Upper Band
Upper Band in Washington has 19 sport climbing routes across 11 grades.
- 19 routes
- 5.4 – 5.10b
- Sport
Best time to visit Upper Band
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
42° / 29°
11 wet
Feb
48° / 31°
8 wet
Mar
58° / 36°
8 wet
Apr
66° / 42°
7 wet
May
75° / 50°
6 wet
Jun
82° / 56°
5 wet
Jul
91° / 62°
2 wet
Aug
90° / 61°
2 wet
Sep
81° / 53°
3 wet
Oct
66° / 43°
6 wet
Nov
51° / 35°
9 wet
Dec
41° / 30°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Kennewick, WA, 14.7 mi away at 390 ft. The station sits about 700 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.
Upper Band is a sport climbing area in Washington, about 0.7 miles from the community of Port Kelley. It sits close to several other climbing and hiking destinations, including the Lower Band climbing area and the Half Pipe Trail, which makes it easy to pair with a longer outing in the area. The climbing here is all sport, with 19 routes spread across a range from 5.4 to 5.10. The easiest of these is Choss Boss at 5.4, and the hardest is Sunday Trundler at 5.10. The median grade is 5.8, so climbers can expect a mix of moderate to challenging routes. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from the nearby Kennewick weather station show May highs around 75°F and September highs around 81°F, while July and August average highs near 90°F. That station sits about 660 feet lower than the area, so temperatures on the rock run cooler. The Lower Band climbing area is 0.3 miles away, and the Half Pipe Trail and Upper Cliff climber's trail are both within a third of a mile. The Trunkline Trail is about 0.7 miles off.
