Washington Column  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  4,000' Lat, Long:  37.7479, -119.5601 Map Page Views:  147,191. Good page? (2 likes)    Administrators:  M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Josh Janes on Jun 15, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 72° | 37° 68° | 32° 63° | 34° 59° | 30° 68° | 34°

Fifi Buttress To Close! MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed to all visitor use to protect peregrine falcon aeries from March 1 until August 1 of each year or until the young falcons of the current year have fledged: Fifi Buttress Immediately west of Leaning Tower. Closure includes all routes on Fifi Buttress. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

A long way to go...

Description 

Washington Column stands at the eastern end of the Valley, on the north side. Supposedly, it was so named because from some point of view, the rock appears to look like George Washington.

The most popular routes on this formation are the South Face (5.7 A1), many climber's first-time big wall, and Astroman (5.11c), the world-famous free route on the east face. In recent years, other routes like Skull Queen (5.8 C2) have gained in popularity.

Getting There 

The Column is found on the east end of the Valley, just east of the Ahwahnee Hotel. It used to be you could park at the Ahwahnee and hoof over to the Column on the bike path, but I've heard recently that you can't park there anymore (permit req'd?). Maybe someone can post up the current beta...

The Classics

Featured Route For Washington Column

Skull Queen 5.8 C2  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : Washington Column

Skull Queen is a good alternative if the South Face is full. The aid is not much more difficult, a few micronut placements on pitch 8 and a few awkward placements on pitch 10. The last pitch is a stellar 5.10c finger crack. Climb to Dinner Ledge via South Face Route and do the Kor Roof pitch. Head right into the slanting crack (the bolt above the roof is for the S. Face route) and follow the rivet/bolt latter (in great condition as of June 2006). It is more or less straight up for 7 pitches ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Washington Column Slideshow

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"Space Case" 5.10c. A short route at the base of t...	Washington Column and North Dome. Photo By Blitzo.	Little Rattle Snake on the approach to Washington ...
Pitch 5	Dinner Ledge	Kor Roof
Boulering near the base of Washingtons Column	The Column, viewed from the Death Slabs under Half...	the next morning
Sunrise on Washington Column	Travis Strong organizing the belay, P4 of "Skull Q...	Looking at Washington Column from my tent steps on...