Need info about Minnehaha

I am thinking about visiting Minnehaha but I haven't been there in about 15 years. I heard the place might have gotten trashed. Is this true? Are top rope bolts still available on the front face? What's the top rope anchoring situation looking like for dihedral and diagonal for instance? Thanks for any help.

It is still there. The only climbing that I have ever had to watch for glass chunks in the wall half way up a route though. People do trash it, throw bottles at the wall, spray paint wall, etc. Top rope anchors are pretty far back in a few places. I'd plan on having at least 10ft sections of webbing to set up many of the main face anchors. Rock sucks for any lead climbing except for maybe a couple of routes. The back side of the main face, don quixote, has a pond covering the base. One word of advice, bring a helmet. I was there a week ago and had some kids throw an uprooted 7ft tree over the top and barely miss my head.

Other option is rocks of sharon. Access is an issue, but you can get to it from the north side by hiking over dishman (dishman climbing area has a swamp at the bottom right now), or by the south side if you don't upset the local residents. Good luck

I wouldn't say the rock necessarily sucks for leading. If you get the chance, lead The Dihedral and Bat Crack.

Minnehaha is alive and well!! In fact, it seems to me that it might be in better shape than it was 10 years ago. Yes, there is some graffiti, but I believe the graffiti has been there longer than climbers(and extensive graffiti clean-up has happened a couple of times since I've been in Spokane). Trash can also be found on occasion, but I think for the most part, the climbing community and the hikers do a good job of self-policing. Local climbers have done extensive cleanups over the years and many of the old, sketchy bolts have been replaced.

I'm not sure why more climbers don't lead routes at minne.It's one of the most top-rope friendly areas you can find, but also an excellent place for leading trad. There are lots of good trad leads and you usually have plenty of placement options, especially in the 5.8 to 5.9+ range. The spicy routes that give Minnehaha a dubious reputation tend to be 5.11ish mixed routes, and the ones I've tried have all been great fun as long as you know what you're getting into. You can expect the pond to be gone in a few weeks (I hope).

The wet spring has caused the water to be around a lot longer than usual. Definitely bring bug spray!

Thanks for the info gang. Good to hear Minne's been maintained. The "pond" sounds like it might be a puddle? Bottom of Screaming Fingers? Might head there Thursday. Hoping to put my cousins on diagonal and dihedral. Belay should still be possible, yeah? Or should I bring a raft? ;-)

No worries- the pond is near the back wall under Don Quixote. The main wall has no water at all.

Skip minne...go to deep creek.