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Vice Grips

5.11+, Trad, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 3.4 from 21 votes
FA: Greg Lowe 1969
Idaho > S Idaho > City of Rocks > Building Blocks > Building Blocks - West
Warning 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 DetailsDrop down

Description

This is a great route that probably has not seen more than a handful of ascents. As always I am in awe of Greg Lowe's ability- as this route was reportedly climbed without cams or sticky rubber-well before the free climbing revolution. When I did it I cleaned bushels of lichen and scale out of the crack. The rock at the start is pretty bad-both due to nesting birds showering the approach slab in debris in the area and simply being chossy granite in general. Once you get to the roof, the rock improves, the protection is great and the climbing is amazing. I think this route is the best hardish roof crack at the city of rocks- way better climbing than Skinners Roof!(for my big hands) With more ascents it will only get better.

Location

This route is located on the west side of the building blocks formation. It is the left of the two obvious parallel roof cracks- it is approx 15 Ft long and 35-40 degrees overhanging. You can walk off (a slow round about path you pick down the south west side of the formation that ends with a squeeze chimney- and requires some 5.7ish down climbing) or perhaps it would be better to rap another route if you can.

Protection

Cams from thin fingers to big hands. No bolts, mussy hooks for anchor.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Vise Grips (L) and Jimmy Grips (R)
[Hide Photo] Vise Grips (L) and Jimmy Grips (R)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Past User
  5.11+
[Hide Comment] This route has been seeing a little bit of traffic these days- it is much cleaner now...give it a go! Jun 23, 2009
Brendan N
Salt Lake City, Utah
 
[Hide Comment] WOW! This thing is HARD

Great locker fingers and hands on a super-physical roof

An amazing achievement for Greg Lowe Oct 19, 2009
Spencer Weiler
Grand Junction
[Hide Comment] cool picture and a bit of info on route

issuu.com/rock-and-ice/docs… Mar 25, 2013
Steve Dodd
Hailey, ID
 
[Hide Comment] I snapped off one of the large patina jugs at the roof transition, the remaining knob seems ok though. May 7, 2018
Jonathan Field
Salt Lake City, UT
 
[Hide Comment] There are now mussys at the top. Props to whoever added them! Jun 29, 2022