A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The Madrone Wall, a sheer cliff surrounded by forest off of Highway 224 near Carver in Clackamas Coiunty.
Ellen Spitaleri / Clackamas Review
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You may not be a rock climber, but Katie Dunham would like to hear what you think of the Madrone Wall, home to caves, bats and other wildlife, plant habitat, picturesque Madrone trees and a wall of soaring basalt cliffs.
Dunham, a planner with Clackamas County’s Department of Business and Community Services, is hoping for a large turnout on Oct. 29, when she presents the final concept plan for turning the Madrone Wall into a county park.
The 44-acre site, also known as the Hardscrabble Quarry, is located just off Highway 224 southeast of Carver; it was purchased by the county in the 1930’s and used as a quarry, supplying material for road building. Currently the site is closed to the public.
The site features a wetland area, a large number of Madrone trees with their copper colored, peeling bark, verdant sword ferns and other foliage, diverse wildlife and bats that live in the talus caves formed by rock slides.
Because the site is bisected by a 120-foot high basalt wall, it was also a popular spot for rock climbing, until the county closed it in 1997.
At that time, Dunham said, “the county did a re-evaluation study for rock quarry use, and found it wasn’t a sustainable use for the site. At the same time, some rock climbers asked to get formal applications for climbing, and the county council and the commissioners decided that was not an appropriate usage either – so the site was closed.”
But a few years ago, she said, the county began to look at the site as part of the Clackamas County Parks Capital Improvement Plan.
The first planning meeting was held on Aug. 6, and citizen input from that meeting led to three concept site plans, which Dunham presented at the second meeting.
The minimum development plan would allow for day hiking use, but not climbing, she said, because there was citizen input that the area should “be a natural site, where people could experience the peace and quiet of Clackamas County. There is great wildlife and plant life out there.”
Option number two, the moderate development plan, called for more developed trails, even ADA accessible trails, Dunham said. Climbing would be allowed and a parking area for 20 cars would be included, along with rest rooms and an interpretive kiosk.
This plan received the most response, Dunham added.
The maximum development plan, option number three, called for “a highly developed trail system, for every type of user, including one that allows people to get up to the top section of the wall.
“There is quite a view from the top of the site – it would be quite a draw,” she said.
Climbing would be allowed and “an asphalt driveway and parking lot” would be added.
“We still have a lot to work out on liability issues, to [figure out] how to manage climbing on the site. There are plenty of climbing sites in Oregon, and we are looking at how they are managing climbing,” Dunham said.
After receiving feedback on the three proposals, and working with Alta Planning and Design and Pacific Habitat Services, Dunham said the final concept plan is a “hybrid of the moderate and maximum plans,” which she will unveil at the third and final meeting on Oct. 29.
Citizens will be able to give more feedback at the meeting, and online at the Madrone Wall Web site, for two to three weeks after the third meeting, Dunham said.
The final concept plan will be presented to the Parks Advisory Board in November and again in January 2009, for more feedback, and will then be presented to the Board of County Commissioners in January.
In late winter and early spring, Dunham will apply for grants, funding and permitting.
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