Washer Woman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washer Woman
Washer Woman, west aspect
Highest point
Elevation	5,819 ft (1,774 m)
Prominence	339 ft (103 m)
Isolation	0.05 mi (0.080 km)
Parent peak	Monster Tower (5,880 ft)
Geography
Washer Woman Location in Utah Show map of Utah Washer Woman Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Canyonlands National Park San Juan County, Utah, U.S.
Parent range	Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS Musselman Arch
Geology
Age of rock	Late Triassic
Type of rock	Wingate Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent	1967
Easiest route	class 5.10+ In Search of Suds

Washer Woman is a tall, 500-foot (150-meter) sandstone arch and tower. You can find it in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park in San Juan County, Utah. It stands about 300 feet (91 meters) northwest of the slightly taller Monster Tower.

Washer Woman got its name because it looks like a person bending over a washtub, like a "washerwoman." The United States Board on Geographic Names officially gave it this name in 1986. Before that, it had similar names like Washer-Woman Arch.

Washer Woman and Monster Tower were once part of a long, thin rock wall called a fin. This fin was made of Wingate Sandstone. This sandstone formed from ancient sand dunes about 200 million years ago, during the Late Triassic period.

You can see other cool rock formations nearby. Airport Tower is about 1.6 mi (2.6 km) to the east. Mesa Arch is about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) to the west. A short hike to Mesa Arch gives you a great view of Washer Woman. Another way to see it is by driving on the four-wheel drive White Rim Road. The top of Washer Woman rises 1,300 feet (396 meters) above this road. Rainwater from Washer Woman flows southeast into the nearby Colorado River.

Climbing Adventures

People love to climb the Washer Woman! The very first time someone climbed to the top was on April 20, 1967. This amazing climb was done by Maurice Horn, John Horn, and Pete Carmen. They climbed up the South Face of the tower.

Later, in September 1982, Glenn Randall and Charlie Fowler made the first climb on a famous route called In Search of Suds. This route is on the West Face of Washer Woman.

Weather in the Park

The best times to visit Washer Woman are in the spring and fall. The weather is usually just right for exploring.

This area has a Cold semi-arid climate. This means it's a desert climate that doesn't get much rain. It receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of rain each year. Snowfall in winter is usually light.

Gallery