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East Crack

5.7 R, Trad, 200 ft (61 m),  Avg: 1 from 1 vote
FA: 1971(?) Kent Christianson, Ken Marsh
Idaho > S Idaho > City of Rocks > Breadloaves > Upper Breadloaves - 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

East Crack, Upper Breadloves, ascent and descent

This route has a “mountaineering character,” which means that it presents terrain, route finding and descent problems similar to what might find on a mountain route, although on a much smaller scale. Although it is not technically difficult, I feel that this route is a  poor choice for beginning climbers, due to the issues listed above.
  Enjoyable, but somewhat poorly protected 5.5 difficulty climbing up cracks and chimney leads to the prominent notch, on the Southern portion of the summit ridge. It is a bit dirty, and gritty, but more climber traffic would probably clean it up.
 Belay In the notch, just above the chimney. (You will need to build an anchor.)
 Descent: downclimb southward and westward along the ridge (perhaps 20meters?) and find a chain anchor above the west portion of the Bloody Fingers Corridor, (which separates the upper and lower Breadloves. A single 60 meter rope rappel will allow you to reach 3rd class terrain. (You might be able to do it with a shorter rope. We happened to use a 60.
 I rated it 5.7 because one must downclimb a short section exposed, poorly protected  terrain to reach the rappel anchor. The rock on this portion is clean and solid. Previous descriptions have generally called the route 5.5.
There are short R-rated” sections of climbing both on the ascent and descent.

Location

East face of Upper Breadloves. Note the prominent notch located on the Southern third of the summit ridge. The route ascends the prominent chimney system to this notch.

Protection

Standard rack; in addition we brought one #4 Camelot. Rappel anchor on South end of the Upper Breadloaf leads to 3rd class terrain.

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East Crack ascends the prominent dihedral to the obvious notch on the ridge. Descent is South and West to chain anchors.
[Hide Photo] East Crack ascends the prominent dihedral to the obvious notch on the ridge. Descent is South and West to chain anchors.