East Face
East Face in Washington has 6 routes with 5 difficulty grades.
- 6 routes
- 5.9 – 5.11c
- Alpine
Is East Face open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for Cle Elum Ranger District.
Three Queens Fire Area Closure Reduced on the Cle Elum Ranger District
Agency alert covering Cle Elum Ranger District · Order 06-17-03-2026-45 · USFS · Cle Elum Ranger District
Three Queens Fire Area Closure and Pacific Crest Trail closure/re-route
Agency alert covering Cle Elum Ranger District · Order 06-17-03-2026-32 · USFS · Cle Elum Ranger District
Cle Elum River Restoration Area Closure on the Cle Elum Ranger District
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Gold Creek Restoration Project Area Closure on Cle Elum Ranger District
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Grouse Creek Aquatic Project Road Closure on the Wenatchee River Ranger District
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Cle Elum Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit East Face
Best months: July–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.
Jan
32° / 25°
20 wet
Feb
35° / 26°
17 wet
Mar
40° / 29°
20 wet
Apr
46° / 33°
19 wet
May
53° / 38°
17 wet
Jun
60° / 43°
14 wet
Jul
68° / 50°
8 wet
Aug
69° / 51°
7 wet
Sep
63° / 47°
10 wet
Oct
49° / 38°
16 wet
Nov
38° / 30°
19 wet
Dec
32° / 24°
20 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Stampede Pass, WA, 6.2 mi away at 3,959 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
East Face is an alpine climbing area in the Cle Elum Ranger District of Washington's Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among several other climbing spots, with Lizard Ledge and West Wall each about 0.1 mile away. The area's six routes are all alpine, and they range from 5.9- to 5.11c on the YDS scale. Glacier View Temple is the easiest at 5.9-, and Crescendo of the Sarcophagus Breathing is the hardest at 5.11c. The first ascents of these routes were made by climbers including Leland Windham, Nicole Flessner and Vincent Bailey. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the Stampede Pass weather station, about 6 miles away, show July and August highs near 68 to 69°F with only seven or eight wet days a month, while winter brings highs around freezing and rain on 20 days a month. The Keechelus Ridge Approach Trail starts about 0.3 mile away, and the Margaret Lake Trail is about 1.4 miles off. Kachess Campground is about 3.4 miles away, and paddlers can reach the Kachess River about 4.3 miles from the area.
Routes (6)
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