City of Rocks in August

[kevino]

Looking to make one more climbing trip before the start of cross country and school. The weekend of 25th/26th in August is our last free weekend. How is the weather there around that time of year?

 

Also, which is the best guidebook for the area? Thanks.

[ericb]

hot as hell???

[NYC007]

its was pretty hot in june so its probably BLAZIN then

[NYC007]

hit the sawtoofs

[Cobra_Commander]

Your tauntaun will desiccate before it reaches the first marker.

 

The guidebook is Bingham's City of Rocks. Be sure to get the latest edition. The ranger station in Almo has a copy with a bunch of handwritten corrections as well.

 

[Kat_Roslyn]

Hey what up Kevino! Save a spot in the car for me! Call me.

 

It isn't so bad, I was there for a while in Sept. last year. You live in Ellensburg, you can deal with the heat.

 

The ranger station also makes color photo copies for you of castle rock, a cool area just down the road. I am no help for a guidebook though, used it for toilet paper.

 

NYC007, sawtooths is a little too much hassle for a weekend.

 

 

[Off_White]

The general north-south orientation of the fins makes it possible to follow shade on the west and then the east sides of formations. Conversely, this also works to your advantage when following the sun on the colder notch seasons.

 

Castle Rocks is lower/hotter/less shady, but does offer some relief. Check out the Hostess Gully early in the day, I think Shock and Awe is morning shade, and an early early start for Red Rib would be worth it: that pitch is very tasty.

[Cobra_Commander]

I've spent a Labor Day weekend there and it was quite manageable. But you're definitely chasing shade. If you get caught on some of the slab climbs when the sun hits it can be absolute brutality.

 

West side routes are often steep and juggy, while east side routes are often the old time run out slab rigs. Enjoy

[powderhound]

There is a new guide out, as of 2006 i think. Also august is a good time to go been there and enjoyed myself. Make sure you spend a day at castle rocks, the climbing out there is really good and you will see less people.

[NYC007]

there is a book out for Castle rocks but I didnt see it at the ranger station but they have it a teton mountaineering in Jackson.. Alot of the people I ran into there like the falcon book better than the Brigham book but I dunno..