Journeys: SEND IT - July 19th - City of Rocks, ID

Fortunately Beth Ann's elbow was feeling better this morning so we were able to cast off on another awesome day of rock climbing in City of Rocks. We had lined up some classics in the upper city like, Swiss Cheese, Scream Cheese, Skyline, Window Rock, and Delay of Game. We started late, but stayed in the shade of the west wall of Anteater to climb Swiss Cheese and Scream Cheese. Swiss Cheese had two bolts and minimal gear on the upper half. The holds and moves to the first bolt were solid, but the runout was a little unnerving and a tense way to start the day. Beth Ann followed with no problem. Then we moved over to Scream Cheese, which starts on good holds then turns into a featureless slab climb to the finish. The bottom half did have good holds and the top half was extremely slabby, but not as difficult as the book makes it out to be (reducing climbers to crawling and whimpers). Once we were finished with Scream Cheese we walked a short distance to the Morning Glory Spire for the mega classic route, Skyline. The start was easy enough getting up a blocky pile of boulders. Climbing up just a bit further brings you to an undercling traverse to gain a right leaning crack. The undercling as so many people have said, was much more solid than it looked, but it was still very exciting to have your tail hanging out in the breeze as you traversed. From there it was a very fun and easy climb to the top, following the crack until it disappears then stepping left to a patina face, placing gear in horizontal seams. The view from the top of the Spire was fantastic.

Beth Ann following Skyline.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

As we rappelled down from Skyline, I checked out the bolted route next to it, Fall Line, a 5.10b. It looked do-able so we went for it. The bottom half had some interesting moves to gain a slabby ramp then a ledge. Then a few holds up comes a thin horizontal ledge with a reach to the next hold. After the high step/heel hook move you get into steeper small patina holds to the anchors. It was an enjoyable climb.

Beth Ann attempting Fall Line.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Sufficiently pumped from Fall Line, we hike up the trail a ways to window rock where we climbed up the Descent Route to snap a few pictures of the window formation on top of the rock. The sun was getting low in the sky and we decided we would pack out for the day, but climb Delay of Game on the way out. I am not sure if it was that we were tired from a full day of climbing, but Delay of Game was the hardest route we did all day and it had the hardest slab move I have done since we have been in the City. And it was 150 feet off of the ground to boot!

Beth Ann in the window on Window Rock.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.