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Massacre Rocks

Climbing Guide


May 2005 Version

 

Original By: © 1999 Dan & Pat Spurlock: Pocatello, Idaho Team Spurlock Productions

Maintained By: © 2005 Bruce A. Black

You may reproduce this guide for non-profit personal use. All copies must include this cover page and copyright notice.

If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Updates available at www.seiclimbing.com


Season

Massacre Rocks is an awesome place to climb. Climbing can be done year round. Sunny days in the winter can provide a great day of climbing on walls which are protected from the wind and also receive ample sun. However, the summer months of July and August can cause spit to sizzle. I have seen dogs run for shade as the sand burns the pads of their paws. For the diehard climber a drive in the dark can bring you to Massacre Rocks in the early morning for some nice climbing temperatures. Evenings also provide some decent climbing in the hot months. The black rock, however, holds the heat so evening climbing can still be greasy.

The best times to climb are late February through early June and early September through early November.

Some More Info

Massacre Rocks receives its name from an Indian ambush that took place back in the old days. Massacre is located on the Snake River and is a beautiful place. The walls along the river provide the climber with views of various waterfowl species. Often you will be looking down on a huge bird as it glides along the river. The walls located "inland" from the river create beautiful box canyons that can hold a gaze for hours. The spring brings a myriad of wildflowers to bloom and makes even the manliest of man admit that flowers are cool. As things dry out the landscape gets bleak but the soft glow of evening light casts a calming over the harsh desert vista.

The rock is Basalt and is a blast to climb on. Pockets, edges, slopers, scums, cracks, seams, you name it Massacre Basalt has it. Most of the holds are edges and pockets.

The Please-take-care-of-it Spiel

The locals have been very protective of this climbing area, yet all admit that they love to visit other secret sites so with some trepidation this web page is created. As a matter of fact we talked one local out of writing an article for one of the well-known magazines.

The main access is via the backroads. To get to the crags one must pass through a few gates.

If you are camping on the backside you will want to bring your own firewood. There is wood out there but most of it is green Junipers or Sage Brush. There was a fire years ago that left snags here and there. These snags look good on the landscape and provide birds with perches. Be decent and leave them be, bring your own wood or better yet cook on a stove and cuddle for warmth. Some irresponsible climbers have started fires at the base of a few of the walls to keep warm on those winter days out. Again not too smart considering the hasty land management decisions being made these days.

Gear

Some esoteric gear you may want to bring could include a snake bite kit and the knowledge of how to use it. The Snake River plain is the home of some mighty big rattlers.

For climbing you mainly need a rack of quickdraws 14 should suffice on the longer routes while the majority of climbs take around 8. There are some natural pro lines but they are seldom done. For these a standard rack of cams and nuts should do the trick.

Ropes:

A garbage sack and a roll of toilet paper are always a good call.

Access

River Access

The quickest and easiest way to reach the Main Wall and Owl Cove, if you have access to a boat, is to cross the Snake River at Massacre State Park. Drive about 11.5 miles west of American Falls on I-86. Take the Massacre Rocks exit, exit #28. Park where the road Ts and pack your boat about 200 yards to the river, or drive to the boat ramp and boat 1/4 mile back upriver. Camping and showers are available at the State Park for a fee.

Driving Access

Two-wheel drive backroads will get you near most of the climbing. From the town of American Falls, take State Highway 39 across the American Falls Reservoir dam. Take the first left, Lamb-Weston Road. Listed mileage starts here.

To hike to the OUTBACK or MAIN WALL, don't take the last hard right. continue straight until the road takes a sharp left. Park here and hike the old road, now closed to motorized traffic.

The Snake River is aptly named. Rattlesnakes are common throughout this area. Watch your step!

Access Map

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Map to Massacre Rocks

Massacre Rocks Walls

1. Main Wall 10. Dance Wall 19. Camptown Towers
2. Owl Cove 11. The Play Pen 20. Royalty Point
3. Le Petite Covette 12. Boulder Wall 21. Mighty-Mite Wall
4. All American Wall 13. Gang Fight Wall 22. The Morgue
5. Summer Wall 14. Wild Onion Wall 23. The Overlook
6. Eagle Wall 15. The Far Side 24. The Outback
7. Funny Business Wall 16. The Dragon’s Den 25. Forbidden Planet
8. Red Light District 17. King Wall 26. Westworld
9. Love Connection 18. Game Show Wall 27. Berlin Wall

  Map of the Many Crags

Massacre Rocks Climbing Routes

Some routes have name tags on the first bolt so you can get an idea of where you are.

The star system is one bozo’s opinion of quality.

* O.K. **Fair ***Good ****Excellent *****A must do

The route grade gives you an idea of the difficulty, feel free to agree or disagree.

Routes rated on the Yosemite Decimal System (i.e. 5.10b).

All climbs are listed left to right when facing the rock.

Main Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This wall faces southeast, just above the river.

Associated walls: 

Left-Wing Wall Air Thee Wall Long Wall Area Bop and Beta Wall
Dog Wall All Star Wall Controversy Wall Area The Wild Life Preserve

Left Wing Wall

Left-most climbs on the Main Wall

Dog Wall

Air Thee Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

All Star Wall

Long Wall Area

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Controversy Wall Area

Bop and Beta Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

(about 100 yards right, past broken area)

The Wild Life Preserve

Owl Cove

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

U-shaped cove about 1/4 mile west, down-river, of the Main Wall. Climbs are listed clockwise, starting on the west wall.

Associated walls: 

Cling/Clang Wall Owl Wall Asylum Wall Rubble Wall

Cling/Clang Wall

Owl Wall

Asylum Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

west-facing wall on east side of Owl Cove

Lower Tier of Asylum Wall

Next 5 routes; below and right of OFF YOUR ROCKER

Rubble Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Broken-looking area between the Owl Cove and the Main Wall. Best approached by traversing from the Owl Cove

Le Petite Covette

West facing cirque about 1/4 mile north of the Owl Cove.

Associated walls: 

French Wall Hobbit Wall

French Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

faces west

Hobbit Wall

To the right of French Wall, faces northwest

All American Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This wall faces south and has four major areas associated with it.

Associated walls:

All American Wall Rural Wall T&L Area South of the Border

All American Wall

South-facing wall, about 1/4 mile west of French Wall.

Rural Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

To the right of PEANUT GALLERY, about 30 yards)

T & L Area

Continues right of Rural Wall

South of the Border Area

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Climbs are near the big roof

Summer Wall

North-facing, red and white streaked wall on the south side of the "big valley".

No associated walls

Eagle Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

West-facing wall at the upper end of the "big valley".

Associated walls:

Eagle Wall Echo Point

Eagle Wall

Broken section of wall

Echo Point

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

North-facing wall across the gully, just to the right of Eagle Wall

Funny Business Wall

South-facing wall about 100 yards northwest of Eagle Wall.

No associated walls

Short broken section of wall

Red Light District

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

East-facing wall, about 1/4 mile west of Eagle Wall.

No associated walls

Short broken section of wall

Love Connection

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This is the site of some of Massacre Rocks hardest climbs. Short walk from parking.

Associated walls:  

Love Connection Choss Factory Wall of Zen

Love Connection

Short, steep wall, faces south, is around the corner to the left of Red Light District; some of the best hard climbs at Massacre.

Choss Factory

This wall is about 200 yards west of the Love Connection wall. The name comes from the funky bulbous rock at the base and all of the cleaning that was done. This wall faces south south east. Don't let the name fool you, if you are in the area the routes are pretty fun. The chain anchors don't accept carabiners on the upper links to let you thread the rope.

Wall of Zen

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

East facing, 30' high wall, about 100 yards north of Dance Wall, 4 sets of chain anchors.

Dance Wall

East facing, about 1/2 mile southwest of The Love Connection Wall, 150 yards right of The Play Pen

Associated walls:  

Dance Wall Shelter Rock

Dance Wall

Shelter Rock

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

About 50 yards left of The Dance Wall; the short, steep wall is usually dry on a rainy day)

The Play Pen

East facing, short, white wall with shallow dihedrals.

Associated walls:  

The Play Pen The Farmyard

The Play Pen

The Farmyard

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

South facing wall just around to the left of the Play Pen.

Boulder Wall

West facing, short crag in pretty, protected area, most bolted routes have 4 bolts.

No associated walls

Lots of great bouldering traverses in this sheltered area!!

Gang Fight Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

A.K.A. The Snake Pit

This short, south facing wall is way steep, protected from the wind, and great climbing.

No associated walls

Break in routes, wall curves

Wild Onion Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

East to north facing wall, about 1/4 mile south of Gang Fight Wall.

No associated walls

The Far Side Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

East-facing crags, about 1/4 mile south of Onion Wall. From the end of the road at the Snake Pit, walk south, staying on top and paralleling the rim, for 10 minutes. When you come to the big side gully, cut down and go south along the base of the rim for another 3 or 4 minutes. Routes listed left-to-right.

Associated Walls:

The Far Side Wall Deception Cove Gunfighter Wall

  The Far Side Wall

Deception Cove

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About 50 yards west of the south end of the Far Side Wall. It is the tallest section of brown rock near the back of a large shallow alcove.

Gunfighter Wall

About 100 yards west of the south end of The Far Side Wall.  Short steep wall that faces south.

The Dragon's Den

North facing wall, about 1/4 mile west of Summer Wall.

No associated walls

The King Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

West facing wall across the valley from Dance Wall.

No associated walls

Game Show Wall

West facing wall about 100 yards south of The King Wall

No associated walls

Camptown Towers

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

About 100 yards west of the southwest corner of the Owl Cove are two cute towers, named for the nearby remains of an old camp stove.

Associated walls: 

Eastern Tower Western Tower 

Eastern Tower

Four routes on the overhanging north side:

Western Tower

Three good routes on the west side

Royalty Point

This wall is just south of All American Wall, the north facing wall that is in the shade when it is hot.

No associated walls

Mighty-Mite Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This wall is about 150 yards south of Royalty Point. Mighty-Mite is short and west facing.

No associated walls

The Morgue

Short, steep, southeast facing wall about 100 yards southwest of All American Wall.

No associated walls

The Overlook

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This crag faces the Snake River and is down-river from the Owl Cove, about 1/4 mile. Approach by switch-backing up from the river, or contouring in from the Camptown Tower area.

No associated walls

The Outback

The Outback is an east facing wall, upriver from the Wildlife Preserve, directly across the river from Massacre Rocks State Campground; easy 15 minute hike from backside parking, see access map.

No associated walls

Forbidden Planet

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Forbidden Planet is a north facing wall about 1/2 mile west and a bit south of Camptown Towers.

No associated walls

75 yard broken section

Westworld

Stay on Lake Channel Road, past the farm house turnoff. The road goes west, then swings around to the south. At about 4.9 miles beyond the farm house turnoff, take the rough dirt road branching off left. 0.7 miles later, cross a cattle guard. 0.2 miles beyond the cattle guard, take the right fork. A sand hill just beyond may not be passable for 2-wheel drive vehicles. At 1.3 miles beyond the cattle guard, take the middle fork. Park 0.2 miles further, where the poor road plunges down a very sandy hill. Hike the road for about 200 yards to the south-facing crag, which is just north of the road.

For a few years this area consisted of the West World Wall only. In the late winter and early spring of 1999 the Westminster Kennel Club and West Side Ghetto were developed.

Associated walls: 

Westminster Kennel Club West World Wall West Side Ghetto

Westminster Kennel Club

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

Southwest facing wall

10 yards right to next route

25 yards right to next route

30 yards right to next route

West World Wall

70 yards right to next route

10 yards to next route

20 foot broken section

40 foot broken section

70 foot broken section

West Side Ghetto

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This wall is about 110 yards east of the furthest right route on the West World Wall. This wall is about 30 feet tall, tan and south facing.

90 yards to south across road from PIMPING IS EASY is a steep north facing wall

Berlin Wall

Stay on Lake Channel Road 5.6 miles beyond the farm house turnoff. Five routes are on the south facing crag just west of the road.

Associated walls:

Berlin Wall Erin's Wall The Phallic

Berlin Wall

Erin's Wall

copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black. If you paid for this guide you got ripped off!

This wall is located about 250 yards left of the Berlin Wall.

The Phallic

Free standing pillar out in front of Erin's Wall

Note: This material is distributed free of charge. It may be reproduced only for non-profit purposes. If you paid for it you got ripped off!

Original Guide By: Dan Spurlock, now maintained by Bruce A. Black 

Copyright 2005 Bruce A. Black