Island Rock is a prominent although obscure crag (deservedly so) on the south side of the creek. It faces northwest and so is usually shady. There are two old trad route, Cracks are for Kids, 5.8 and short, and the longer decent-looking Lost Ring, 5.7, which I haven't done. Recently Vaino Kodas and Bob D'Antonio added the pretty good 11a sport climb No Man is an Island. There is room for more routes. The main face has a bunch of trad features, but it's pretty dirty. The (west-facing?) right face has some potential also, and there's another formation just up the hill.
4.2 miles up Boulder Canyon (Rossiter's mileages), about 0.3 miles past the Sugarloaf turnoff, there is an "island" of rock with a dirt road going part way around it on its left side, between the rock and the creek. Park here. Island Rock is the rock across the creek. Brick Wall is about 0.4 miles beyond Island Rock. The creek is often high, so much of the year the crag is hard to access. Cross the creek where you can and move left or right until below the crag. Continue up hill, and you will come upon an open grassy slope that leads to the base. Scramble up left towards a steep gully in rock to access Cracks are for Kids and No Man is an Island. Lost Ring is on the right prow of the main face.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Island Rock:
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