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Banks Lake Rock Climbing · Thu. Jul. 21st, 2022 - Sun. Jul. 24th, 2022

Warning: This is an old trip - it already happened

Warning, this trip has been cancelled : Lack of Interest :(

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Organized by: Alexander Templeton.

Start: Thursday, Jul. 21st
End: Sunday, Jul. 24th
Pre-trip meeting: Tuesday, Jul. 19th, 6:00 pm
Pre-trip meeting location: Zoom

Description:

Hiya everyone

My name is Al and I'm looking to plan a medium sized adventure to eastern washington (with a small detour to snoqualmie pass) for some baller rock climbing and some fun bouldering as well. Banks Lake is the main attraction of the trip and is the location of some truely unique climbing. We will be departing throughout the week (depending on when people will be able to get off work or other obligations) it is a 4-5 hr drive (without traffic and border delays) so I'd like to spend more time there to make the most of the expidition. Below will be a pretty thorough outline of the trip (I'll be making arrangements about camping and logistics as people sign up and I gague interest), history of the area, what is so special about the location and details about the optional trip to Waynes world for some fun shenanigans.

TLDR:

Sport climbing in eastern washington, hot but clear consistent weather with some good bouldering as well, a great lake to swim and cool off on. If that wasn't enough, you can deep water free solo, as well as top rope, or trad climb out of a canoe.

The Long Version

On to the meat of the trip. We will be camping near the lake, temps are ususally in the 30s during this time and fairly sunny so bring your sunscreen and bathing suits, the lake is a great recreation area and popular with the locals for boating and fishing as well. It is an rocky canyon that was flooded during the creation of the Grand Coulee dam and is used for irrigation of the surrounding areas as well. The areas surrounding Banks lake feature some great sport climbing as well as some nice bouldering as well, I'm more versed in the sport in the area but I'll be researching the bouldering more if people wish to bring crash pads and chill in groups for that. Banks Lake has some of the best collection of 5.9-5.10 climbing with good ranges of easier and harder climbs as well so great options for everyone, its a bit spread out (not quite as dense as a smith rock) but with cars coming for the long drive it shouldn't be a problem to head to the various crags in the area all with ample opportunity for awesome adventures.

The main attraction and reason for my planning of the trip is the lake itself, an area known as "The Bastion" features a unique experience of climbing, canoe approaches. Some of the coolest climbs are featured here, some have gotten a bit mossy but they are still a blast of an experience, I got to climb here quite some years ago with my dad and had an absolute blast, Bass-O-Matic a 5.9+ is a bomber climb that can be trad climbed or top-roped, and is 100% a climb to go to. There are quite a few other climbs to be canoe approached, as well as the prospect for some deep-water soloing.

Camping is availible in the area and is super convenient, it isn't nearly as trafficed as an area such as Leavenworth so finding room for all of us should be quite easy. Grand Coulee and Electric City are close by as well so getting groceries and other supplies is quite easy. 

If you have gotten this far thank you so much, please sign up as comitted ONLY IF YOU ARE COMMITED, it helps heaps with planning and coordination.

For those that are 100% sure that they want to go, shoot me a whatsapp message and I'll start a GC for planning, my number is 1-206-380-3459. 

Posted: 2022-07-05 19:21:20
Last modified: 2022-07-21 18:50:34