City of Rocks TRIP September 14ish-17ish!!

Hi! My girlfriend and I might be up at the City around that time. I’ve been wanting a trip up there for awhile now. We both have flexible schedules (college/grad student liiiife) and would be happy to plan around meeting up with some MP folks. Especially you, OLH, because you seem great.

I can’t promise I’ll put up any exciting routes for anybody - I’m a decent 5.9 sport leader and I’m only just learning to lead trad - but we’d love to hang out during the 12-4 siesta times. Also would love to repeat Theater of Shadows or try Sinocranium.

And who knows, maybe I’ll be flashing trad 11s by the time the end of July rolls around. We’ll just have to see. 

Lucas Ulmer wrote: Hi! My girlfriend and I might be up at the City around that time. I’ve been wanting a trip up there for awhile now. We both have flexible schedules (college/grad student liiiife) and would be happy to plan around meeting up with some MP folks. Especially you, OLH, because you seem great.

I can’t promise I’ll put up any exciting routes for anybody - I’m a decent 5.9 sport leader and I’m only just learning to lead trad - but we’d love to hang out during the 12-4 siesta times. Also would love to repeat Theater of Shadows or try Sinocranium.

And who knows, maybe I’ll be flashing trad 11s by the time the end of July rolls around. We’ll just have to see. 

Lucas! So sorry I missed this post! Thanks for your kind words, and yes, I totally will be up for meeting other people. For me, that's been the best part of climbing, the truly wonderful people!

I don't know yet if it will be Smith or City, and it is subject to change, but I will definitely be going one way or the other (literally)! I will post up a week or so ahead, and right before, both for partners, if needed, but also if anyone wants a ride.

Best, Helen

I'm planning on heading to City from Boise this Friday, staying the weekend and maybe Monday also. I should have a partner for part of it, but I'd be up for meeting any of you who are around! I'll know in a day or two if I also need partners.

Thanks so much for all the help, and stoke!

Edit to add: no multi this trip. I'm no great shakes climbing, but will belay you on any single pitch ya want, sport or gear. I don't do trad, yet, but I can follow. I have a 70m rope, draws, some gear, a stick clip, plus an extra helmet and harness that lives in my car for hosting visitors!

I'm also hoping to stop in at the gym in Twin on my way back out, and, if there's some shade somewhere, swimming.

Best, Helen

Helen, is sent you a pm....

Dallas R wrote: Helen, is sent you a pm....

Thanks for the info, Dallas! I'll hope to meet the two of you, one of these days. In the meantime, I'm jealous, for sure! Enjoy enough to cover for those who can't dirtbag full time, eh?

Best, Helen

s.price wrote: Have a great time Helen. Wish I could join you.

Me too! I'm taking my rack, sir, and will be thinking of you (and the goat man, and Gabe, and the longtime tradster who gifted me the first cams)!

Check out my to do list! There may be some trad leads, maybe this season (aaaaagghhhhh!!!!). I'm aiming to go to Bozeman this winter, and....

I promise I will get to CO. And lead it.

It's perhaps best we haven't met. I'm kinda guessing I woulda fallen madly in love with you, the SOH, or both....sheesh! Don't put too much stock in that, though. I go all in on friendships, you certainly know that!

Hugs and kisses as always, to you and all the crew. ;-)

Love, Helen

Helen, do you know about this site? I use it all the time when planning camp trips.

​https://www.campsitephotos.com/campground/nm/city-of-rocks-state-park/​​​

Señor Arroz wrote: Helen, do you know about this site? I use it all the time when planning camp trips.

https://www.campsitephotos.com/campground/nm/city-of-rocks-state-park/

Interesting place! I don't expect to get to New Mexico this trip, though....

COR, Idaho nets Grand Teton. We love our anonymity in Idaho, I admit it.  

The place looks to be mostly empty, and there's always the BLM land. I'm planning on just milling around and grabbing what looks best.

Thanks, anyway! Helen

LOL. I didn't notice it was the wrong City of Rocks. I just meant that the website is a great resource for answering questions about which sites look good...

Have fun.

Señor Arroz wrote: LOL. I didn't notice it was the wrong City of Rocks. I just meant that the website is a great resource for answering questions about which sites look good...

Have fun.

I intend to! ;-D

Well. Ill be roasting in Boise, after all. Sheesh.

Thanks for the beta. I'll get somewhere....some time. Anyone up for arete, dihedral, arete, dihedral, arete, ewwwww, pigeon poop, at sunup this weekend?? Oh boy.

Best, OLH

Heads up, trip is on! I don't know exact days, but that weekend, and I'll add on a Monday and/or Friday, if that works. As of now, I have one partner, and a potential partner. I'll be after some easy single pitch sport, that's simple enough to sort out, but suggestions for my FIRST multi are welcome! My guy I would be seconding wants trad, but I'd need to be able to thrash up the thing too.

I might reserve camping, it's more popular than July! Right now, 32, 50, 51 and 58 are available. Any opinions? There are photos on the website now, those all look good enough, unless there's something wonky I don't know. And yes, I know about the BLM land and the commercial campground.

Thanks soooo much! This has been a hard summer. I'll post specific dates when I have them, I'd LOVE to meet any of you who mosey by!

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote:  but suggestions for my FIRST multi are welcome!
Best, Helen

We loved Big Time and Little Time in Castle Rock SP.  Ok, it's not trad, but they are excellent multi-pitch.  The hardest part is route finding, there are so many bolted routes on this rock that it's easy to get off the intended route and end up on the harder routes to the right.  They all kind of merge at the top of the 3rd pitch for the short 4th pitch.  Last time we climbed it we got caught by a thunderstorm, I lowered Barbara down the last two pitches then rapped them in the rain. 

Dallas R wrote:

We loved Big Time and Little Time in Castle Rock SP.  Ok, it's not trad, but they are excellent multi-pitch.  The hardest part is route finding, there are so many bolted routes on this rock that it's easy to get off the intended route and end up on the harder routes to the right.  They all kind of merge at the top of the 3rd pitch for the short 4th pitch.  Last time we climbed it we got caught by a thunderstorm, I lowered Barbara down the last two pitches then rapped them in the rain. 

Thanks, sir! I've mentioned to my friend that the trad is plentiful, but multi is not. The guidebook is in the mail to him this week, though, and I expect that will get him stoked aplenty!

For myself, it's simply a lovely trip with no lawn to mow, lol! Climbing, I will hopefully have the opportunity to have some idea of what I can actually do on rock that's a bit friendlier. I'm tumbling to the fact that our local stuff isn't the best to start out on.

Best, Helen

Helen

My wife and I also climbed Big and Little Time last October. Both of them were very fun to clip.

As my wife was leading the first pitch of Little Time, I had a friend show up (see below). I am used to black snakes and the occasionally copperheads at the Gunks. When you are not sure what type of snake it is and is about 5 feet long, one gets a little nervous as it moving towards you. We asked a local later on, what type of snake it was. We were told that it was a harmless bull snake.

John

That's a gopher snake, aka bull snake in some places. Nice specimen. 

That snake's a beauty! I haven't seen them for awhile, but we used to have garter snakes in our yard. I regularly rescued little guys from our cat, who thought they were great toys to toss in the air. She never hurt them, though. About once a year, I'd bump into the adult (a good three feet), Dunno who startled who more!

I've only encountered rattlesnakes twice, in 40 years here. Both times near the Snake River, not the Boise, but they are a possibility.

Much more interesting to me, was what we believed to be wolf scat this last January, at our local climbing area!

The "resident" or perhaps visitor at City of Rocks that I would love to catch a glimpse of? Ringtails! No one has managed a photo, but there have been a couple sightings.

Thanks for the route info, too!

Best, Helen

We are leaving Jordanelle State Park on Sept 23, trying to decide between a week at City of Rocks or a week at Clear Creek in CO.

Just a heads-up to people camping at City of Rocks - we were there recently and another party had camping gear stolen from their campsite.   I think the dispersed nature of the campsites, while nice, makes it easier for random people to zip in to your site and grab stuff without being noticed.  I recommend not leaving anything of high value, or anything easily pawned, in your campsite when you aren't there.  Lock it up in your car.