City of Rocks

Climbs 300 – Rocktype Granite – Altitude 1862m a.s.l – Faces all

Crag features
Simply World Class. Utterly sublime and totally addictive - you'll never want to leave. All grades of climber are very well served with an even and endless spread of routes. This for many Brits is a dream come true. The area is for the vast majority Trad, but even sport route only climbers would need a lifetime to clip all the bolted routes. The City of Rocks is a gathering of perhaps 100 or so rock islands of various sizes and heights - one 'island' can provide around 50 distinct routes (there is no time for variations here). It would take a lifetime to climb all the routes. The big new guidebook to it is still a best of. I would estimate there to be double the number of routes here than at Stanage for example. The area is extremely popular, however, it is conversly never busy! You can't queue at the city of rocks there is just so much choice. Therefore everything's maintained and never overgrown, but also there's no queuing - no racing to the start of routes here! The routes themselves are really varied - cracks, slabs, chimneys, well proteted, run out - the whole shooting match. Most climbs are around 45-50m in height, though some extend to over 100m. This makes a refreshing change from the multi pitch demands of many US climbing areas. Even if intending to 'pop in' on a tour, BUY A GUIDEBOOK, you'll want to stay longer. The 'scene' is very friendly and does not have all that portentious and pretentious big talk of say, Camp 4 in Yosemite. This is 'share a beer' climbing. You'll find the best aspects of US climbing here, whether you climb hard or are beginning.

Guidebooks
City of Rocks Idaho, 7th: A Climber's Guide (2004)

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