Rock Climb 'The Sunshine Wall'

I had never been outdoor rock climbing before, but when I heard my school was offering a trip out to Vantage, Washington over the weekend I couldn't pass up the opportunity!

Vantage, Washington is smack in the middle of Washington's two largest cities, Seattle and Spokane. With its close proximity to each city (2 hours away from both Seattle and Spokane), Frenchman Coulee in the town of Vantage attracts climbers from across the state.

My group climbed the Sunshine Wall. Getting to the Sunshine Wall requires a short hike. From the parking lot, follow the trail to the top of the mesa. Continue towards the river along the ridge line. Signs mark the trail along the way. You will scurry through a a crack in a rock and find yourself in a giant canyon. Once you are in the canyon simply pick a route and start climbing!

As the name suggests, the Sunshine Wall is flooded by sunlight for most of the day. While the sun is welcomed, make sure to be careful if you are climbing in the summer as temperatures can easily reach over 100 degrees.

The Sunshine Wall is home to 91 different climbs. With routes ranging from easy to medium (5.6 to 5.12+) there is a climb for everyone. I climbed a few 5.10's but my favorite climb was the very popular 5.7 ' The Chossmaster' About halfway up there is a ledge where you can stand and look at your surroundings. The views are absolutely stunning!

Overall the trip was an absolute blast. If you are looking for a climbing area with a lot of diversity I highly recommend checking out the Sunshine Wall as well as the other climbs in the Frenchman Coulee area!