Sport Climbing Near Washington

[kylekimball]

I am going to be staying a month in Seattle, and though unfortunately I won't be able to bring my rack, I will be able to bring some draws. I've researched some on Mountain Project, and both Exit 32 and 38 look like they have a lot of quality sport climbing, but I'd like to know of any other nearby crags that would be worth checking out.

[genepires]

I am a bigger fan of leavenworth for crag climbing. LIttle bit farther. There is some sport climbing to be had, especially in the clem hollar and nearby places.(nut house, puzzle palace, ect) I think you could do some stuff on duty dome area too. If you look into the guide book there are routes to be had for sporto types. Bouldering too.

[DPS]

Exit 32/38 have a lot of sport climbing, although I'm not sure I would characterize it as quality. Gene's suggestions for bolted routes at Leavenworth are good. Condormorphine Addiction is a long (6 pitch?) 5.10 that is very popular. Aren't there some sport climbs in Mazama? Fun Rock, Serendipity Arete and Goats Wall?

Edited April 16, 2012 by DPS

[genepires]

OH YEAH, the 10 or so pitch 5.9 all bolted on goats wall! prime rib is the name. More bolted stuff over in mazama. I think inspiration route is all bolted too.

 

Not sure if you could call it sport climbing, but there are all bolted lines in 3 oclock rock area. slab climbing so beware.

 

this list could get very long.

[keenwesh]

infinite bliss, although some people get pissy about that one when it comes up on here. 23 pitches of sport. some good write ups on summitpost.

[Blake]

Newhalem, Equinox, The Country (right side of Index Lower Town Wall), and Nason Ridge, on the East Side of Stevens pass are all good to excellent sport crags, and better than anything mentioned so far.

[SeldonCrisis]

Some love it and some hate it, but Vantage (Frenchman Coulee) has great sport climbing at the Feathers and Sunshine Wall. Be sure to wear a helmet.

[Sol]

The crags Blake mentioned, Little Si, Spokane limestone, and deinetly try to make it to Smith Rock while your in the area. Some randomly good sport in Ltown with Rattlesnake Rock and the Drip Wall topping the list.

[Rad]

Fossil rock, Erie, Rosario Beach haven't been mentioned.

 

Bottom line: there is TONS of sport climbing within a few hours of Seattle. Try as many areas as you can. Also, you didn't mention whether you're looking for 5.7, 5.10, or 5.13. This may substantially affect your decisions.

 

Exit 32/38 have a lot of sport climbing, although I'm not sure I would characterize it as quality.

 

Then you haven't found the great lines yet. There are hundreds of routes at a wide range of grades, and the best rival the best at any other WA area. X38 has many crags, each with a different character, so definitely don't extrapolate from one to others. Conversely, there are some crappy routes at every area.

[Dave A.]

Condorphamine Addiction near Leavenworth seems popular. 8 or so pitches, up to easy 5.10, all bolted. I haven't done it but those that have say it's worth the hour or so hike up.

[Rad]

Approximate driving times from Seattle:

 

X32 - 35 minutes

X38 - 40 minutes

Index - 75 minutes

Erie - 100 minutes

Nason - 100 minutes

Leavenworth - 2 hrs.

New Halem - 2.5 hrs

Vantage - 2.5 hrs

Fossil - 3 hrs?

Mazama 3+ hours.

Spokane - 5 hrs?

Smith - 6 hrs?

 

Finally, a big part of the fun is meeting local climbers and finding out what they like best. They can help you put together a tick list that will keep you busy and psyched. You can meet folks on this board, and even in this thread who are probably willing to take you on a tour of their favorite areas. Enjoy!

 

And when you meet locals you can connect with those that have racks to do some of the great routes of the NW, including Davis Holland Loving Arms. Outer Space. The Grand Wall at Squamish. And many, many others in the mountains and elsewhere.

 

[Sol]

Exit 32/38 have a lot of sport climbing, although I'm not sure I would characterize it as quality.

 

Jonathan Siegriest has called WWI one of the best walls in the states, no doubt its prolly the highest quality, most stacked, sport wall in WA.

 

[DPS]

Exit 32/38 have a lot of sport climbing, although I'm not sure I would characterize it as quality.

 

Then you haven't found the great lines yet.

 

Probably more like I'm not strong enough to climb the great lines yet.

[boadman]

I think the crag that should not have been named earlier in this thread is as good or better than WWII.

[kylekimball]

Thanks to all of you guys for the quick replies- I will out there for the whole month of June, and I'm sure the weather will be great. I'm a NC based climber, so I'm looking forward to climbing on something a bit different.

 

Certainly once it gets a bit closer to the trip and I have a more solid schedule I'd love to find some climbing partners on here.

 

Also, what would be a good guide book for the area?

[keenwesh]

the falcon guide gives a general idea about the areas, but some route descriptions are hopelessly wrong. sky valley rock is good, along with the 3rd edition leavenworth guide. rattle and slime has the lowdown on darrington. exit 32 you don't really need a guide, just ask the locals hanging out on launch ledge.

[DPS]

Thanks I will out there for the whole month of June, and I'm sure the weather will be great.

If you chase the weather this will be true. The weather on the west side has rougly a 50/50 chance of being nice any given time in June, but you can always drive east of the crest (Leavenworth, Mazama, Vantage) and usually find good weather.

[fredrogers]

Exit 32/38 have a lot of sport climbing, although I'm not sure I would characterize it as quality. Gene's suggestions for bolted routes at Leavenworth are good. Condormorphine Addiction is a long (6 pitch?) 5.10 that is very popular. Aren't there some sport climbs in Mazama? Fun Rock, Serendipity Arete and Goats Wall?

 

There is a fair amount of sport climbing in Mazama. Fun Rock and Prospector Crag have the highest concentration, although there is some uber-burly stuff at Firewall that is way over my head. Prime Rib (5.8 8ish pitches), Inspiration Route (5.9 5 pitches), Sisyphus (11a or 10B A0 10 pitches) are all high quality routes on Goat Wall. I hear good things about Restless Natives (11c or 10B A0) but have not been on it.

 

Older routes tend to have fairer grades, newer routes are more "friendly" rated and bolted. There is loose rock on Goat Wall and Prospector Crag, helmets are a good idea anywhere, even at Fun Rock....

 

Serendipity Arete is all gear and a worthy day if the Liberty Bell area is crowded, although the interesting climbing is not sustained and it is much more of an adventure route and descent than anything at the Pass.

[Edlinger]

Go to Smith. It is by far better than anything in Washington and has thousands of routes that people fly from all over the world to climb on. As for Washington, Exit 32-World Wall 1, Exit 32-World Wall 2, Nason Ridge, and Equinox, are all amazing crags. If Limestone is your game and you are willing to drive, Marcus and China Bend is your game. I've not been to Horne Lake on Vancouver Island but many say that it is better than Washington. Index had some good vertical sport routes back in the day however many of them now need bolt replacements and scrubbing and be sure to add several letter grades to any book ratings. Avoid Vantage, Condomorphine Addiction, Infinite Bliss, Or anything at exit 38 that lies on the south side of i-90.

 

 

[obwan]

Also, what would be a good guide book for the area?

 

The "Weekend Rock - Washington" by Whitelaw covers the highlights of the state pretty well - if one only wanted one book.