Name of area: Spring Mountain
Where:Blue Mountains 9 miles northeast of exit 243 on interstate 84 between Pendleton and LaGrande, OR.
How do I get there from Walla Walla?: Take route 11 through Milton-Freewater and continue south toward Pendleton. Several miles north of Pendleton take the left turn toward Mission and I-84 east. Go through the stop sign at Mission and continue on to the intersection with I-84 just past Wild Horse Casino. Head east toward LaGrande on I-84. Take the "Summit Rd., Mt. Emily" exit off of I-84. Turn left on Summit Rd., cross over the interstate, and proceed approximately 8 miles on this gravel road until you see a sign on the right that says "Whitman Route overlook". Turn left at this sign and go about a mile to a meadow where a dirt road angles off to the right. Follow this rough road for about 300 yds. until it is blocked by some large boulders. Park here. The trail begins on the left about 50 ft. past the boulders. .
How long of a drive is it? 1.5-2.0 hours
What's there?: High quality andesite cliff up to 100' high in a beautiful setting with lots of fun routes. Check out my climbing guide.
Land Ownership: Umatilla National Forest
Pros: The best rock climbing near Walla Walla. (period)
Cons:Bugs in the summer can be very annoying. Snowed in from mid-November to at least mid-April.
Comments: What are you waiting for? (except maybe the snow to melt)