PRINT: Rock Climb Continental Crust, Castle Rocks

Continental Crust

5.10a, Sport, 200 ft (61 m),

Avg: 2.8 from 30 votes
FA: Kevin Pogue 2003
Idaho > S Idaho > Castle Rocks > E Sector > Comp Rock > Comp Rock - E Face

Access Issue: (1) BLM Managed Lands at Castle Rocks PERMANENTLY CLOSED TO CLIMBING!! Castle Rocks State Park and US Forest Sevice lands are OPEN TO CLIMBING. US Forest Service Lands closed to new route developement. (2) Highlining temporary ban in place at CIRO/CRSP Details

(1) The BLM has amended the Cassia Resource Management Plan (RMP) to permanently close the 400 acres of land it manages in the Castle Rocks Interagency Recreation Area to staging, traditional rock climbing, sport climbing and bouldering, as well as overnight camping and development of new trails. Here is a link to a map that shows the BLM land in yellow. parksandrecreation.idaho.go…

The adjacent Castle Rocks State Park and the National Forest Service land to the north remains OPEN TO CLIMBING,
as does the nearby City of Rocks National Reserve.

(2) HIGHLINING IS PROHIBITED
By the authority of the park manager, Highlining at City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park is temporarily prohibited as of August 28, 2019.

The park(s) is reviewing highlining activities. 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…

Arrest and/or hefty fines are likely if caught rock climbing with ropes and gear in the BLM land.

Please respect this closure to ensure access to the open climbing at Castle Rocks is not threatened.

The "Final Supplementary Rules for the Castle Rocks Land Use Plan Amendment Area, Idaho" is located in the Federal Registry. This document gives the details on the closure but doesn't provide a map. You can check it out here: federalregister.gov/documen…

Description

Start as for Mantle Dynamics by pulling the fun mantle move onto the gigantic chicken head. Clip another bolt or two and veer right following the numerous bolts through a series of fun, positive moves in dishes and depressions in the rock.

Near the top, continue on easy third class terrain to the some anchors where you will need two ropes to get down or two raps with one rope using the Mantle Dynamics anchors.

If you don't feel like pushing out through the easy finish or you only have one rope, you can traverse horizontally to the right clipping a lone bolt and the anchors atop the 5.7 hand crack route (Handy) or move left to the anchors for Mantle Dynamics. A single 60m will get you down from either set of alternate anchors.

Protection

24+ bolts

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Patty Black sampling the Continental Crust - 14 May 2006

On Continental Crust. Great views. September 2008.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Zeb Kenyon
Holladay, UT

I only counted 25 bolts, or should I say lost count after 25, was it recently retro-bolted? It did seem a bit run out in spots. . . Jul 3, 2006

Brian in SLC
Sandy, UT

I counted 24 bolts, but, I think Kevin says 25 clips in another description. So, maybe 24 plus the anchors.
Note: you can rappel to Mantle Dynamics then 100 feet rap to the ground from that anchor. Jul 5, 2006

Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM

5.10a

This route description kinda lacks... How about:
Start as for Mantel Dynamics by pulling the fun mantle move onto the gigantic chicken head. Clip another bolt or two and veer right following the numerous bolts through a series of fun, positive moves in dishes and depressions in the rock. Near the top if you don't feel like clipping bolts through some nearly third-class terrain, you can traverse horizontally to the right clipping a lone bolt and the anchors atop the 5.7 hand crack route or move left to the anchors for Mantel Dynamics. A single 60m will get you down from either set of alternate anchors. Sep 7, 2008

Stan Pitcher
SLC, UT

After the fun traverse moves this ones really easy. Wished I would have thought about going to anchors as Jason suggested as going to the top just adds another rap. Oct 6, 2011

Dan Mathews

5.9+

I thought it was a little easier than Mantle Dynamics. Aug 28, 2014

Chris and Freda
Reno, NV

5.8 after the move over from Mantel Dynamics. For a single rope, two rap option, it’s super easy to rap to the anchors on the left side of the pillar between Continental and Handy (on The Fury route). Look for ‘em on the way up; they’re about 30’ to the right. Nice way to keep Handy and Mantel anchors available for the crowds. Jun 14, 2019