PRINT: Rock Climb Masochist Crack, City of Rocks

Masochist Crack

5.8, Trad, 140 ft (42 m),

Avg: 1.4 from 32 votes
FA: Richard Growe, Kent Christianson 1975
Idaho > S Idaho > City of Rocks > Window Rock > Window Rock - East

Access Issue: Raptor Nesting Details

The west side of Window Rock has seasonal bird closure in the spring until June 15th- check for closure signs posted in the parking lot.

Access Issue: (1) Weather Wall, Yellow Wall, & all the crags north of Twin Sisters are CLOSED. (2) There are no longer trash cans in the park. (3) Highlining ban in place for CIRO and CRSP Details

(1) The area, crags, and routes just north of the Twin Sisters are on private land and the landowner posted no trespassing notices at the gated road/trail to the area. Any access of these areas and routes is trespassing. The area was closed by the landowner due to trespassing, illegal camping, fires & trash, and disregard of owner's privacy.
Please be respectful of the land owner's wishes and do not climb or hike here. This includes White Lightning, Skinner Roof, Weather Wall, Yellow Wall, Larry's Annihilation, Needle Rock, Mississippi Fred's, and Secret Tom's.
(2) In 2024 CIRO implemented a no trash cans anywhere policy. Be prepared to take your trash home with you. facebook.com/CityOfRocksNPS… and nps.gov/ciro/planyourvisit/…
(3) HIGHLINING IS PROHIBITED
Highlining at City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park is prohibited as of August 28, 2019.

Here are Google Drive links to the closure and the updated Code of Regulations for CIRO. drive.google.com/open?id=1y… and drive.google.com/open?id=1Y…

Description

AKA: Take no Prisoners, this water groove/crack is at the left end of the east face of Window Rock. The crux is down low. After the start it's easy low angle climbing to the top. Belay from trad anchor at top, then walk to north end for one rope rappel. I enjoyed leading this climb despite the name.

Protection

Standard rack, offset cams are nice.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Brandon Marshal
Victor, ID

5.8+ PG13

A fun route worth doing for a moderate trip to the top of the crag. A short lived, wide, awkward crux that felt difficult for the grade followed by a long 5.6 water groove jam. A four inch piece is helpful but not necessary, and like most routes on the left side of this wall, the gear below the crux is flared and uninspiring. Definitely not the "next step" for many of the new 5.7 leaders sharpening their skills on the right side of the wall.

Again, a set of chains for descent on this side of the wall would be great. The standard descent as of now is a scramble over the formation, past the window, to the community anchor atop the northern moderates. Aug 7, 2023