We spent
a week near Yakima, climbing at the Royal Columns and The Bend, two of the
most popular cragging areas along the Tieton River. Short approaches and great
crack climbing on basalt columns (mostly trad, although there are also some
good bolted faces). There is some info in "Rock Climbing Washington"
by Jeff Smoot, but "Tieton River Rocks" by Ford and Yoder is the
most comprehensive guidebook to the Tieton area (we bought our copy at the
Trout Lodge, on Hwy 12, nine miles from the junction with Road 410).
At the
Royal Columns, there is something for everyone; quality climbs from 5.3 to
5.11a are plentiful. Most are really excellent climbs, with what felt like
relatively fair ratings. We thought that the lower grades here are probably
one grade harder than advertised, in contrast with the 5.9-and-above range
that felt fair to soft. Really fun climbing, plentiful pro, and lots of features
(edges on faces) in addition to the cracks. Find
a few subjective recommendations below.
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The
Royal Columns, the most popular crag in the Tieton river area.
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Parked
at the large pull-out just below the Royal Columns.
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Great
crack climbing on basalt columns.
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From
5.3 (our friend Donna leading "Western Front")...
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...to
5.11 (Eric on "Solar King")...
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Our
subjective recommendations (Royal Columns):
"Western
Front" (5.3), "Good Timer" (5.4), "Double Trouble" (5.5), "Level Head"
(5.6), "Bridger" (5.6), "Mush Maker" (5.7), "Little Known Wonder (5.7),
"X Factor" (5.8), "Jam Exam" (5.9), "Inca Roads" (5.9), "Orange
Sunshine" (5.10b), "Paul Maul" (5.10c), "Solar King" (5.11a).
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...and
everything in between - "Double Trouble" (5.5)
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Lucie
on "Level Head" (5.6).
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"Jam
Exam", a great 5.9 hand/fist crack.
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Views.
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Another
good 5.6: "Twin Cracks", just left of "Double Trouble".
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Lucie
on the "Cutting Edge" (5.7).
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Starting
"Paul Maul" (5.10c), a great, sustained finger crack.
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"X
factor" (5.8).
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Eric
approaching the crux on "Orange Sunshine" (5.10b).
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Lucie
high on one of the best 5.7s at Royal Columns, "Little Known
Wonder", just to the right of the classic "Inca Road".
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You will almost certainly
see ratlle snakes basking in the sun on the trail, or entering their caves
at the base of the routes. We saw 5 rattlers during our 8-day stay; more than
we ever saw climbing in the southwest. I was climbing "Thriller
Pillar Direct", the bolted 5.9 left of "Orange Sunshine"; as I was
finishing this climb (at the crux), I heard Lucie scream… WTF? A large rattlesnake
had just sneaked past her, right on top of the rope bag and rope, and got
into a small cave at the base of the climb… spooky. This was the 4th rattler
we had seen in 4 days at the crag! There really are a lot of them here!
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Stemming
up "Little Known Wonder" (5.7).
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Eric
on another good 5.9, "Developing Arms".
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Lucie
on a very good double crack climb: "Bridger" (5.6).
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Going
through the elk gate on the short approach.
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Looking
back at the crag from the trailhead.
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We also
spent two days climbing at the Bend. Many good 5.10s there, but we also found
a couple of good 5.7s and 5.9s. We have yet to do the classic 5.8 of the area:
"Ed's Jam". Hopefully, we will be back! Below
are our very subjective recommendations.
Some
recommendations (The Bend):
"Private
Passion" (5.7), "Hallowed Ground" (5.9), "Mutiny in Manila" (5.10a), "Sugar
Kicks" (5.10c), "Heartbreak of Psioriasis" (5.10c), "Pure Joy" (5.10c), Winds
of Change" (5.10d).
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The
Bend, another great crag along the Tieton River (mostly 5.10s).
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The
suspension bridge makes for a straightforward approach.
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Eric
starting "Sugar Kicks" (5.10c).
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Lucie
on "Private Passion" (5.7).
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"Pure
Joy" (5.10c).
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We saw
two rattlers at the Bend, one basking on the approach trail and another one
that apparently inhabits the boulder at the base of "Private Passion".
After
climbing the route, Lucie went to get her shoes at the base of the boulder.
I started hearing a very loud rattle and wondered why screams didn't follow.
Then Lucie asked "what's that?"! I thought it was pretty obvious… told her
to quickly move back up onto the boulder. A medium-sized snake, obviously
bothered by our presence was stationed right there in the middle of the trail…
we had to do a high traverse on the rock to avoid it. Wow!
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Just
below the crux on "Pure Joy" (5.10c).
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Smiiile!
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Eric
on another good 10c, "Heartbreak of Psioriasis".
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Our
favorite, "Winds of Change" (5.10d, short crux).
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Hiking
back to the car - watch out for rattlers!.
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