minnehaha

[evan sutherland]

Has anyone climbed at minnehaha, I was wondering how the rock is and what the access is like? Is the weather like most of eastern washington which is usually dry. Any info would be much appreciated.

[Brice Klein]

I was just there last Saturday. The crag is about 50 yard from the main road(upriver rd.) just pass the dam on the left. Its great for top rope, not much sport routes though, and because its so close to spokane it can get a little crowded but its not that bad. Great granite crag!

[Aaron Rogstad]

I climbed at Minnehaha (its actually called John H Sheilds Park or something like that) for 5 years while I was in school in Spokane. The front face is just about all top-rope and is perfect for beginners because it has long sustained 5.7-5.9 climbing. It's also excellent if you want to self-belay and do laps. The backside, which you get to by hiking around either side of the front face, had some shorter and more difficult (5.10,5.11) sport routes, and more top-rope. There is good bouldering if you hike east (to the right if you are facing the front wall), and also off the top of the backside face that faces the south-east. There is more sport climbs scattered deeper in the park, but those are harder to find without someone who knows the area.
My favorite climbs were Don Quixote (5.10d crack with overhanging start on the backside), and The Prow (5.10d bolted on backside facing SE). Also, there is a pretty cool 5.9+ dihedral on the front face.
Its as good of an area you could ask for, considering its practically in downtown Spokane.