WASHBOARDS (5.10c) Dinosaur Tower, Peshastin Pinnacles, Leavenworth

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Peshastin Pinnacles is an anomaly among Washington rock climbing areas. The rock is old Swauk sandstone, and for the most part is fairly crumbly and unreliable, except on the western faces of the many rock formations, which are fairly well composed. The area is best known for its friction climbing on the many moderate to steep slabs, and it has a high concentration of easier routes in the 5.6 to 5.8 range, and some decent 5.9 to 5.11 testpieces. Most of the routes were established on lead during the period from the late 1950s to the mid-70s, and protected by lead-placed quarter-inch bolts. Several decades and much erosion later, many of these old bolts became quite unreliable as protection, but rebolting efforts have made many routes more popular than they ever were. The Pinnacles were closed to climbing for a long time due to the landowner's concerns over liability, but were eventually reopened as a state park where climbing was not only tolerated, but encouraged. Since then, the area's popularity has increased, as has erosion along the base of several of the slabs and towers.

Among the many good slab routes at Peshastin is Washboards, a steep friction testpiece on the slabby side of Dinosaur Tower, the highest of the area's rock formations. The route is one pitch long, leading to a ledge midway up the slab. It is consistently steep and continuously 5.9 and 5.10 friction, utilizing nubbins of rock embedded in the sandstone and the little holes left behind by pebbles that have blown out, but mostly just pure friction through the crux of the route. The route shares a finish with Potholes Direct (5.10a) and Potholes Direct Direct (5.10c), two equally enjoyable friction routes just right. An option is to climb through the crux of Washboards, then follow a flake leftward to the crux finish of Primate (5.10d).

The real name of the route may be Washboard, not Washboards. The rippled slab resembles one of those old-time washboards, but not several of them. Washboards is what everybody calls it, but even if you call it Washboard, everyone will know what you're talking about.


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