The Launch Pad
Launch Pad in Washington has 8 sport climbing routes.
- 8 routes
- 5.8 – 5.12a/b
- Sport
Best time to visit The Launch Pad
Best months: March–June and September–October. 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
36° / 23°
7 wet
Feb
44° / 27°
5 wet
Mar
55° / 32°
5 wet
Apr
63° / 39°
5 wet
May
73° / 47°
4 wet
Jun
79° / 53°
3 wet
Jul
87° / 59°
2 wet
Aug
87° / 58°
2 wet
Sep
78° / 50°
2 wet
Oct
63° / 39°
5 wet
Nov
47° / 29°
7 wet
Dec
36° / 23°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Quincy, WA, 15 mi away at 1,286 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
The Launch Pad is a climbing area in Washington's Columbia Basin Wildlife Area Complex, managed by State Fish and Wildlife. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Red Velvet, Powerhouse Wall and Moonshine Wall all about 0.1 mile away. The area is a hub of sport climbing, with eight routes spread across the surrounding walls. The grades run from 5.8 up to 5.12a/b, and the hardest of them, Death Upon Re-Entry, was first climbed by Mike Massey and Dave Brayer in 2003. Other routes include Ground Control at 5.10d and Space Case at 5.11a. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Quincy show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 78°F, while July and August average about 87°F. The Ridge Trail is about 5.8 miles away for a hike.
Routes (8)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Bickerson Cove
~0 min drive
Bickerson Cove in Washington has 6 sport climbing routes across 5 grades.
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Tomato Wall
~1 min drive
Tomato Wall in Washington has 20 routes across 8 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad climbing.
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)(d) Coyote Wall
~1 min drive
Coyote Wall in Washington has 8 climbing routes across 6 grades, offering sport and trad options.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The South Side
~1 min drive
South Side, The in Washington has 26 climbing routes on 11 grades.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)The North Side
~1 min drive
North Side, The in Washington has 30 climbing routes in mixed, sport, and trad styles.
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)**Bouldering at Vantage
~1 min drive
Bouldering at Vantage, Washington has 14 routes.
Photo: allynfolksjr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)River View Point West Alcove
~1 min drive
River View Point West Alcove in Washington has 12 sport climbing routes.
Red Velvet
~0 min drive
Red Velvet is a Washington climbing area with 7 sport routes spanning 6 difficulty grades.
Powerhouse Wall
~0 min drive
Powerhouse Wall in Washington has 17 sport climbing routes.
Moonshine Wall
~0 min drive
Moonshine Wall in Washington has 8 climbing routes.
