, drive past the main parking lot where there is camping on both THE RIGHT AND LEFT. Those usually fill up first. Head down the road another quarter mile or so and see a small area on the right. That campsite is directly above and to the left of Pete's Lead Easy Slab Easy Gully area. If that is taken, drive down the road for a a couple of miles. There is a corral on the right and a small road on the left. Large camping area graveled and cleared out. You'll probably want to drive back to the main parking in the morning to access the majority of the climbs... however, if the trail leading from the corral is mowed this summer (doubt it), you can take it for a mile or so and when it cuts northwest and goes straight, head directly through the woods... this will take you to the South Falls and a nice easy walk down. Short walk to the Monument and Hidden Peaks area.

There is a bouldering area at Jackson not listed on Dr. Topo located back by Railroad Rock. From Creeper Dihedral follow the cliffline back towards Hobo Cave. You'll run right into it. Pretty cool problems.

[Eagleman]

Im lookin forward to seein the new guidebook that supposed to be out real soon. I guess they got a bunch of theboulder listed now.

[andy_lemon]

That will be cool. I heard Eric was going to put up an online guide too.... probably on Aaron's site?