Oregon · Rock climbing · Corbett · Near Mount Hood Villages

Rat Cave

17 routes
5.11d – 5.14-
Sport
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Rat Cave open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

As of · Source: USFS · Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Rat Cave is a climbing area in Oregon within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, on land managed by the Forest Service. Summer is the most settled time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Skamania Fish Hatchery, Washington, show July and August highs near 80°F with only about five or six wet days a month. The climbing area sits roughly 400 feet above that station, so temperatures here run a little cooler. The rest of the year is much wetter, with 15 to 21 wet days a month from October through May. Return Trail #442 and Wahkeena are about half a mile away, and Lily's Lane is just beyond them. For more rock, (8) Indian Head is roughly 3.3 miles away across the river in Washington.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Camp Melacoma

    Campground

    Campground · 4.1 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsIan Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Harlow House Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 12 mi from Mount Hood Villages

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Mount Hood Villages
  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Rat Cave

    Best months: June–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      44° / 33°

      20 wet · 1 snow

    2. Feb

      48° / 33°

      17 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      54° / 35°

      20 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      59° / 38°

      19 wet

    5. May

      67° / 43°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 47°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 50°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 50°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 46°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 41°

      15 wet

    11. Nov

      51° / 37°

      19 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 33°

      21 wet · 1 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Skamania Fish Hatchery, WA, 5.1 mi away at 435 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (17)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Beacon Rock BoulderingPhoto: Kingofthedead, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Beacon Rock Bouldering

~12 min drive

Solid bouldering in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge with scenic river views.

North Forest BouldersPhoto: Kingofthedead, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

North Forest Boulders

~12 min drive

North Forest Boulders in Oregon has 12 bouldering routes across 7 grades.

CLIMB

(9) East End Formation

~6 min drive

East End Formation is a 7-route climbing area in Washington with sport and trad options.

CLIMB

(8) Indian Head

~6 min drive

Indian Head in Washington has 5 traditional climbing routes across 3 difficulty grades.

CLIMB

(2) Dropzone Area

~6 min drive

Dropzone Area is a Washington climbing crag with 6 trad routes.

CLIMB

(4) Maple Tree Cluster

~6 min drive

Maple Tree Cluster in Washington has 15 routes across 6 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.

CLIMB

(7) The Bare Buttress

~6 min drive

Climbing crag in Washington with 9 routes on 6 difficulty grades.

CLIMB

(6) Main Cliff

~6 min drive

Main Cliff in Washington has 13 climbing routes across 9 grades.

CLIMB

(3) Hummingbird Wall and Hummingbird Terrace

~6 min drive

7 traditional climbing routes on Hummingbird Wall and Terrace in Washington.

CLIMB

(5) Fir Tree Ledge

~6 min drive

Fir Tree Ledge in Washington has 5 climbing routes across 4 grades, offering sport and trad options.