Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 42.08243°N / 113.72169°W
Activities Activities: Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Additional Information Elevation: 6400 ft / 1951 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview/Approach

Circus Roof-Anteater-City of Rocks-2020 (2)
Circus Roof-Anteater-City of Rocks-2020 (2)

Anteater is a distinct (sharp) summit feature at the City of Rocks similar to its brethren to the north, Incisor (aka Morning Glory Spire). Both are reached by hiking just behind and south of Parking Lot Rock. Anteater does not look much like an anteater up close, but rather the best perspective to see its namesake shape is from a pullout along the main road just to the west. It’s most popular route and one of the more popular routes in the entire park is Scream Cheese (5.9), a bolted line up its right arête. Swiss Cheese (5.7R), just to the left of Scream Cheese, is a unique experience in that it only has two bolts leading up huge “elephant ear” patina holds securing it an R rating. This is a fun solo opportunity at the City. Holding Out for a Hero (5.10a) is worth doing but might be a bit exciting for a leader pushing the grade.  I liked it.  Smurf Smasher (5.11a) offers a very aesthetic looking thin cracks running up the southwest corner of Anteater.  At the northeast corner is a stellar moderate roof problem, Circus Roof, 5.10c.  

Anteater along with Incisor offer both east and west facing walls, with the majority of their popular routes on the west faces.  Park at the Parking Lot Rock parking area and take the right fork from the main trail heading in. Circumvent Parking Lot Rock to the south and turn left at a signed trail leading to both Incisor and Anteater. Take the right fork and head up to a large slabby belay ledge a few meters off the ground. This is your belay for the first four routes below. For the rest, stay on the trail that leads south of Parking Lot Rock and meander left over indistinct trails to the very base of the southwest face of Anteater.

WEST FACE Routes Listed Left to Right as you face the Wall

  • She-Bob- 5.9*/
  • Track Marks- 5.10a*/
  • Swiss Cheese- 5.7R**/ This is a worthwhile solo opportunity at the City. Two bolts protect this mostly run out face up through a final stem feature to chains. It features huge “elephant ear” patina jugs the whole way. Dow
  • Scream Cheese- 5.9***/ This is a decent bolted face up the right side arête with thinner edges (crux) towards the top. It is well bolted and not the typical run out slab to finish you will find on some City routes. Worth doing, but a bit more popular than it deserves in my opinion. Single 60m rope. Dow

SOUTHWEST FACE Routes Listed Left to Right as you face the Wall

  • Holding Out for a Hero- 5.10a**/ The start of this route is a moss filled and crusty micro crack.   Enough small cams and nuts have been thrown in one spot that has cleaned up a pod for your first piece.  Make a slab move up and start climbing the steep and juggy terrain above. A bit run out.  #1 horizontal and a #.75 crack up and right before you traverse left to the lone bolt on the route.  A few steep face moves and then easier ground to the shared Cream Cheese rap.  You can set up a top rope after leading the route by extending off of the Cream Cheese rap (use the bolts, not the chains) with a 70m (barely). Rap Cream Cheese at the end.  Dow
  • Wheat Fat- 5.11b*/
  • Body Snatcher- 5.10++/
  • Smurf Smasher- 5.11a**/

EAST FACE Routes Listed Left to Right as you face the Wall

  • Fly Boy- 5.10d/
  • Daughter of Zeus- 5.10/
  • Vulture Crack- 150’-5.8**/ A hidden gem for the grade.  All trad.  Climb the right facing corner in the middle of the east face that is topped by a tree.  A relatively secure solo except having to stem out of the corner in the middle, then right back in it.   Fun varying sizes.  Take all the rack you want as you can place gear at will, to #4.  Try not to hit a dog, crying baby or Mormon with your rope and rap Swiss or Scream Cheese and hike back through the notch to the peace on the west side.  Dow
  • Wendy’s Route- 150’-5.7R*/ Contrived finish to Vulture Crack.  Just venture up and right on big jugs.  Not sure of the purpose of this route.  Dow
  • No Net- 5.10**/
  • Circus Roof, 5.10c**/ Go through the Morning Glory and Anteater notch and it starts just down and hikers right, below the obvious short roof crack. Guide said “harder than it looks” but we both climb a lot of 5.10 roofs and did not think it climbed harder than it looks.  Excellent short trad pitch.  By local guide standards, it should be a 3 star route for sure.  You typical 5.10 type of roof, up a short corner, traverse out right with a hand jam and then reverse finger layback with slab for feet.  Hand jam the pull and head up the easier ground to a fixed rap.  40’. Gear to #2.  Dow
  • Circus Direct, 5.11a/ (bolted arete to the right of the roof)