Thousands of visitors come through Almo every year. All of them ogle the granite monoliths, and many venture to their peaks. If you find yourself in the first group, and yearn to be in the second, here’s what you need to know.
A Brief History
It is likely that some pioneers in the 1850s scrambled to the top of Lookout Rock, but climbing as we know it started in this region in the 1960s. Back then the focus was to find a natural path to the summit of a formation (like Steinfell’s Dome), hammering pitons into the rock and using hemp ropes to catch a fall. Over time, technology developed and attitudes shifted; modern gear (nuts, tricams, and spring-loaded camming devices) protected those who sought to climb interesting cracks, even if they didn’t continue to the top. The 1980s saw a renaissance in route development with the introduction of drilled bolts, which were employed when and where natural protection was impossible. In 1985 Dave Bingham published the first edition of his guidebook. The City of Rocks National Reserve was established in 1988 and now oversees route development and anchor maintenance. Castle Rocks State Park was established in 2003, bringing 1,700 acres of private land under the governance of the same rangers. The parks today comprise over 1,100 established climbing routes, and are seen as an international destination.
Geology
The majority of the rock that you see is Almo Pluton (about 30 million years old), but some is Green Creek Complex (about 3 billion years old, two-thirds as old as the Earth itself!). Both of these are types of granite, which is an igneous rock with intrusions of quartz and other minerals. Uplift and settling can break large fissures in these rocks at various angles. A chemical reaction on parts of the surface layer called “case hardening” allows the softer rock to erode around and behind the outer shell, resulting in durable flakes and patina that make shear faces climbable. You can also see huecos (Spanish for holes) and even windows that have been carved into the rock by wind over millennia.
How Do They Get the Rope Up There?
From the parking lot across from Bath Rock you may see a few types of climbers. Those venturing up Bath Time will be clipping quick-draws (two carabiners connected by stitched nylon) to bolts that are permanently installed in the rock. Others on the neighboring “traditional” routes will be placing their own gear (the aforementioned nuts and cams) into natural features of the rock temporarily. Both these types of climbers will then clip their rope to the other carabiner. In case of a fall, the rope will allow the climber’s weight to be counterbalanced by the belayer at its other end. If these climbers only make upward progress by using their hands and feet on the rock, then they are “free climbing”. You may see a third type of climber who eschews the rope and takes on additional unnecessary risk by climbing “free solo”.
Resources for Learning More
If you would like to try technical rock climbing, you can hire a guide. A certified instructor can show you the ropes (pun intended) and give you a memorable experience while keeping you safe. You can book with Sawtooth Mountain Guides at https://sawtoothguides.com
If you already know the basics and own the necessary gear, the latest edition of Dave Bingham’s guidebook is available in the Gunks app. It details all the current routes with full-color zoomable photos, and GPS-enabled maps to find them. See more at https://gunks.app/cor
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