Contribute  Loading... Children Loading... Geography Parents Loading... Mountains & Rocks
| Mount Scott   | 
| Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Oklahoma, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 34.74470°N / 98.5317°W Elevation: 2464 ft / 751 m | Page By: Alan Ellis Created/Edited: Nov 21, 2002 / Oct 21, 2008 Object ID: 151359 Hits: 9312 Loading... Page Score: 90.42% - 32 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
OverviewMount Scott is probably the most well known peak in Oklahoma next to the high point of Black Mesa. One does not normally think of Oklahoma as a state with mountains, and thus, are pleasantly surprised when they see Mt. Scott and the rest of the Wichita Mountains rising out of the prairie. For climbers, Mt. Scott is famous not for its summit, but for its outstanding cragging on the granite walls on the north side of the mountain. However, if you wish to forego the crags and bag the summit, the easiest way is to drive to the top via the paved road.
Mt. Scott and the remainder of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge hosts one of the premier rock climbing areas in the south-central U.S. This is where climbers like Duane Raleigh and others cut their teeth in the late seventies and early eighties, establishing more than 40 routes on Mt. Scott and 250 routes in the remainder of the Wichitas. Climbers now come from all over, and it is common to meet people from Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas on a typical weekend. Mt. Scott’s walls have something for everyone. All the routes are one-pitch, ranging from 5.4 to 5.11, and almost all can be top-roped. Most routes are easy to moderate trad lines, but there are also some hard sport climbs. Sport climbs in the Wichitas are typically dicey, and Mt. Scott is no exception. The first bolt is usually high and the rest are few.
The two climbing areas of the mountain are Upper Mt. Scott and Lower Mt. Scott. Literally yards from a paved road, these areas are extremely popular on weekends. However, weekday climbers enjoy blissful solitude. Upper Scott includes climbs from 5.4 to 5.11c. The most popular route is Foolish Behavior 5.9, which starts trad in a layback crack, has a killer traverse, and ends with a 2-bolt crimpy face. Lower Scott’s routes are from 5.6 to 5.11a. Favorites include: High Anxiety, 5.7 crack; Mr. Clean, 5.8 trad dihedral with roof finish; and Repeat After Me (or Jacobs Ladder), a 5.10c, 4-bolt triple roof. These routes are some of the best of their rating in the Wichita Mountains. After climbing at Mt. Scott, take a couple of extra days and visit the other outstanding climbing areas in the refuge. CLICK HERE for a map to the climbing areas and topos of the routes.
We are lucky to have this area in Oklahoma and love to brag about it and share it with everyone. So next time you’re on I-40 heading to the Valley, take an extra day, veer south to the Wichitas, and check out some great Oklahoma climbing.
Getting ThereMt. Scott is located in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge approximately 25 miles northwest of Lawton, Oklahoma and 70 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. From Oklahoma City: Drive 70 miles southwest on I-44 (toll road). Exit 45 at Medicine Park. From Dallas: I-35 North to Gainesville, Texas. Go west on highway 82 to Wichita Falls, Texas. Go north on I-44 to exit 45. From exit 45, turn west on highway 49. Drive west on highway 49 for 6.7 miles, through the little town of Medicine Park, until reaching the entrance to the refuge. Mt. Scott will greet you on the right as you enter the refuge. Continue on highway 49 for 1.7 miles until reaching the sign for the paved Mt. Scott summit road on the right.
Lower Mt. Scott: Drive up the mountain for 1.4 miles to the third pull out on the north side of the mountain. Park at the third pullout and walk down 20 yards (east) to the end of the guardrail where a trail will begin left through the rocks. Follow the climbers trail down towards the cliff edge. Before reaching the edge, the trail will veer left (west), then switchback to the right and descend to the bottom of the crag. At the top, you can also go right on a faint trail which leads to the top of the crag where you can rap High Anxiety (two anchors, 60 ft). Note: If the Lower Mt. Scott pullout is full there are several more pullouts about every 200 yards further up the road. Do not park on the road.
Upper Mt. Scott: Continue on the road to the summit. Park in the parking lot on the north side. Walk back down the mountain road for about 75 yards (count 25 guardrail posts from the top). The trail(?) scrambles down a ramp to the right (east) for 30 ft, then switches to the left and scrambles down another 50 ft to the bottom of the wall. Continuing west another 50 ft through the boulders finds you in a nice shaded area below Upper Scott walls proper.
Red TapeMt. Scott is located in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, governed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). No permits or fees are required to climb. Technical rock climbing is allowed throughout the Public Use portion (including Mt. Scott) of the Refuge during daylight hours. The road up Mt. Scott is gated and opens at 9:00 am every day. The sign at the gate will tell you when it closes, usually around sunset. However, the road is only gated for vehicles. You are allowed to park at the picnic area at the road entrance and hike up to the climbing areas before the gate opens at 9:00 am. The earliest you can hike in is sunrise. This is sometimes a good idea in the summer to avoid the heat and beat the crowds. You have to be off the mountain and through the gate by sunset.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Route 1, Box 448,
Indiahoma, OK 73552 (580) 429-3222
The maximum speed limit on the main refuge road (highway 49) is 45 mph and the speed limit on the Mt. Scott road is 25 mph. The rangers are notorious for giving tickets. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed anywhere in the refuge including Mt. Scott. There is a huge sign at the refuge entrance in case you forget. No swimming is allowed in any refuge waters. (Scuba diving is allowed....figure that one out!)
When To ClimbSpring and fall are the best times. Summer is hot and windy, but both Upper and Lower Scott walls are north-facing which makes climbing bearable up until about noon. After that, you really gotta like climbing, because the heat is unbearable. Some of the Upper Scott areas are in the shade at the bottoms of the crags which offers respite during belays. Winter in Oklahoma can be cold and nasty, but can also have some very mild days with temps in the 50s and 60s. In winter, check the weather conditions before visiting, because it can be 60 and sunny one day, then 20 and snowing the next.
Weekends can be a madhouse at both areas. On weekends, be there before the gate opens, or park at the picnic area, then hike up the road at sunrise to stake your claim. Weekdays are the best time to climb. It is rare to see more than one other party on a weekday and you will probably have the whole wall to yourself.
CampingWithin the refuge, Doris campground has 90 sites including 20 electrical RV sites and 70 primitive tent sites. All sites are first-come/first-served. $10.00/night with electric and $6.00/night non electric tent site. It is approximately 8 miles west of Mt. Scott on the main road (highway 49). It has bathrooms, showers, drinking water, and a telephone. There is a campground host at the entrance. If arriving after hours (10:00 pm), do not occupy a site without prior registration.
Backcountry camping within the refuge is available in the Charon Garden Wilderness area by permit only. The Charon Garden Wilderness area is about ten miles west of Mt. Scott and has several other climbing areas worth visiting. You can reserve a backcountry camping permit up to three months in advance by calling (580) 429-3222. Here is the backcountry camping information brochure as provided by the Wildlife Refuge. No camping or bivouacs are allowed on Mt. Scott.
Outside the refuge, Lawtonka Campground is a commercial campground offering tent sites, full hook-ups, bathrooms, and showers, and groceries approximately 2 miles north of Medicine Park on highway 58.
Lodging: The best place to stay if you are not camping is the Starburst Inn Bed and Breakfast located at the entrance to the refuge. They feature western style accommodations and each room has two-person jacuzzi tubs. Pegi and Clark Brown, innkeepers, have welcomed climbers for years. They are located at the refuge entrance on Haskell’s Way which is on the north (right) side of highway 49. Reservations (580) 529-3270.
See links page for their website.
Mountain ConditionsThe road up Mt. Scott is closed in fog and in snowy, icy conditions.
The rock on Mt. Scott is granite. It looks like a huge boulder pile, but is actually well suited for climbing with slabs, fissured walls, and gritty faces. Many of the routes are covered with lichen.
Essential GearMt. Scott is primarily a traditional climbing area; however, it also has several sport routes. The longest sport route has five bolts. One 60-meter rope will suffice since all routes are less than 100 ft. Only a couple of the routes have fixed anchors so bring pro, lockers, and slings, including a couple of 20 footers, to make your own anchors. A few of the routes have natural anchor possibilities, i.e., boulders, trees, etc. A helmet is recommended due to the loose rock on top of most walls, especially on a busy weekend with other climbers around.
Miscellaneous InfoLawton, Oklahoma is 25 miles southeast and has everything you need including hotels, restaurants, Wal-Mart, etc. Closer in, Medicine Park borders the refuge on the east side and has a small grocery/convenience store. Most get supplies/food at the Loves truck stop at exit 45. There is also a Burger King and a bar of ill repute at exit 45.
The refuge has a very nice visitor center about 5 miles west of Mt. Scott on the main road. It is open from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm except Tuesdays and holidays and has a museum, information, rest rooms, and a gift shop. Admission is free and the gift shops sells guidebooks, maps, and souvenirs. The closest restroom to Mt. Scott is 1.5 miles east near the entrance to the refuge in the lake parking lot on the south side of the road.
Ft. Sill Army Base borders the south side of the refuge and there is a manned gate to the base a half mile west of exit 45. If you hear thunder on a clear day, it is not a freak of nature, but the Army firing cannon at the Ft. Sill artillery range.
You can catch state highway 115 just west of Mt. Scott and travel 4-5 miles north to the town of Meers, where the famous "infamous" Meers Restaurant is. They serve the reknowned Buffalo Burger.
Bicycling To The Summit: A lot of bicyclists come to Mt. Scott. The road is approximately 3.27 miles and has a grade of 8 degrees in some places. The ride up is a real gut-buster. Don't attempt this unless you have done aerobic training.
The ride down has the potential to be extremely treacherous. The first curve from the summit is very tight and has a steep grade. Beware of dangerous crosswinds and wind shear which could make your bike unstable. The best advice is to use your brakes and try to keep your speed under 20 MPH. The ride is so short that your brakes won't experience heat failure.
If you are driving up or down Mt. Scott, please use respect and extreme caution when passing bike riders. Good biking!
Local EthicsIn addition to the USFWS, the Wichita Mountains Climbers Coalition (WMCC) is instrumental with the oversight of the climbing at the refuge. In February 1996, the WMCC was formed as a volunteer, climber-run organization, which represents the interests of rock climbers from the surrounding states. With the Access Fund, they have worked hard for many years to ensure climbing continues in the refuge. Without the WMCC, the USFWS may have easily closed climbing in the refuge ten years ago. In fact, the WMCC climbing management plan is a national role model for climbing management, and the Wichita Mountains are featured on the cover of the Access Fund’s Climbing Management Manual. Therefore, in the spirit of cooperation with the USFWS, the WMCC has ethics/rules which need to be respected in order to preserve climbing in this area.
1. Placement, removal, or replacement of fixed anchors, including bolts, pitons, rivets, coldshuts, and chains, is prohibited without prior approval of Refuge Management through the Advisory Bolting Committee (ABC) of the Wichita Mountains Climbers Coalition. Any climber desiring to add, remove, or replace any fixed anchor must submit a "Fixed Anchor Application" for review by Refuge Management and the ABC. Applications are reviewed quarterly, and the reviews are based on aesthetic and natural resource criteria. Applications are available at Refuge Headquarters.
2. Commercial or instructional operators who charge for their services while on Refuge lands are required to obtain an annual Special Use Permit from the Refuge Manager. Fee required.
3. Minimize the use of chalk and clean chalked areas/routes. Brush off heavily chalked holds when possible.
4. Treat the rock gently. Do not chip, chisel, glue, or otherwise deface our rock resources. Leave the rock and surrounding area in its natural condition.
5. Climb and travel in small numbers. Disperse your activities.
6. Use natural colored nylon webbing if you must leave fixed slings
7. This area is a wildlife refuge populated by elk, bison, longhorn cattle, deer, and other animals. Do not disturb the wildlife.
8. Leave No Trace!
Guidebooks/MapsThe guidebook, “Oklahoma Select" by Tony Mayse is a must to fully enjoy Mt. Scott and the other climbing areas of the Wichitas. It is available at the visitor center gift shop or it is available mail order from the gift shop. Call the gift shop manager, Fred Crosson, at (580) 429-3187, or email fcrosson@sprynet.com. You can also get the book from www.sharpendbooks.com. Unfortunately, it is not available at amazon.com. Its available at Chesslerbooks.com books, but Chessler takes forever to ship anything, so recommend getting it directly from Sharpend or a local gear store.
Another guidebook the the "The Oklahoma Climber's Guide" by Chuck Lohn. This book is currently out of print, so if you find one, hang on to it forever.
See the links page for online topos of the Upper and Lower Mt. Scott climbing areas.
A map of the refuge is available at the visitors center and refuge headquarters. For free information and a map, call the refuge headquarters at (580) 429-3222.
The USGS quadrangle for Mt. Scott is Quanah Mountain and the quad for the rest of the refuge is Odetta.
External Links Images
|
|
