[TR] Mark goes to the city with 3 girls and 2 dogs - many 6/18/2011

[markwebster]

Trip: Mark goes to the city with 3 girls and 2 dogs - many

 

Date: 6/18/2011

 

Trip Report:

I took my wife, two friends, and their two dogs on a tour of ultra fun City of Rocks moderates a couple weeks ago. We had 10 days available.

 

I love the city because it isn't as crowded as the valley, the bolts are closer, the drive is shorter, camping is cheaper, and it's cooler. The only thing it doesn't have is long clean splitters, but with all the other positives, who cares?

 

At Parking Lot rock, there is a great selection of crack and bolt climbs and a 3 minute approach. This is Merica topping out on a dead easy 5.6 open book.

 

 

Merica riding the horse. This woman is a lot of fun!

 

 

 

Merica again, Parking Lot rock, love that approach.

 

 

Jim drove over and met us for a few days. I've known Jim since 1977 when we wrote the Spire Rock guidebook together. He is 70 something and still pulling down hard. The man is amazing. When Donini came to Leavenworth a month ago, he stayed at Jim's house. This is Jim following Cruel Shoes, and 2.5 pitch bolted line up Stripe Rock. The approach is 40 minutes of level hiking. The bolts are very close, love this route!

 

 

Jim on top of Cruel Shoes. We had to chase a herd of cows away from the base of this route. You see a line of bolts heading up a vertical wall, and it looks harder than 5.7, but the wacos make it all work.

 

At the upper breadloaves there are some nice 5.6 to 5.9 crack climbing. They are very nice routes. Clean granite cracks, with wacos on the sides so it never feels too desperate. This is Julia following a 9 or a 10a overhanging open book. The guide book could be better with trail information. There are three new bolt lines left of this climb, 5.9, 8 and 7. Really great sport routes.

 

right of Bloody Fingers are some moderates. This is Julia on a 5.7. We did Bloody Fingers too, but I didn't get to take any pictures. Bloody is a yosemite style splitter in a shallow corner with very committing finger jams on tiny gear at the crux.

 

 

 

Julia and me:

 

 

Merica leading Mystery Bolter down in the Flaming Rock area. This route is bolted more conservatively...helps to have your friction head on, great route though. Very committing at the crux. Safe, if a tad run-out, jtree style.

 

 

 

The view from campsite 51, our home for 10 days. They call it the city because there is literally a city full of rocks. I'd call it bigger than jtree, especially if you include Castle Crags, which is 15 minutes away:

 

 

 

Jim following a very runout 5.8 sport climb at Parking Lot rock. The first 3 bolts are 30 feet apart, so you need to be warmed up for this one. The rest is quite safe, and that's where it gets hard. Highly recommended.

 

 

 

Merica has an awesome smile:

 

 

 

 

 

Julia and Merica:

 

 

 

Merica, Dakota and Lyle, worlds friendliest pitbull. Meria is taking a picture of the robins nest:

 

 

We hiked into Theater of Shadows: 3.5 pitches, 5.7. Very close bolts, 40 minute approach. This is a super cool sport climb with fantastic views. As it says in the guidebook, your grandmother could lead this one. This is my wife Sue and Jim at the rap.

 

 

 

Jim and Sue, Theater of Shadows, with the city spread out behind them. Over 70 years of climbing between the two of them.

 

 

 

At the gas station in Oakley, I saw this sign on the door. The owner came out and said: *Why some a them thar women come in with those thangs hangin' out so far I feel like I oughta' take em out to the barn and hook em up to the milkin' machine.* Only in Idaho:

 

 

 

In closing, I took the family up to 38 the next weekend. This is my son, Sue, my daughter and me...a climbing family:

 

Both kids are ER nurses. Weird how an old ex hippie like me could have such great kids. Musta' been the wife's doing.

 

 

Gear Notes:

your standard cragging rack: stoppers, cams, alpine draws. You need up to 18 draws for Theater of Shadows if you want to clip every bolt.

 

Approach Notes:

from 5 to 40 minutes

[kevino]

Thanks for sharing Mark. Your TR's and photos always do a great job of capturing everyone's excitment about the climbing.

 

Just curious, what is your normal drive time out to the city?

[markwebster]

Only been there twice, and got lost both times. Supposedly you can do it in 11...but it took us 14. I was driving 5 over the legal limit. If you are willing to speed, and don't make any wrong turns, maybe 12? We approached via Almo, and Rock City. Perhaps the Oakley approach is faster...

 

Miss that place already. I have September off, may go back.

[stevetimetravlr]

Looks like a great time! Castle Crags is huge, bigger then the City, and my favorite spot now.

[Captain panther]

hey mark is there bouldering there too?

[markwebster]

There is bouldering everywhere there is climbing. But I only saw a few people carrying bouldering pads. I'm generalizing here, but most of the rocks are at least half a pitch high, and there aren't many large boulders on the ground that would have a top out. Then again, I wasn't looking since I don't boulder. I have too many friends with broken ankles from that sport.

 

Many of the climbs do have flat dirt at the bottom, if that helps.

[Off_White]

You're really kind in your assessment of Mystery Bolter, I thought it was a bit contrived and a real ugly duckling compared to other routes in the vicinity.

 

Jtree is very much larger than the City and Castle Rock combined, but its not as compact as those two areas which deliver much of the same flavor at half the drive time. I'm looking forward to getting back there this fall.

[markwebster]

Mystery bolter is a bit contrived in that the line of bolts goes up the arete, 8 feet from a crack. One partner avoided the arete friction by climbing the crack, and clipping the bolts. But the upper section, where it leaves the crack behind and climbs up the exposed arete, has cool, committing friction/face climbing.

 

But yeah, the other bolted lines on that rock are very nice, and more clearly defined. Too much fun (5.8 sport) and the 10a sport climb to it's left are both stellar climbs.

[telemarker]

Thanks for sharing Mark. Your TR's and photos always do a great job of capturing everyone's excitment about the climbing.

 

+1

[wfinley]

Wonderful photos! I had the chance to go to the City in 2009 and loved it. With a brother now living in Boise I'll have to visit it again.

 

I seem to recall that Mystery Bolter had a "slip you'll land in a tree" start. I didn't dig it.

[plaisirclimbr]

Mark - Enjoyed your TR. If you enjoyed Cruel Shoes, Too Much Fun, and Theater of Shadows, next time you're down there, check out Big Time, Mantle Dynamics, and Continental Crust in Castle Rocks State Park. The drive should take 11-12 hours from Seattle. For all you wet-siders, Spring Mountain, 9 miles off I-84 between Pendleton and LaGrande would make a nice half-way camp spot - with excellent climbing.

[downey]

At the gas station in Oakley, I saw this sign on the door. The owner came out and said: *Why some a them thar women come in with those thangs hangin' out so far I feel like I oughta' take em out to the barn and hook em up to the milkin' machine.* Only in Idaho:

 

I had to drive a total of 100 miles one-way looking for condoms when I was there in 2007. Oh, and correction - you can find similar weirdness like that in Utah as well.

 

Looks like a fun trip, btw! those pics brought back memories of the best roadtrip of my life... thanks!

[pink]

nice mark! glad ur still getting out mister

[pink]

At the gas station in Oakley, I saw this sign on the door. The owner came out and said: *Why some a them thar women come in with those thangs hangin' out so far I feel like I oughta' take em out to the barn and hook em up to the milkin' machine.* Only in Idaho:

 

I had to drive a total of 100 miles one-way looking for condoms when I was there in 2007. Oh, and correction - you can find similar weirdness like that in Utah as well.

 

Looks like a fun trip, btw! those pics brought back memories of the best roadtrip of my life... thanks!

 

 

so tempting

[ddffg]

Thanks for sharing Mark. Your TR's and photos always do a great job of capturing everyone's excitment about the climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Drederek]

Hmm, I really liked this one. I will admit Sandy did stay with the crack as long as possible!

[matt_warfield]

Great TR. My first seeing this but that is what Xmas Day is for (among other things)

 

But I agree with Off, JTree is definitely bigger and likely also exceeds the "getting lost" potential.

Edited December 25, 2012 by matt_warfield