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Columbian Crack

5.7, Trad, 150 ft (45 m),  Avg: 3.2 from 621 votes
FA: Greg Lowe and friends, 1960's
Idaho > S Idaho > City of Rocks > Elephant Rock > Elephant Rock - East
Warning Access Issue: (1) Weather Wall, Yellow Wall, & all the crags north of Twin Sisters are CLOSED. (2) No trash cans. (3) Highlining temporary ban in place for CIRO and CRSP DetailsDrop down

Description

Aaahh, the good stuff! This crack is good, and long! On the east side of Elephant Rock—just around the corner from Just Say Nois a large boulder which forms a chimney with the face. There is a nice hand crack coming down into this chimney but not all the way to the ground. This is the Columbian Crack.

Start up the chimney toward the crack. A good option for protecting this start is to go around to the east side of the boulder before you start up and toss your rope over. Have your belayer belay from this side. Then you are essentially on TR until you get to the crack. Climb up to the top of the chimney and step out onto the boulder. Have your belayer come back around to the inside of the chimney. Now you are ready to go!

Follow the ever-widening crack to the top, passing one old SMC bolt and finishing at another single bolt. Belay at this bolt backed up with a #4 C4 or equivalent. Alternatively, continue higher and build an anchor with smaller pieces.

Rappel off the anchors for Just Say No, or walk off the south side.

Protection

Same rack that you used on Rye Crisp. Standard rack, heavy in large gear.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Julia gets it
[Hide Photo] Julia gets it
Now that's a crack!
[Hide Photo] Now that's a crack!
I thought this was the most thought provoking part of the climb.
[Hide Photo] I thought this was the most thought provoking part of the climb.
Sweet crack above the chimney...
[Hide Photo] Sweet crack above the chimney...
Chimney start actually got the quads burning...
[Hide Photo] Chimney start actually got the quads burning...
Maura Hahnenberger near the top of Columbian Crack.
[Hide Photo] Maura Hahnenberger near the top of Columbian Crack.
Climbing Columbian Crack
[Hide Photo] Climbing Columbian Crack
Unknown climber working her way up the hands section of Columbia Crack.
[Hide Photo] Unknown climber working her way up the hands section of Columbia Crack.
It's a fun chimney start to the Columbian Crack
[Hide Photo] It's a fun chimney start to the Columbian Crack
Go feet first..this crack is so big it may swallow you....
[Hide Photo] Go feet first..this crack is so big it may swallow you....
Colombian Crack
[Hide Photo] Colombian Crack
Columbian Crack!
[Hide Photo] Columbian Crack!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Andrew Gram
Salt Lake City, UT
  5.7
[Hide Comment] This is my favorite 5.7 at the City so far. Stiff and sustained for 5.7, and lots of varied climbing. The idea for protecting the chimney never occurred to me, but the climbing is fairly secure. Jun 23, 2005
[Hide Comment] FYI: as of two weeks ago that side of Elephant Rock got opened, i saw a ranger type guy up there fixing some old anchors. Aug 18, 2005
Addict
 
[Hide Comment] The "crack" is more of a flared groove and is not very fun. 2 stars for its length. Also, who is the idiot that placed 2 bolts right next to perfect gear placements on the upper half of the route? May 23, 2006
Brian in SLC
Sandy, Utah
 
[Hide Comment] Last I heard, this route is open to the public for climbing. Great route. Jun 6, 2006
Tea
[Hide Comment] Extra #3 Camalots, Helpful...maybe even a 3.5 or 4 on the rack. Jun 12, 2006
Nathan Fisher
St George
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Not nearly as good as other routes in the area. I was not too impressed with this route. Still worth climbing and worth the less than 5 minute approach to get there. Sep 11, 2006
Blitzo
 
[Hide Comment] A great, easy crack. Oct 24, 2006
sqwirll
Las Vegas
  5.7+
[Hide Comment] This climb is great. Don't let the negative comments detour you from climbing this. I'm not sure where the flared groove comment came from, but it's a perfect hand and fist crack. A #4 camalot works nicely to supplement the one bolt anchor. May 29, 2007
[Hide Comment] This is a great route, and if for some reason you don't like cracks, you barely even have to use the crack as huge buckets are everywhere. Aug 21, 2007
Brice W
Front Range, CO
  5.7
[Hide Comment] This is a fun crack that you don't have to jam much because of all the face holds. I wouldn't do it before Rye Crisp or Wheat Thin, but definitely worth doing if you are at Elephant Rock. Sep 8, 2008
Woodson
Park City, Ut.
  5.7
[Hide Comment] I thought this was a heady lead, as the chimney starts those thoughts rolling! Save a # 4 for the top for some peace of mind. Sep 20, 2009
Ty Morrison-Heath
Bozeman, MT
 
[Hide Comment] Bring your big gear as I dont think I placed anything smaller than a #1. A fun climb but could be heady for a first leader. Placed a whole crapload of #3's. Sorta turns into a groveling off width at the top. Bring a number 4 up to back up the single bolt anchor at the top. Have fun! Apr 26, 2011
Matt Schroer
Logan, Utah
 
[Hide Comment] I chose not to TR the chimney - be prepared to be in the zone once you reach the crack in this fashion. Fun climb, but didn't feel as classic as either Rye Crisp or Wheat Thin to me. Definitely bring along 2's, 3's, and a 4 for this climb.

As for the top - I can't speak for everyone, but belaying my partner up from a single bolt is not ideal. I was also out of big gear at the top and couldn't build an anchor near that bolt. I was using a 70m and was able to head right at the top to the top of Rye Crisp and build a bomber anchor there with my smaller gear. Apr 1, 2012
Ryan Henderson
Denver, CO
  5.7+
[Hide Comment] I honestly wasn't thrilled about this climb. Maybe because my favorite thing in this world is continuously hand and foot-jam. And for some silly reason I thought that's what this route would be. A City of Rocks version of Indian Creek! Haha.

But yeah, the route traverses too significantly to the right to really ever get continuous jams in. My right calf was about to explode from constantly edging on some small to medium sized footholds the whole way up. Still fun, and worth doing! My expectations were probably in the wrong place, that's why it's not a favorite...

I placed a #4 cam at the top next to the 2nd bolt. The crack does constrict though, so I'm betting a #3 would work as well. Jun 17, 2013
K Baumgartner
  5.6
[Hide Comment] A must do at Elephant Rock. Had the left foot/hand in the crack, right foot/hand on the face. This crack was made for hexes. Used 4 of those puppies.

Belayed at the second bolt, backed up with a #3 in somewhat flaring rock. Jun 28, 2013
Ryan s Nelson
Salt Lake City, Ut
  5.7
[Hide Comment] After belaying up a couple friends on this route they both reported the chimney to be challenging for them, if this is of concern to you- once in the chimney if you head further into it (to the south) there is a crack with some good hand/foot holds to supplement the chimneying. At any rate it's rather secure and comfortable chimneying. Sep 8, 2013
[Hide Comment] Nice climb with fun Jams. Longer than it looks. Safe your bigger cams for up high and the anchor. I used cams from .5-5in(not really needed).
Couple/maybe even three #3's and #4's would nice if your new to leading and really want to stitch it up and have gear for the anchor. Sep 29, 2013
Scott Craig
Midway, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Great climb
Fun chimney
Good exposure Apr 22, 2014
DrApnea
Wenatchee, WA
 
[Hide Comment] Why are there bolts next to this perfect crack? Bring the big gear, pull the bolts. If this route needs any bolts it is only for a station to rap from. Jul 2, 2014
pooch
 
[Hide Comment] regarding the lone bolt 40ft from the top- clipping a short draw to it keeps your rope from walking gear below it in too far... Sep 16, 2014
[Hide Comment] Best crack on the elephant! I would assume the bolts next to the crack up high are relics from a time when ropes were short ( belay option) and large cams had not been invented yet. New technologies (large cams)have a way of changing everything- including common opinions. You can rap with a 70 from the top of Just Say No- a short ways right from the top out. Aug 27, 2015
johnny utah
Salt Lake City
 
[Hide Comment] If you run this pitch past the ending bolt straight up you can set a bomber anchor at about 68m off the ground using .5 and .75 cams. Just can't hear your follower well from there.

In the chimney at the bottom there is gear left of the lower part of the crack and high on the pillar behind you. Aug 20, 2016
sclair
SLC, Ut
  5.7
[Hide Comment] I enjoyed this much more than wheat thin. I thought the climbing was more consistent for the grade and more varied in technique. Great jams if your hands are gold and blue camalot sized with plenty of options in between. Anyone saying this is a flared groove might have missed the jams, so don't be dismayed. Might feel harder if you're hands are smaller but the rock is well featured Jun 11, 2017
Matt Wenger
Bozeman
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Super fun climb! Cool chimney start (you can throw the rope over and TR it for pro), great upper crack. BD #5 cam nice to have up top. You can bump it along for a few moves as the wide crack keeps going...and going. Classic. Jul 5, 2017
[Hide Comment] There's a boulder that sits in front of Colombian - just before you enter the corridor - with a cleaned problem, not really sure how hard it is but maybe between v2 - v4, that lets you add quality, harder climbing. Jun 25, 2018
Isaac
Portland
  5.7
[Hide Comment] If attempting to protect the chimney via rope throw method, be sure to toss it far on the south side (climber's left) or it will slide off. Easy enough chimney though. Move gear to the side loops (instead of back loops) before starting to avoid dragging it. Placed a nut at the top of the chimney from a seated position (hah!). Regarding Matt's comment, we heard another party bemoaning their lack of #5 during the top section as well. If no large gear, you can clip/extend the single bolt, then move left up dishes instead of the O.W. Don't leave the Elephant without doing this one! Sep 17, 2018
Michael Parker
Belgrade, MT
  5.7
[Hide Comment] This crack widens perfectly to allow placement of cams in ascending order from .5 - #5. I also just clipped the intended anchor bolt with an alpine draw and then continued up to the very top of the crack and easily built an anchor using .75, #1, and #2 cams. This provided more security as well as a very comfortable seated belay with nice views of the surrounding area. Oct 19, 2020
Brandon Marshal
Victor, ID
  5.8-
[Hide Comment] Grrr. Crack eats gear. Crux 5.8 IMO. Plenty of rests. Runout at top a bit spooky. Overall, an ultra classic city route that cannot be missed! Nov 18, 2021
Boon dockz
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Holy carp... I only had one #3 and #4, used them way too early. Apr 24, 2022
RKM
Alpine, Utah and Almo, ID
 
[Hide Comment] Please excuse the little story, but has some history in it. Columbian Crack was my first climb at City of Rocks. Probably 1968, in high school, 16/17. My parents had given me a Goldline rope, some Galibier Mountain Boots, several Lost Arrow pitons and one standard three quarter inch angle for Christmas. Oh, and a Chouinard hammer. Can’t remember who pointed it out to us as a classic - wish I could remember that part of the story. We climbed the squeeze thingy to start and ‘belayed’ on top of the flake. I lead the pitch with no pro, since Lost Arrows did nothing for the crack size. At the top, there was an old silver rectangle bolt hanger on a button head type quarter inch bolt. We belayed from this, but did not dare rap from it - so we found a way to down climb on the south. I’ve done the route, solo and roped, dozens of times since. I recently took it off my solo circuit when I couldn’t climb the squeeze chimney start because of bad knees and hips (and shoulders), but every time I see it - even from the road - I think of a long 55 years ago. Jul 28, 2023
Dave Bingham
Hailey, ID
[Hide Comment] Hey RKM! Colombian was my first COR route also - ten years after you! Jan 14, 2024