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Elevation: 1,469 ft
GPS: 47.43567, -121.66045
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 572,638 total · 2,594/month
Shared By: Luke Stefurak on Jan 29, 2006 · Updates
Admins: Jon Nelson, Micah Klesick, Zachary Winters

Description Suggest change

Deception Crags is the most popular sub-area at Exit 38 - its collection of varied grades from 5.5 to 5.12+ within ten minutes of the road are big contributors to that fact. Deception Crags is a collection of mini-crags which contain one 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, and Nevermind Wall has some of the best quality stone at 38. Several of these crags are accessible directly from the Iron Horse Trail (Write-off, We Did Rock and Deception), 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 the best 'hard crag' in the North Bend vicinity besides the World Walls - 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 with a few multipitch (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 Suggest change

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.

107 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Deception Crags

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 279
Absolutely Nothing
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 169
Blockhead
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 145
Strip Clip
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 220
Some Drugs
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 157
Neverigine
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 146
Lovey-Dovey
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 200
Old Milwaukee Road
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 169
Bad Choo Choo
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 145
Love Bucket
Sport
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 119
Big Mama
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 164
Steep Street
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 173
Architect Rally
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 73
La Vida Locomotive
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 103
Negatherion
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 145
Cultureshock
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Absolutely Nothing We Did Rock
 279
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
Blockhead We Did Rock
 169
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Strip Clip Nevermind Wall
 145
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Some Drugs We Did Rock
 220
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
Neverigine Nevermind Wall
 157
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Lovey-Dovey Substation
 146
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Old Milwaukee Road Deception Wall
 200
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Bad Choo Choo We Did Rock
 169
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Love Bucket Nevermind Wall
 145
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Big Mama Nevermind Wall
 119
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Steep Street Nevermind Wall
 164
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Architect Rally Nevermind Wall
 173
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
La Vida Locomotive Deception Wall
 73
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Negatherion Nevermind Wall
 103
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Cultureshock Nevermind Wall
 145
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
More Classic Climbs in Deception Crags »

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