Central Oregon Rock

About the book

When most climbers think of Bend, OR, they think of Smith Rock — but as local Bend climbers know, there’s much more. This book covers the “other” Central Oregon crags, some you may have heard of, some revealed here for the first time. Included is Trout Creek, one of the country’s best single-pitch crack-climbing crags — think Indian Creek without the sand. Also featured are many sport crags, adventurous multi-pitch routes, and spectacular freestanding spires. With over 500 climbs under two hours from Bend, and year-round climbing, you might even forget to climb at Smith Rock.

Included in the book are essays from local legends such as Alan Watts and Jim Davis, a volcanic geology primer, great maps, action photos, sun/shade beta, distance from Bend, a range of climbs from 5.5 to 5.13, and more. If you’ve ever heard of columnar basalt, not had the stem-tastic experience of climbing it, this is a great place to get aquainted!

Areas included

• Trout Creek

• Lakeside

• Cougar Bluff

• Powerlines

• Meadow Camp

• Cardinal

• Bill’s Columns

• Billy Chinook

• Opal

• Steins Pillar

About the author

Dave McRae has been a Bend local since 1999, working as one of Smith Rock Climbing Guides’ original instructors. A trad climber at heart, Dave nevertheless purchased a power drill in 2013 and has spent the past decade+ developing new climbs, both trad and sport, at Smith and especially at Bend’s many other crags. He also enjoys snow sports, heavy metal concerts, drawing political cartoons, and cooking dinner for his family.