A steep, south-west facing cluster of granitic crags with great rock, Nason Ridge has a decent variety of climbs, mostly 5.10 and up.
There are four main areas, listed from left/uphill to right/downhill:
The approach trail takes you to the base of the corner that separates the cave wall and the balcony
The routes are mostly bolted with fixed anchors, but there is at least one moderate trad route.
Just east of Merritt and before Nason Ridge road is a small pull-out on either side of an obvious residential access road on the north side of the highway. This pullout is a slow car turn-off pullout. Please park west of the residential road so the residents can use the pullout to access the road. This residential road is called Untracked Lane.
DO NOT USE DRIVEWAYS OR RESIDENTIAL ROAD FOR ACCESS.
Step into the forest just east of the residential road and continue north, parallel to the road. Sometimes it's a bit overgrown, but persevere and you'll enter some more open woods and pick up a distinct trail that switchbacks up to the crag. Also, access to this area crosses private property, so be considerate, quiet and please keep your dog on a leash. Keep all residential development on your left as you head for the trail.
When you get clear of the forest and above the private residences, continue up and left on a well-tracked steep trail towards the cliff band on BLM land. The trail splits off left at one point but keep going right. It will take you to the ledge between the Cave Wall and the balcony.
A cat used to follow me up the trail!
Pocatello, ID
Kirkland, WA
I'd really love to check out this area, but want to be respectful of the residents in the area. Thanks! Jul 15, 2019
Also, as of this posting, many of the routes have fixed draws, but a lot of them are fairly ancient nylon and aluminum. Oct 8, 2019
South Pasadena
It's a beautiful area to climb in but exposed during the day, so be prepared for heat and wind. Most of the climbs have lichen and moss growth, so watch out for that. The anchors are in good shape (was at Mod Squad). Jun 30, 2022
Seattle, WA
Also, and this applies to all crags, we ran into a very cute but pretty poorly behaved dog on our way up that wasn't on a leash. If you're gonna bring a dog to the crag you should seriously consider keeping the dog on a leash (or at least keep one easily accessible on your hike). The approach is narrow, steep, and dusty, so it's not really feasible to escape the trail or move quickly if a weird encounter happens. Jun 3, 2023
Milwaukee, WI