We’ve been to Leavenworth several times and have had a great time every time we’ve been. When we hiked Icicle Creek last October we saw a ton of people out climbing and bouldering. We also read that a ton of good rock climbing in Washington is in Leavenworth so we figured it was time for us to try it out.
Chris found a few easy climbs we could top rope on. (Top rope is where a rope is set up at the top of the rock you are climbing secured to an anchor, then you are able to climb up the rock. You can lead climb-climb your rope up to the top of the rock and secure it to an anchor once you’ve climbed to the top-but Chris hasn’t learned how to do that yet. Or you can find a climb that you are able to walk to the top of the rocks you are climbing, secure the rope to an anchor, walk down, or belay down, then you are able to climb up the rocks.) Since Chris hasn’t learned how to lead climb yet we had to find easy enough rocks for us to climb, and also rocks that Chris could walk up to the top to set up top rope. Luckily there were a few of these types of climbs in Leavenworth for us.
We drove out to where we would rock climb, not knowing how crowded it would be, but lucky for us the rocks we wanted to climb on were empty! (Probably had to do with the weather being 90 degrees!) It was great climbing here because we could wait in the car until Chris had built his anchor and set up top rope, then we could walk a short distance from our car to where we would climb. (This option is great with kids!) The first rock climbing we did was at “Barney’s Rubble” on a 5.7. Ryan went first and he went up like it was super easy. I belayed Chris so he could climb it. Then Chris offered to belay me. I had no desire to really get into rock climbing, but since we were out I thought I would give it a go. Now when I climb I don’t care if I make it to the top or not. I have no desire to get any better, I just want to do it with my family. So I gave it a whirl. Since it was my first time really climbing I didn’t push it. I went half way up and decided that I was good for now and I decided to come back down. I thought I would be afraid of heights (I went repelling in high school and hated every second of it. I froze and could not come down, I thought maybe it was because I was afraid of heights, but I think there were other reasons I had a panic attack then because heights didn’t bother me before and haven’t really bothered me since.) I loved being that high (on the climb, half way, which is what I did would be around 45 feet. That whole climb was around 90 feet!) and looking out at the views. I was nervous to come back down, but that was super easy as well! I could see why my boys liked climbing so much!
After all of us had a chance to climb that climb, we packed up and we went to lunch at Rudloof’s Pizza, our favorite Pizza place in Leavenworth! After eating we felt energized and we decided to go back out climbing. This time we were going to try a different area (across the street from where we were before and right by the river!) “Bruce’s Boulder” was a really fun, easy, 5.4 crack to climb. Lillian decided she wasn’t going to climb it, but Chris talked me into climbing it. It was easy enough for me to do it easily and I LOVED it. it was such a fun climb with great views of the river. It was so fun to be at the top and look out at the river! I was glad Chris encouraged me to go.
After we were done climbing we packed up and headed home. It was such a fun day and I was convinced Leavenworth would be my favorite place to climb! I knew if we went climbing again, I’d try to convince Chris to take us back here.
