City of Rocks Again with Steve

Published on 2025-9-17 by Michael Stanton

September 17

Steve and I hiked with Dotti up to the east side of the Breadloves and climbed two delightful sport climbs:

• DaBoyz 5.7
• Wind Dance 5.7

Dotti on Wind Dance

Close up...

Then we drove over to Elephant Rock and all got in a run on Strawberry Fields (5.9). Dotti headed home, and we got the trad rack out of the truck. Steve put me on the sharp end for Wheat Thin (5.7). What a great climb! A bomber nut placement, then a fantastic crack leading up and left where it turns vertical for a bit. Amazing jamming... I really enjoyed it. At the top I built a gear belay with the Web-o-lette. We abseiled from an anchor a bit to the south.

Now it was time for me to try my hand at Rye Crisp (5.8). I had two #3 Camelots and a #4 too. Wonderful climbing wih two big flakes which you undercling to the left. Near the top I took the rightmost crack. Absolutely fantastic -- it is a well-deserved classic of the area!

Steve on the wonderful Strawberry Fields

Here you can kinda see climbers on Wheat Thin and Steve over on the right

After this, we went over to Crystalline Undulations (5.8), a two pitch climb on Bath Rock. I think Steve kept me on lead for these both, just so I could experience the route to the fullest degree. Really fun!

We abseiled down the route (no one else was around), then moved over a bit to climb Befuddling (5.8+). Another great Duane route...I enjoyed finding a few gear placements on the first pitch.

September 18

The day would be hot, so we started hiking at dawn up to Steinfell's Dome to enjoy Sinocranium (5.8). First we did three long slab pitches. Not difficult, but fun. Steve sent me up the unusual-looking fourth pitch...steep but with many bolts. I was happy for each one of them! The moves were sometimes insecure, so the protection was just right. It was fun watching Steve climb up this from the belay right at the top of the vertical channel. Steve made a short final pitch and soon we were on top.

Steinfell's Dome in the morning light

Steve on an initial pitch of Sinocranium

Steve coming up the marvellous pitch four!

After a couple (maybe 3?) rappels, we walked by Felspfeiler (5.8-). Steve sent me up, and I had trouble about halfway up, finally just pulling on a bolt. So this climb has the A0 rating for me!

Rapping down...

On Theater of Shadows

We hiked back down to the base of the 'Dome and walked over to Theater of Shadows (5.6). Steve and I had climbed this 25 years before, which is hard to believe! I found the first pitch quite steep, and boy, the toes were getting a little sore. Steve headed out on P2, setting me up for the excellent 3rd pitch which gets on the crest of a ridge with incredible views made dramatic by the shadowy bulk of Steinfell's Dome behind me. Steve went for one more pitch, then we rappelled from a stance off to climbers right a bit.

A fantastic day.

Higher on the route, what an alpine flavor!

I just love the adjacent wall, which has a serious look

September 19

I stayed back at the ranch, fighting off a resurgent cold. I went for a walk in the evening...nice day. We had a fantastic dinner with friends, including an amazing (and storied) climbing couple from Nevada. The people around here know how to enjoy life.

September 20

We started out climbing something in Castle Rocks, but it turned out to be too difficult (5.9, strange start going around a corner). Steve managed to lead/aid his way up -- good job! We'll have to come back for that.

We simply headed back to Elephant Rock in the City because I wanted to lead Rye Crisp (5.8) again. Steve obliged me with a belay. This time I placed the #4 Camelot in the wrong place and it was quite tipped out as Steve informed me later. But the route felt easier and that was my goal. While we were at it, why not climb Wheat Thin (5.7) again? So we did.

A climber on Rye Crisp

I quite liked this compact Palomino truck camper

Then we went over to climb Columbian Crack (5.8), initially stymied by the unprotected chimney at the start. I didn't like it until Steve got the idea to throw the rope over the boulder behind the route. This way, the slippery chimney was protected until getting atop the boulder, at which point you can get some protection in the crack and begin the crack climb properly.

It was a bit intimidating stepping off the boulder into the vertical crack. But eventually I was moving. Once again, fantastic jamming, with an occasional good ledge for feet. In the upper third, the crack widens and I was doing something like arm-barring. There is one bolt in this area, which was nice, because I had no gear for a long ways. I brought Steve up from a gear plus one bolt belay. We walked over to the anchor for Rye Crisp and rappelled. I like this climb very much...I'll just have to make my peace with the chimney start.

It started to rain, so we went to get pizza.

An evening walk with sunset at Duane's place

September 21

Steve and I went to Parking Lot Rock and he sent me up Norma's Book (5.6). I enjoyed this climb a lot. Gear placements everywhere, and a nice mix of stemming, jamming and easy face moves in a chimney. I brought Steve up from a gear belay, then we rappelled on the Delay of Game anchors. I was scheduled to lead Batwings (5.8+) but chickened out. So we went to climb several routes Duane had bolted to the left. First we did Behold (5.8) with an interesting move near the start that I had to think about and plan out. A few gear placements in a crack, too. The second pitch was really nice. We rappelled down to the start of the second pitch, then each did a TR on the face off to the right. I did another TR there moving further right onto part of Delay of Game (5.8). Steve noted that this climb is rather run out, so we didn't do it.

I'm looking down on Norma's Book, a fun climb

Steve in the upper part of Behold

Then we reclimbed the pitch to set a gear belay in a chimney to access an isolated pitch called Giggles (5.9). This was very fun...balancy at the end!

We may have also climbed Surprise (5.7). I remember the rope getting stuck in a chimney after the pull.

Steve's buddy Jason arrived from Seattle. We met him for pizza and enjoyed the musical stylings of a live band.

Ever arrived in the evening and Duane hosted a wonderful dinner for us all. What a gift!

September 22

Steve, Ever, Dotti, Jason and I headed out for the "Lost World" on the east side of the Drilling Fields. We warmed up on Tourist Season (5.7), then Ever and I did Last of the Lost (5.9), both of these are great climbs.

I believe Ever is on Tourist Season here

Back in July, I had a difficult time on Steve's routes Aurora and Chimera. I was back for a rematch! First I enjoyed seeing Dotti solve the slabby traverse problem on Aurora Pitch One (5.9). Nice! She was over the moon about it. It was that move that I'd had trouble with before.

It was time for me to lead it. First I did a TR. I got the move wired, then led it, feeling good. Yes! I was as happy as Dotti was.

My next challenge was Chimera (5.10a) (pitch one). Jason had climbed it and exhausted himself just as I did back in July. This time I was determined to stem in the chimney rather than try any other technique. The stemming was elegant, and although Steve didn't think so, I was pretty sure it would be hard to hurt myself with the excellent bolting in this section.

Looking down after a lead of Aurora

Good friends all at the base

Looking up at the remarkable Chimera

In fact, Steve denied himself the pleasure of the stem when he led the route, though he typically always does a TR so he can do that. He calls it his favorite pitch in the park! I first did a TR, finding it really nice. Then Ever led the pitch. Then I led it, feeling great in the sections where before I was a hairs-breadth from coming off. Yes again!

I'm really glad I got to enjoy Steve's routes here as they should be enjoyed: with a mix of creativity, technique and boldness. Sadly, we hiked away from the Lost World...

We tried to get on Skyline (5.8), in fact we tried over several days but there was always someone on it. So we settled for Velveeta (5.8) on Anteater Rock. Ever led it first, then Steve, then myself. Jason was still resting from Chimera! This was a neat climb, with little overhangs and jugs. We all did a TR of Swiss Cheese (5.7 R), which seems quite run-out on the lead.

Ever on Velveeta

Another great dinner, this time fantastic indian food made by Duane!

September 23

After a quick check to see if we could get on Skyline (no luck!), we were back at the Breadloaves in the Super Hits region. We all did a lead on Mystery Achievement (5.7), a good climb.

Ropes on Twist and Crawl and on Mystery Achievement

Looking down from a lead of Twist and Crawl

We did a few TRs on Twist and Crawl (5.8), then I led Intruding Dike (5.7), a great gear/crack route. I'm afraid I stopped too soon though, setting a gear belay on the top of a buttress, when I could have stepped across to a bigger buttress and gotten in a few more hand jams. We walked down a ways to a single rappel.

A climber on Intruding Dike

We wanted to TR on Bloody Fingers (5.10a), a popular crack climb. To that end I led up Twist and Crawl, enjoying the gear placements in the upper section. Then Steve, Ever and then myself did TRs on Bloody Fingers. I found it fantastic. If I had one more day I would have come back to lead it. I'll just have to do that in the spring!

Ever on Bloody Fingers

And so ended a great time at the City. Incredible people. They shine as brightly as the rock sings.