City of Rocks in October

shan1203 wrote: rging, as a team setting out to do their first multi-pitch climb would you still suggest we stay away from Steinfell's Dome and Theater of Shadows or are they just right? Thanks to everyone else for providing great info that I found very helpful, too!

Do Big Time at Castle Rock, in the sun and a much better route. Protected amply, great belays, spectacular final pitch at the grade, easy rap off to where you started. You won't get all this on the Stienfels routes....

I just got back from the City. The last few times I have gone have been during the week. We arrived Monday and had our choice of just about any campsite, and we never waited for a single climb (climbed Steinfells's, Jackson Thumb, Elephant Rock, and Castle Rock) We basically climbed a lot of the easy, moderate popular routes without ever waiting, and that's in the middle of August. I know weekends are a different story though. If you are there on a weekend, just hike out to some of the smaller areas and you won't have to worry about lines.

If you are looking for first time multi-pitch for your party, look for anything bolted by Kevin Pogue (Theater of Shadows, Sinocranium, Big time, etc.) You will notice a convenient trend with his bolting, oh and you can do all 3 of those routes I just mentioned with a single 60 meter rope.

rging wrote:When you go to the hot spring remember not to stick you head under water or this could happen to you. Brain eating ameba

For what it's worth there is more info on this rare disease at the Wikipedia page:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima…

Doesn't seem to deter folks from dunking their heads under water at Durfee. The water is constantly flowing through their pools, the whole lot is emptied out once per week and cleaned and I don't think there has been a case of this ever at Durfee. One take's one's chances of course.

Do be aware though that the pools are closed a couple of days (I forget which, Sunday, Monday?) each week and on some days are only open in the afternoon and evening (sometimes until 10pm). My kids have experienced some extreme disappointment in their parking lot as a result of my ignorance of their precise schedule.

DavidCollins wrote: Do be aware though that the pools are closed a couple of days (I forget which, Sunday, Monday?) each week and on some days are only open in the afternoon and evening (sometimes until 10pm). My kids have experienced some extreme disappointment in their parking lot as a result of my ignorance of their precise schedule.

Mormon Country = Sunday

BackAtItAgain wrote: Do Big Time at Castle Rock, in the sun and a much better route. Protected amply, great belays, spectacular final pitch at the grade, easy rap off to where you started. You won't get all this on the Stienfels routes....

I was going to suggest this but I can't for the life of me figure out what areas are open at Castle Rock and which ones are not. I know the feds closed off their land this year.

speaking of camping in COR in October, I'm planning on the same thing. I've been trying to reserve a site but they've all been showing up as non-reserveable until next spring?? Any ideas why they would all show as walkup. Can you not reserve sites there?

If weather gets crappy at city go to massacere rocks away from mtns, weather is usually better. 600 bolted routes & I have been snowed on alot at city. Dont worry about campsites in october place will be slow

That's weird because its open all year round. The reservation system stops at the end of September. I have never been there past September but my guess is there is no camp host and you just show up and fill out one of those little envelopes they leave out.

Castle Rocks - The only closed area is the BLM land which has a handful of lesser traveled routes. All of the popular crags and routes at Castle Rocks are open.

It is also worth correcting rging's post implying a 70 m rope allows lowering from routes on Elephant Rock. This true for some, but certainly not all Elephant Rock routes. Most do not even have top anchors for lowering anyway.

dave bingham wrote: It is also worth correcting rging's post implying a 70 m rope allows lowering from routes on Elephant Rock. This true for some, but certainly not all Elephant Rock routes. Most do not even have top anchors for lowering anyway.

Uh, what? Never said there were chains at the top of any of the routes on Elephant rock, just that you need a 70 to rap down (the main rappel anchors that 90% of the people who climb that rock use). You can also walk off the backside or use a set of chains way the hell out on the edge if you dare crawl out there.