PNW trip: Climb or Backpack?

Aug 15th I'm heading to Seattle to meet up with a buddy. We've got a few ideas about what we should do and we have adequate time to drive places:

Option 1: Wonderland Trail
Option 2: Climb

I'm coming from the hot and humid South and I'm over being hot and humid so ideally I'd like to be up in altitude. Knowing that it has been unseasonably hot in the PNW this summer, where should we go? Is it too hot everywhere to be enjoyable for 9-10 days of climbing and would our time be better spent on a trail bouncing between altitude and maybe getting some Rainier weather to cool things off?Climbing options so far are Squamish, Leavenworth, and Index but we're open to other options that are higher up, alpine routes are always our first choices.

Thank you everyone for any advise you can offer!

Washington Pass has some great and accessible alpine climbing, also not as hot as it would be in Leavenworth

Unseasonably hot in the PNW doesn't ever approach a typical summer day in the south.

John Guy: Thanks man, that's what I'm looking for!

Ball: from what I'm seeing on NOAA it's hitting mid 90s in a lot of these areas, is that still climbable in the shade up there? When I lived in Colorado even with the dry heat that was pretty warm for my fair-weather constitution. Stick to North facing walls?

OP, you might want to wait till the week of to make this call. For example last week it was mid 70s in leavenworth, but the end of this week it will be damn near 100. Who knows whether it will be 70 or 100 while you are here.

If the forecast calls for sun and heat, definitely check out the basalt climbs near Vantage.

Thanks Saltlick, do you happen to have some oven mitts and bunker gear I can borrow while I'm there?

I'll second the Washington Pass / SR20 recommendation plenty of good climbing along that corridor (Newhalem has some good sport single pitch, Washington Pass is good alpine trad area, Mazama has tons of sport, including some long multi pitch routes). Even on hot days, Washington Pass has enough altitude that you'll be ok climbing up there (just stay hydrated!).

Dealing with heat in the PNW:

Alpine routes high up in the Cascades offer the best escape from the heat, but this requires lots of hiking.

WA Pass offers psuedo-alpine climbing next to a road (approaches are ~1 hour). The climbing is really really good. Even when it is 90 in Seattle, it will be quite nice up there.

Index gets pretty hot in the summer. It is low altitude, and most of the walls see a lot of sun. Not the best hot-weather choice.

Eastside crags (Leavenworth, Mazama, etc.) are very hot in the summer.

Squamish is a better hot-weather choice than the non-alpine WA areas. Many of the best cliffs/routes get shade until early afternoon; this works out well in the heat. Get up early, do an 8-pitch route, top out by 2 pm, hike down in the shady forest, then spend the rest of the afternoon by the lake. It is pretty nice.

So, climbing is definately worth it, even in an unusually hot summer. Squamish and/or WA Pass are the best options.

Ball, Gavin, and JCM I appreciate the beta! Look forward to checking out some of your crags.

Andy and JCM nailed it. Weekend before we selected Squamish, was 95 degrees in Seattle , Index and Leavenworth. It was 80 degrees in Squamish but we stayed in the shade all day, and it is often windy there. Plenty of shady walls. Index all faces south. This last weekend we went to Tieton (was raining most other places). Very unusual to go there in the middle of July, but it was 70 and windy. Wa. pass can be really hot too, if it is 100 in Mazama. Of course the alpine stuff is awesome as well.

Come spend yr yankee dollahs up here in squamish

Youll be able to climb or hike fine to yr hearts delight

;)

Who ya callin' a Yank? I'm from Dixie! (I'll leave my confederate flag chalk bag at home)

Thanks everyone!

Hi,
I'm going to be in Mazama next week and am thinking about spending a day or two climbing some easy (5.easy - 5.7) routes in Washington pass and am looking for suggestions/Beta.

In particular I'm thinking about the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell but the description of the loose gully approach (especially since I assume there isn't any snow there this summer) is a bit concerning. Has anybody been up there recently/can speak to how sketchy it is? Or suggest any other favorite moderates in the area that won't be too hot?

Thanks

SpencerB,

I was in Washington Pass the beginning of this month and although the gulley approach to the Beckey Route was stout, it was in fine condition and we made it no problem. Trekking poles would be a bonus if you have them. We also climbed the South Arete (5.6) of South Early Winters Spire which was super fun and an easier approach than the Beckey.

SpencerB,

John said it, gulley isn't a walk in the park, but not bad. If there's a party ahead of you, I'd consider putting my helmet on early.

I found it easier than the sandy/talus/choss approach to Goat Wall in Mazama.

Have fun up there!

Yeah, it isn't so much the gully being difficult for your party, the concern is other parties knocking down rocks on you.

Ball wrote:Unseasonably hot in the PNW doesn't ever approach a typical summer day in the south.

I've never had a southern day here in the summer. 100° here doesn't compare with 80° with 100% humidity. YMMV