Washington Climbing

Washington, with its long history of climbing, offers quality and quantity in all aspects of climbing. 

The best-known climbing area in the state is probably Index, both a small scenic town just off Highway 2 as well as a place known for hard, thin cracks on fantastic granite. Yet the "Town Walls" here now have plenty of moderate routes as well as some of the state's best sport climbs. And looming over town sits the impressive Mount Index, home to some difficult, committing alpine ascents and what Fred Beckey called 'one of the most difficult summits to attain in the Cascades' - the Middle Peak. 

Exit 32; Little Si and Exit 38 has the nearest sport crags to the Seattle area. These groupings of crags are hidden in the hills all around North Bend and offer decent rock, a plethora of routes and some of Washington's hardest climbing at Little Si's World Walls.

For those who are versed in glacier travel, consider one of Washington's volcanos, ranging in difficulty from Mount St. Helens (a long hike in summer and an easy snow climb in spring) to Mount Rainier, the third-highest mountain in the contiguous US.

Near Leavenworth lie three river valleys (Tumwater Canyon, Icicle Creek and Snow Creek) with easily accessed granite climbing, from roadside bouldering to multipitch. Good granite and plenty of sun make this region popular. 

The entire Cascade range is full of alpine adventure, with much rock and ice in the North Cascades. You can find plenty of choss as well as beautiful granite and gneiss. For example, Washington Pass, has dozens of pink-granite towers.

Stuart-Enchantments, with its stunning lakes, mountain backgrounds and stands of golden larches, is also home to tons of climbable spires and peaks. Stuart itself is one of the largest granitic mountains in the US. Due to its popularity, the area has a lottery permit system for access.

During Washington's wet winters and fall, many climbers head for drier rock at Frenchman Coulee (Vantage), a bunch of basalt crags near the Columbia River. Find here plenty of sport routes on the columns and trad routes in between.

Farther away from Seattle but consisting of similar (variable quality) rock to North Bend's crags is Mazama, a small town north of Winthrop and just east of Highway 20. It's home to Goat Wall, which boasts several long, moderate sport routes such as the popular 18-pitch Flyboys.

Darrington, nestled in the west drainages of the North Cascades, has several peaks with long granite slab climbs reminiscent of Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows. Most approaches here are 30 minutes or more. Closer to Seattle, but having very similar granite slab routes is Static Point.

The Tieton River area lies northwest of Yakima along the Tieton River - cragging split between sport and trad on a long, long andesite flow.

Spokane Area has many varied crags and popular bouldering around and within the city itself. From steep sustained sport climbing, granite trad lines and challenging modern boulder problems the Inland Northwest provides an abundance of climbing opportunities. 

Around the Bellingham area on the northwest coast, there are many small crags, some worth visiting, some definitely not. A standout is Mount Erie, not much of a mountain, but with plenty of diorite cliffs offering one-pitch sport routes.

Along WA's southern border is Beacon Rock, a huge piece of basalt overlooking the Columbia River. While bird-nesting closes some of its areas temporarily and one whole face permanently, the fact remains that it's a 850-foot piece of quality and adventurous rock.

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