Riverfront Rock Gym is an excellent climbing facility that offers a wide variety of routes and…read morechallenges for all skill levels. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and always willing to offer advice and assistance. The gym is well-maintained, clean, and has a great community vibe. I highly recommend Riverfront Rock Gym to anyone looking to get into climbing or take their skills to the next level. Pro tip: I booked my session using GetOutPass, where I get access to multiple local venues similar to GoCity. Use coupon code: sale1 for an extra $5 discount on top of existing promotions

We checked out Riverfront Rock Gym during the summer of 2022 while we were camping in Wenatchee…read more It was one of those really hot summers with temperatures in the north of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. After checking out in the morning, we still wanted to do more in Wenatchee before heading back to Seattle. We quickly polled the kids while yelping to see what was available in the area for a good, kid-friendly fun. Unanimously, rock climbing was the top (well, the only) choice and off we went! The front desk staff were very friendly, inviting, and professional handling a large group of four families. Digitally signing the liability forms on their iPads was pretty simple and we were able to get the kids checked in with proper shoes and climbing harness apparatus. Once the kids were fully equipped, the staff guided all of us to the rock gym area, which was very spacious with numerous options, obstacles, and challenges. Their staff went over the specifics of each rock wall, how to secure the harness, safety features, what to do, and how to have fun. We were in great hands and I appreciate how inviting they were to the kids to try out any wall with their help. We loved every moment and our kids made many memories.

Gorgeous views of unique rock formations, the Enchantment Mountains and town of Cashmere. Make sure…read moreto go counterclockwise and it is easier easiest to return the same route for an out and back. We did the complete loop however coming down was extremely steep and unsafe at some areas due to slides. Not ideal for kids due to very steep trail trails and unsecure ground. We also noticed several ticks along the way. Keep your eyes out for marmots too. Enter through the cute garden gate just past the restrooms. Be sure you already have a WA State Discovery Pass since there's no pay machine.

What Peshastin Pinnacles State Park lacks in total hiking trail length it makes up in vertical gain…read moreardor. Views from the top of the pinnacles on a clear sunny day are absolutely stunning and the climb adds a bit of physical satisfaction in working up a slight sweat to reach the vista points. A helicopter pad is located closer to the parking lot/entrance, guessing in part in case of an emergency be it a snake bite, rock climber fall, or hiker tumble. It is a great place for a short, difficult hike. However, ropes and other rock climbing supplies strewn across the trail can detract from the overall experience. During the summer of 2021 the park was closed due to extreme fire risk. Fortunately this was communicated both on the website and at the driving entrance.

This is the best moderate alpine rock route in Washington…read more It's in what is probably the most beautiful natural area of Washington. So, why is it not more well-known? More often climbed? It's in the Enchantments, with a long approach. This is a permit-only area and it's infamously hard to get permits. The granite is incredible, the mountain goats plentiful. Put in for a permit, cross your fingers, and have fun!

I am in love the the Lake Ingalls hike! My friend and I arrived at the trailhead Sunday morning…read morejust before 8 a.m. and already counted 120 cars at the trailhead. We parked about 0.3 miles from the trailhead. Cars lined both sides of the narrow road, despite a sign indicating for folks to only park on one side. There were some very questionable parking jobs on edges and cliffs. There was a small line waiting for the one toilet, which was not stocked with toilet paper (don't forget to bring your own + hand sanitizer). There were a couple surprises I had after reading other trip reports. The first one was that the road up to the trailhead was not bad at all. Sure, it was a little bumpy and there were a few potholes to watch out for, but it was seriously nothing compared to other trailheads I've been on. A sedan can easily make it up to the top with no problem. The second thing I found different than the trip reports was the level of difficulty. WTA rates this hike as expert, and I thought it was nowhere near expert. It really was a nice gradual incline with some rock scrambling at the top. Plus, there's beautiful sights to see the entire way up, so it was very pleasant. The trail was packed, but once my friend and I started hiking, we slowly spaced out from the others. Everyone we encountered was super kind and courteous. The only downside we had from the people was that this is a trail that does not allow dogs, and there were several we encountered (including one off leash who ran up to my friend and was a little nippy). There was also fresh dog poop right on the trail an owner had left behind. The lake at the top wasn't too busy. There were plenty of spots to sit to grab a bite to eat and admire the view. After the initial descent from the lake where there's a lot of rock scrambling and questioning if you're still on the trail (there's multiple ways up through the rocks, so just keep going and look for cairns), it's a steady decline that's easy on the knees. I will definitely be back!

This is about a 10 mile total hike. I'm not a very experienced hiker, so it too me a while to get…read moreup there. My boyfriend and I camped up at the top too. Up to the top, it's quite easy as in the trail and the incline should be fine if you have hiked a lot. At some point up the trail, it gets a little narrow and steep way down if you're not careful. Bless my boyfriend for carrying my camping bag too. At the top, there's a camp ground. It's near a river if you want to get water. There's also a toilet! It's a wooden box and it's a great view to take a dump at. From the campsite, it's about 1 mile to the lake at the top. There are cairn stacks along the way to reach the lake. Without following it, I'm sure you can still find it, but with it, it shows you an easy route to climb. The lake itself is very clear and very cold! I went in August and there was still some snow! There are also mountain goats! I found the best time to see them is in the morning. They come near the camp site too! I heard a baby mountain goat crying for it's mom too. It was so cool seeing them so close! You can see where they have even around since their fur gets caught on the branches.

It is clean and has many things to offer! Basketball courts, indoor 1/8th mile track, assortment of…read morecardio machines (sadly only one stairmaster), many weight training machines, rock climbing wall, and a schedule of classes offered during the week. There are also locker rooms and showers, with a sauna!

Great equipment selection. I love the handles on the barbell weights that prevent smashed fingers…read more I have smashed my fingers too many times while stacking weights. Lockers are clean and plenty. The only minus is how crowded it is in the after noon. So I have to wake up at 4am to use the gym at 6am :(

Stuart is a big, badass block of granite…read more It's a mountain that most non-climbers will never see, which is unfortunate! It offers many routes from scree slogs, to snow & ice, to nationally-renowned multi-pitch alpine rock routes. (North Ridge is on the coveted "50 classic climbs in North America list". I climbed this mountain via ice cliff glacier, a fun moderate ice route that is hard to get good conditions on.

A friend and I did the Haute Route with NMS in April 2017. The communication from Olivia and John…read morewas timely and thorough from the very start. I received all the info. I needed to prepare for the trip. They are guides though so if responses seem delayed, they're in the field but, always responded. Be patient. Our guides on the trip were Pete and Joey. They were amazing and worked very hard to ensure a safe and fun trip. The communication from them was awesome. I personally had the skills & experience for this trip but watching them teach and transform the rest of our team was a joy to watch. I my self had some takeaways that I will use in the back country the rest of my life. Thinking about the Haute Route? Do it with Northwest Mountain School. Thanks Olivia and John! Cheers!

Took the Aiare 1 class with this group. Great class, instructors and guides. Very informative…read more Great subgroupings. Highly recommend.

I've been climbing here for about a month -- plenty of autobelays and top rope routes. Can get…read morecrowded during peak hours, but I haven't had an issue getting onto a route. Everyone is friendly and atmosphere is chill

Tons of autobelays so it can be great for training. Good offwidth crack. Parking is terrible…read more Better to just park around the block rather than wait in the lot for a spot to open up. Bring a jacket for the 5-minute walk. Too many team/comp events. It seems like 1 out of 4 times I go, a large portion of the gym is closed due to competition or team training. Yesterday, half of the bouldering area was closed for comp setting. I wish their calendar posted notices of areas being closed like this.

Edgeworks has multiple locations but I like the Bellevue spot the best so far. Plenty of room and…read morelots of different climbs. One bouldering area where you climb up and over the top then may need to walk across the landing to the climb down area. Bathrooms are always clean.

Was invited here by a family friend and had a blast!…read more Facility was clean, staff was friendly, and got our adrenaline going. Our 6 year old gave it a shot too and already wants to go back. We went during family day - believe they have this once per month so it was discounted rates $13 and included shoe / harness. Walk over to Dicks for burgers, fries and shakes afterwards (same parking lot) and Daiso for Daiso fans :)

Indeed very enchanting place. We did backpacking 3 nights 4…read moredays to experience the core zone as much as possible including off-trail scrambles for Little Annapurna and Enchantment Peak. We went Colchuck to Viviane and traced back since not much to see beyond Viviane. Really nice backpacking. My detailed mileage etc is below blog post. https://himebackpacker.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-enchantments-washington.html

I've done this a couple of times so I'll give you the different perspectives…read more The first time I did it as a one-day hike because I did not have a permit. The second time I did it as a three night hike because it was after October 15th and I still didn't have a permit. Since that time, the permit season has been extended to October 30th. Either way, I suggest that hiking in the fall is the prettiest time due to the larch trees colors. Both times we started at the Stuart Lake trailhead (recommended due to reduced overall elevation gain) and ended at the Snow Lake trailhead. Now at the risk of offending someone I will say that hiking through the Enchantments in one day is like watching a porn movie on fast forward. You miss most of the scenery. My suggestion is to either get a permit, or hike outside of season, preferably in the fall, but stay at least two nights. Given that the hike up Aasgard Pass has an elevation gain of 1900 feet in about a mile, I can attest that it can be quite dangerous when raining. On the East side there will be mud & rock slides and in our case we had to duck out of the way of several large, (18 or so inch diameter) Rocks that came bouncing down the boulders with unpredictable direction at a very high rate of speed. Risks early in the season are snow slides and avalanches, so be very aware of the conditions when you are there. All that said, anyone who does not give this a five and tell you that it's absolutely one of the most beautiful hikes you'll ever take on must know something I don't, and I've hiked the Himalayas. Remember that goats are dangerous. Pee on rocks, not soil because the goats will dig it up for the salt. Try not to let a goat see you peeing or it will run towards you. Try fishing in the lakes; the trout are great for dinner up there. You should also know that when coming down toward the Snow Lake trailhead there are a large number of switchbacks and when you see the cars just down the hill, it will likely be another hour before you get there, and if you did it as a day hike, your feet may not be happy when you finally arrive. If you are a hiker, you must find a way to get this one done before you hang up your boots.