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Lookout Point Area

Washington > Central-W Casca… > Skykomish Valley > Index

Description

These are the walls closest to town, essentially in front view when driving across the bridge into town. The rock quality and type are similar to that at the Lower Town Wall, but the area has a greater fraction of moderate routes.

Here, you can find steep cracks and corners, steep face, as well as low-angle crack and slabs.  Approaches vary somewhat, but probably any crag here will involve at least 20-min of hiking.

Plenty of forest, and thus shade on a sunny day. The top of Lookout Point is an excellent picnic spot with views to Gunn, Baring, Index, and Persis as well as to the town below.

Getting There

Recently, many have been parking along Crescent St, just below the RR tracks. As this is in a residential area, please be quiet and respectful. (Definitely don't park right past the railroad crossing on the main road though, as folks driving over the crossing might not see you.) You can also park in town near Dolittle Park. If you don't find parking at those places, try the Heybrook Ridge lot, just over the bridge. One can also walk from the Lower Town Wall parking areas, along the tracks from the opposite direction as that described below. 

Hike down the railroad tracks from town, heading towards the Upper Town Walls. About 200 yards down, on the right and in the middle of the curve, take the obvious footbridge on the right. Hike up the trail. At the first crest, go right (left goes to Zelda boulders), and soon reach Midnite boulder. Just before this boulder is a trail going off right that goes directly to Hag Crag. This is also the best way to reach routes on Lookout Point's & Private Idaho's right (east) side, Planet Index, Halloween, and eventually Zappa. 

If you instead stay left going past Midnite boulder, continue up until reaching a T. At the T-junction, go left for Rattletale and right for the Duck and the west side of Lookout Point & Private Idaho as well as Mossquito. Either way will take you towards the Diamond. If you go right, the next turnoff on the right goes to Private Idaho and then Hag Crag. For other crags, continue up and left to the headwall of the gully. At the headwall point, go up and right for Lookout Point, and left for Duck Wall. At a moderate pace, it takes about 20-25 min to reach most of these walls.

To get to the top of Lookout Point, take one of the trails to the right side of either Private Idaho or Lookout Point, then follow the steep trail up the gully. 

See the map in one of the photos below. 

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

View to the east from Law & Order on a foggy fall morning.
[Hide Photo] View to the east from Law & Order on a foggy fall morning.
Hair ice near Hag Crag. This one is more disordered than the usual types I see in which a clear "hair part" occurs. Maybe, more like old Uncle Albert's messed up hair?
[Hide Photo] Hair ice near Hag Crag. This one is more disordered than the usual types I see in which a clear "hair part" occurs. Maybe, more like old Uncle Albert's messed up hair?
LOP area trails. (Photo: B. Hubbard)
<br>
Z=Zelda 
<br>
M=Midnite
<br>
ZP=Zappa
<br>
HW=Halloween
<br>
RT=Rattletale
<br>
WT=WOTI
<br>
BD=Brad Driscol
<br>
PrI=Private Idaho
<br>
DW=Duck
<br>
LOP=Lookout Point
<br>
PIx=Planet Index
<br>
Dia=Diamond
<br>
B=Beyond
<br>
C=Collegium
<br>
HC=Hag Crag
<br>
MQ=Mossquito
[Hide Photo] LOP area trails. (Photo: B. Hubbard) Z=Zelda M=Midnite ZP=Zappa HW=Halloween RT=Rattletale WT=WOTI BD=Brad Driscol PrI=Private Idaho DW=Duck LOP=Lookout Point PIx=Planet Index Dia=Diam…
Lookout Point views in winter.
[Hide Photo] Lookout Point views in winter.
Some sort of shelf fungus (Quinine Conk or Artist's Conk) near Lookout Point.
[Hide Photo] Some sort of shelf fungus (Quinine Conk or Artist's Conk) near Lookout Point.
Approach trail, near Midnite, trillium flowers like these often appear in spring.
[Hide Photo] Approach trail, near Midnite, trillium flowers like these often appear in spring.
An old Index anchor. (Found on top of Noodle, though might have fallen there from top of Law and Order.)
[Hide Photo] An old Index anchor. (Found on top of Noodle, though might have fallen there from top of Law and Order.)
Columbia Tiger Lily at the top of Lookout Point, the flagpole in the background.
[Hide Photo] Columbia Tiger Lily at the top of Lookout Point, the flagpole in the background.
Evening view from Lookout Point (May 2017).
[Hide Photo] Evening view from Lookout Point (May 2017).
Cedar just off trail, at crest before Midnite.
[Hide Photo] Cedar just off trail, at crest before Midnite.
Distant look of Baring, thanks to the Bolt Creek fire.
[Hide Photo] Distant look of Baring, thanks to the Bolt Creek fire.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Aaron Olson
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] Does anyone know of pitches that can be linked together that go to the top of Lookout Point that are no harder than 11a? Jun 28, 2015
Jon Nelson
Redmond, WA
[Hide Comment] The simplest would be the Velvet Pedestal, if that last pitch has been cleaned up.

Or, do Steel Pulse to the end, traverse left to the base of "A Hatch". Belay near the v-thread anchor, and go up and right on a 5.9 face-to crack pitch. This last pitch is that on "Lookout Point Direct" (LPD), which hasn't been posted yet.

Others have done Strange Boar -> Frenchwoman -> Black Rock -> last pitch of LPD as above. You can skip the first two by doing Law and Order instead.

Another link-up would be Below Lissen to Hitaga. At the top of Hitaga, traverse off left, and scramble up to the belay for the last pitch of Solitude. Finish on Solitude. Jun 28, 2015
Aaron Olson
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] Great info. Thanks Jon! Jul 1, 2015
Jeff Mac
North Bend, WA
[Hide Comment] Looks like the Bush House opened up - do folks know if it's still ok to park there? Aug 25, 2021
Daniel Chode Rider
Truck, Wenatchee
[Hide Comment] I can't remember if it was open last time I parked there but they seemed happy with it. Aug 25, 2021
Jon Nelson
Redmond, WA
[Hide Comment] Jeff-
I don't know, but if they are in business then it would be best to park elsewhere. For awhile, I parked at the school, but was told to park elsewhere. Around the town park still works, and the Heybrook Ridge parking is only a minute away. Aug 25, 2021
Dan Radosevich
Seattle
[Hide Comment] Maybe I'm the last to get the memo but parking at the Bush House is definitely not OK anymore. I parked there a few days ago and the owner chewed me out pretty good. I can't really blame him for being annoyed. Plently of other places to park in town. May 6, 2024
IJMayer
Guemes Island, WA
[Hide Comment] Someone can confirm but I think the new place to park is the first street on the left just after you cross the train tracks. Looked like 15 cars could park off the road there. Not sure if this has already been confirmed on climb index facebook May 21, 2024
Jon Nelson
Redmond, WA
[Hide Comment] IJ- That spot is the Crescent St. parking mentioned at the start of the Location section above. The spot is popular and convenient, and hopefully the nearby residents don't mind. May 21, 2024