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Zig Zag Wall

Washington > Central Region > Frenchman Coule… > Frenchman Coulee
Warning Access Issue: May 2026, area is effectively closed due to issues with the main road into the area. DetailsDrop down

Description

Zig Zag wall has about 25 mid-height columns arranged in a slight concave orientation, on the south wall of the small canyon east of Agathla Tower. There are cracks from finger to offwidth, generally with an abundance of face and stemming holds, and plenty of moderate bolted routes in the 5.8-5.10 range. For most of the center of the wall, a grassy ledge caps the columns about 3/4 up the face, with most routes ending beneath it. In the 1950s, the cracks at Zig Zag were the center of attention for the small group of climbers who ventured to Vantage (besides the Feathers) while the sport climbs were established far more recently, most in the mid-2010s.

Getting There

Take the main trail. Watch for a small sign at fork by Agatha Tower, take the left trail. Zig Zag is on the right. Five minutes from car.

Routes from Left to Right

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 42
Lady in Red
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 22
Tank Target
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 114
Neon Indian
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 88
One of These Days (Mohel With a…
Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 48
Anarchist's Cookbook
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 3
Lonesome Dove
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 5
Phillips Delight
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 66
Vehicular Basalt
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 71
Table Dance
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 5
Dad I'm freezing COLD!
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 55
Scissor Man
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 13
La Llarona
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 2
Ananathema
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 71
Secret Passage
Sport
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 60
Jeff's Crack
Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 110
Burning Down the House
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 81
Mr. Nice Guy
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 10
I'm Alright
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 126
Group Therapy
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 87
Little Book of Lies
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 54
Starless in Vantage
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 16
Take Control
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 28
Unfinished Business
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 4
Unknown
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 31
Nice Dreams
Sport
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 7
Ill-Advised Crossover
Sport
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
 12
Up in Smoke
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 19
Somewhere On Earth
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 77
Edge of Mistakes
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 96
Orangekist
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 90
Chocolate Orange
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 4
The Beautiful Serpent Lied to Me
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 91
The Jagged Edge
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 5
Love in the Time of COVID
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
Center of the Earth
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Lady in Red
 42
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Tank Target
 22
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Neon Indian
 114
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
One of These Days (Mohel Wi…
 88
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Anarchist's Cookbook
 48
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Lonesome Dove
 3
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Phillips Delight
 5
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Vehicular Basalt
 66
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Table Dance
 71
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Dad I'm freezing COLD!
 5
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, TR
Scissor Man
 55
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
La Llarona
 13
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Ananathema
 2
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Secret Passage
 71
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Jeff's Crack
 60
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Trad
Burning Down the House
 110
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Mr. Nice Guy
 81
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
I'm Alright
 10
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Group Therapy
 126
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Little Book of Lies
 87
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Starless in Vantage
 54
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Take Control
 16
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Unfinished Business
 28
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Unknown
 4
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Nice Dreams
 31
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Ill-Advised Crossover
 7
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
Up in Smoke
 12
5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c Trad
Somewhere On Earth
 19
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Edge of Mistakes
 77
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Orangekist
 96
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Chocolate Orange
 90
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
The Beautiful Serpent Lied…
 4
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
The Jagged Edge
 91
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
Love in the Time of COVID
 5
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Center of the Earth
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Zig Zag Wall
[Hide Photo] Zig Zag Wall
Sweet 20 second time lapse of moonlight on the west end of Zig Zag Wall. February 2020.
[Hide Photo] Sweet 20 second time lapse of moonlight on the west end of Zig Zag Wall. February 2020.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] In the shade in the AM, so not a good winter AM Wall. Mar 12, 2019