The climbing area known as Darrington is a collection of granite domes in the Clear Creek and Squire Creek drainages on the west slope of the Washington Cascades. These mountain valleys have a remote feel and only a few of the routes get a lot of traffic, though the area has seen steady climbing activity for forty years. The climbs feature slabs, knobby face climbing, and some cracks though straight-in cracks are relatively rare. The scenery is fantastic, and many of the routes have an alpine feel although trees grow even on the summit of Exfoliation Dome and Squire Creek Wall, two of the higher and larger formations in the area. This is fantastic climbing: clean granite sweeps to the sky as you climb multiple pitch routes to the summit of these unique features. Just a few of the routes that comprise "Darrington" are featured here.
The climbing is commonly thought to be "just" slab climbing, but many routes demand good edging and crack climbing skills as well as friction technique. Much of it is bolt-protected but pretty much all of the routes require some gear placement. Most of the climbs are relatively well-protected at or near any crux moves but many contain longer run-outs on easier terrain. Two ropes are needed for the descents; the climbs run from one to ten pitches.
Most of the developed climbs lie in the Clear Creek drainage, southeast of the town of Darrington, Washington. From Darrington (an hour and a half northeast of Seattle on highway 530), head southeast on the Mountain Loop Highway, a paved road that branches off highway 530 where it makes a right angled turn in the middle of town (a mini-mart here has last minutes goodies).
Just a few miles out of town you will come to the Clear Creek campground on the left. The Clear Creek logging road (gravel) departs the pavement to the right immediately before the campground.
About five miles up this logging road, a left fork leads to the climbs on Exfoliation Dome and a right fork leads to the routes on Three O'Clock Rock, the Comb, Green Giant Buttress, etc.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Darrington:
Dreamer 5.9 Trad, 10 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade III
Beginning at the toe of a small buttress below the obvious large orange/grey colored wall. The first two pitches are approach pitches, disconnected from the remainder of the climb. The route stays on very high-quality granite, with plentiful patina edges, some friction climb, and and cracks up high.Give yourself 3-3.5hrs for the approach. Alternatively, a fantastic camp can be made at the enormous 'bivy boulder' near the base of the route.P1) Beg...[more]Browse More Classics in WA
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