Washington · Rock climbing · White Salmon

Wankers Columns

Wankers Columns in Washington has 15 climbing routes with 12 difficulty grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.

Wankers ColumnsPhoto: Stumbling Photographer, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
15 routes
5.6 – 5.12-
Sport · Trad · Mixed

Is Wankers Columns 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.

Best time to visit Wankers Columns

Best months: May–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.

  1. Jan

    41° / 30°

    18 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 31°

    15 wet

  3. Mar

    53° / 34°

    15 wet

  4. Apr

    60° / 39°

    13 wet

  5. May

    68° / 46°

    9 wet

  6. Jun

    74° / 51°

    5 wet

  7. Jul

    82° / 55°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    82° / 55°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    76° / 47°

    5 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 39°

    11 wet

  11. Nov

    49° / 34°

    17 wet

  12. Dec

    40° / 31°

    20 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hood Rvr Exp Stn, OR, 6.4 mi away at 500 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Wankers Columns is a climbing area in Washington's Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of hiking routes and other climbing spots, with OH8 about 0.8 miles away and the Upper Labyrinth hike just 0.3 miles off. The climbing here is a mix of sport, trad and mixed routes, with 15 routes in total. The YDS grades run from 5.6 up to 5.12-, and the hardest is RIP The Rattler, a sport route at 5.12- first climbed by Ezra Boden. The median grade is 5.10a, so climbers can expect a range of challenges from moderate to advanced. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 82°F with only about two wet days a month, while winter brings highs near 40°F and rain on most days. Nearby hikes include Upper Labyrinth, Labyrinth and Little Maui, and paddlers can find Major Creek about 2.3 miles away.

Routes (15)

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