Redmond’s Maple Avenue Bridge climbing route to reopen

The city of Redmond’s novel Maple Avenue Bridge climbing route, brought down to Earth by liability issues, returns to the recreation arena with a reopening at sunrise on Saturday, city officials announced Thursday.

The climbing route was established under the arch of the bridge in 2015, considered a challenging, overhanging sport climb that is a rare opportunity in Central Oregon and across the nation.

But the route was closed for a year after a court case elsewhere targeting public recreation areas brought the potential of litigation and insurance issues to light. Recent passage of a recreation immunity bill is allowing the route to reopen, officials said.

When the route was closed, the bottom bolts were removed to keep people from using the route, said Annie McVay, manager of Redmond’s Parks Division.

“We went back this week, and we inspected to make sure all the holes were tight and the bolts were good, and we’ll be ready on Saturday,” McVay said.

In fact, the city and local climber Ian Caldwell are now planning the second climbing route on the 70-foot-tall, 780-foot-long concrete bridge.

For more information visit:

http://www.climbmaplebridge.com/

or http://www.redmond.or.us/government/departments/public-works/maple-bridge-arches