Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Deception Crags Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 1,469 ft | 448 m |
| GPS: |
47.43567, -121.66045 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
|
| Page Views: | 575,244 total · 2,376/month | |
| Shared By: | Luke Stefurak on Jan 29, 2006 · Updates | |
| Admins: | Jon Nelson, Zachary Winters, Mitchell McAuslan |
Description
Deception Crags is the most popular major sub-sector at Exit 38 - its collection of varied grades mostly in the 5.5 to 5.12 range within ten minutes of the road are big contributors to that fact. Deception Crags is a collection of mini-crags which contain 1 to 25+ climbs per; all the rock is metamorphic 'rhino rock,' the quality of, as many know, can be variable. Due to the area's popularity, most of the choss on the popular crags is no longer there. Several of these crags are accessible directly from the Iron Horse Trail (Hall Creek Rock, We Did Rock, Deception Wall, Write-off Rock and Kiosk Rock), while Substation is underneath the trestle, Nevermind is a little south, and the rest are scattered above and below. You may find crowds on weekends (or weekdays), especially at Write-off due to its chill and easy nature.
Nevermind Wall is perhaps one of the best 'hard crags' in the North Bend vicinity - it contains nothing lower than a 5.9 and goes up to a few 5.12 a's and b's, as well as an adventurous spectacle of a route that climbs up through the mossy upper half - The Ascentionist. Write-off Rock is the other end of the spectrum, with several easy and moderate, well-protected routes. Deception Wall is the tallest (as far as that goes at 38), and We Did Rock is the moderate's dream with a plethora of 5.9's. Explore the rest at your leisure. You can find sun or shade at any time of day or year at Deception Crags, but several routes are known to seep after rain.
Getting There
Take I-90 east from Seattle and turn off at Exit #38. At the bottom of the exit ramp, take a right.
Drive a half-mile down SE Homestead Valley Rd (not well marked, just follow the road), and park in one of the two gravel pullouts on the left side of the road before you drive past Change Creek, a trickle that flows under the road.
Hike up the hill (the trail starts just to the right/west of Change Creek) until you arrive at Substation, the first crag underneath a tall railroad bridge. Baby Squish Rock is accessed from here as well. 5-10 minute approach; you'll pass the Deception Glade boulders in the forest on the way in.
Continue on the trail to the top of the bridge, which is the Iron Horse trail, from which you can find everything else. Write-Off Rock (a 50-foot beginner's crag) is just at the top and right off the trail, above Substation. Nevermind Wall, with some of the hardest routes up to 5.12+, is on the east side of the Change Creek 'gorge,' walk over the bridge and take a right up a hand-rope to the 100-yd Nevermind trail. For Deception Crags, continue a few dozen yards east past the Nevermind turnoff (on the IHT). Just after Deception Wall, take a right on a trail uphill for Shakespeare Wall. Keep going farther east on the IHT for We Did Rock and Hall Creek Rock.
Alternative approach: take an immediate right off the main road onto a gravel road, drive up the hill and park in the Mt Washington trailhead area (needs Discover Pass) and hike east on the Iron Horse Trail to Deception Crags.
Classic Climbing Routes at Deception Crags
Weather Averages
|
High
|
Low
|
|
Precip
|
Days w Precip
|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
Photos
All Photos Within Deception Crags
Most Popular · Newest · RandomMore About Deception Crags
Printer-FriendlyWhat's New
Guidebooks (8)
1 Comment