Frenchman Coulee by Potholes Coulee holds the expansive Echo Basin. It faces the Columbia River to the west. Vantage, the climbing area here, is synonymous with the small community west of Vantage Bridge.
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Frenchman Coulee at a Glance
Access: Old Vantage Highway at mile 2.6
Round Trip: 5.3 miles
Elevation Range: 740′-1310′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Frenchman Coulee Echo Basin
We’ve welcomed the new year on a mountain for the past eight years. The plan for Deception Pass State Park fell through due to the 80% rain forecast. So after tossing around some ideas, we took off to Frenchman Coulee. As with yesterday’s trip, it was our eighth time here.
We went past the climbing area and parked by the gate, which accessed both basins. Then we went to the south, Echo Basin, which appealed more to me. Most people spend time in the north for the waterfall, but I prefer walking around the rim without interruptions. Besides, we get more exercise away from the nearest road.
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A Sunny Morning Out East
We started walking in the cloudy morning as several trails weaved through. But we tend to scramble around, submerging in the bittersweet scent of sagebrush. We used the same route as before and went to the southwest edge of the coulee.
Rather than going straight up the sand, we hugged the edges for traction. Once on top, we then scrambled toward the rim. Soon, I spotted hikers at the rock tier below, with another party ahead, looking to be climbing with loud music.
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Strolling Above Echo Basin
We moved away from the edge before reaching the east end. Then we went to the small pond farther east I had wanted to check out but always forgotten. One can easily miss the glistening blue water with the tall brush obscuring it.
After returning to the rim, we hiked to one of the high points overlooking the basin. Then we went down a slight depression to the north via a hidden ramp. A trail through the dip hinted hikers also come in from the east.
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French Coulee High Point Views
Before the hikers caught up, we went east again to see another pond. Then we returned to the high point a while later and took a long break to enjoy the views. The noise from the climbers on the north basalt rocks would sometimes alert the dogs.
Our trip in February 2017 was the prettiest so far. On that trip, we saw the most snow in all three outings during the same month. It grew relatively warm at noon, with the temperatures in the low 50s. It was a hot first day of January.
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Leaving Echo Basin
After soaking up the heat, we started moving again to finish the loop through the climbing area. Soon, we lazied through the north rim with sunset at another three hours away. Glad to see everyone benefitted from the gorgeous weather.
We saw several groups in the north basin as I analyzed the two main trails here. We soon came upon the main path before reaching the west edge. Then it was a quick exit via the climber’s route back to the car.
See more trip photos here.