Mt Washington Rock Climbing

Mt Washington is one of three major areas at Exit 38 off the I-90 corridor east of Seattle, the nearest to the exit. A Discover pass is required to park in the trailhead parking lot.

The area consists of several groupings of crags on and around the popular Mt Washington trail. It has never been as popular as Deception Crags or the Far Side, probably because of the longer approaches and the lack of a beginner crag like Write-off or Gritscone. The climbing here is all on metamorphosed andesite aka rhinostone, but is unique from the rest of X38. It tends to be slightly overhanging, with crumbly/grippy to very slick texture, unlike the blocky jugs at Deception or the angular flakes of Far Side diorite. There are many excellent pitches here, including some of the best pure trad lines in the exits, which tend to be in the 5.10 to 5.11 range. Several of the crags are higher-elevation than most in the area, allowing for great views and cooler summer temperatures if you're willing to make the hike.