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Wildcat Creek

Washington > South-Central &… > Tieton River
Warning Access Issue: Fire Burn Area DetailsDrop down

Description

Upriver are three walls close together with high quality climbing and impressive geology, well worth the visit.  Expect peace and quiet, these walls don't get much traffic despite the quality of the climbing. 

Wildcat Wall itself is the main attraction, an imposing palisade of 30 meter columns with excellent cracks (and a few sport lines too!). On the way though, you'll pass by Honeycomb Buttress and the Beehive, a unique pair of crags with primarily sport routes climbing the sides and ends of the horizontal columns. With both overhung and slab routes, these walls can make an extremely well rounded climbing day in combination with Wildcat Wall.

Being further upriver and bring primarily north-facing, these make good walls for extending the Tieton season into the warmer months. 

The more popular routes are clean and have solid anchors, though some of the less traveled routes would benefit from some scrubbing and some chains for their bolts (vs tat going to a quicklink). All in all a wonderful collection of rock that should see more traffic.

There are spots for dispersed camping on the road in as well as past the road block, just pack out your trash, manage human waste appropriately, and observe fire bans when in effect.

Getting There

From Highway 12 turn north onto Wildcat Road (road#1306) just east of Rimrock (on the right/just before town if coming from Naches). Drive up #1306 for 1.7 miles until you reach a road block. Park and look across through the trees to the columns of Wildcat Wall. Continue on foot or by bike along the blocked road, passing by two crossings where the road washed out. After 1 mile the Honeycomb Buttress will be obvious on your right hand side, ~20 minutes from car on foot.  There is an obvious trail on your left opposite Honeycomb Buttress, and that will bring you immediately to the two climbs of the Beehive and then a couple minutes further will bring you to the imposing columns of Wildcat Wall itself.

Even on foot, a nice and easy approach without much elevation, well worth it for the high quality climbing on such unique / exciting rock.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Matt Christensen on Anaphylactic Shock (5.11d), Honeycomb Buttress
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Photo by John Gavin
[Hide Photo] Matt Christensen on Anaphylactic Shock (5.11d), Honeycomb Buttress Photo by John Gavin
Awesome cooling fracture patterns
[Hide Photo] Awesome cooling fracture patterns
find the no-hands
[Hide Photo] find the no-hands
Wildcat Wall in late evening sun.  Climbers on Colonnade (left) and Wildcat Crack (right)
[Hide Photo] Wildcat Wall in late evening sun. Climbers on Colonnade (left) and Wildcat Crack (right)
Looking out from Taste of Honey on Honeycomb Buttress.  Climber on Honeycombs. Beehive routes are the backside of the outcrop across road. Trail to Wildcat Wall from road clearly visible. Credits to Ben J!
[Hide Photo] Looking out from Taste of Honey on Honeycomb Buttress. Climber on Honeycombs. Beehive routes are the backside of the outcrop across road. Trail to Wildcat Wall from road clearly visible. Credits t…
Map of Access for Wildcat/Beehive/Honeycomb.  Orange is road walking with two stream crossings at washouts, yellow is trail.
[Hide Photo] Map of Access for Wildcat/Beehive/Honeycomb. Orange is road walking with two stream crossings at washouts, yellow is trail.
End of the line. Road block that's been in place for a few years a short bit before the first washout. Easy 1 mile of road walking with fine crossings to get to the climbing from here.
[Hide Photo] End of the line. Road block that's been in place for a few years a short bit before the first washout. Easy 1 mile of road walking with fine crossings to get to the climbing from here.
Second stream crossing - in later season with lower water this is also probably a dry path across, but regardless it would be an easy ford even if none of the logs were in place, at least at the water levels we saw (June 2024)
[Hide Photo] Second stream crossing - in later season with lower water this is also probably a dry path across, but regardless it would be an easy ford even if none of the logs were in place, at least at the wa…
Second stream crossing - June 2024 the logs made an easy enough dry crossing, though it would also be easy to ford.
[Hide Photo] Second stream crossing - June 2024 the logs made an easy enough dry crossing, though it would also be easy to ford.
First stream crossing with footbridge as of June 2024
[Hide Photo] First stream crossing with footbridge as of June 2024