Eagle Rock, 5.10-5.11

Overview/Approach

 
Eagle Crack is one of the better 5.10- trad pitches in all of the City of Rocks and is located on the north face of its namesake, Eagle Rock. Eagle Rock is located on private land high up on a hill directly south of the group camp site at the Twin Sisters pass. Access to it has yet to be impeded and/or disallowed by the private land owner/lessee (2014). Eagle Rock’s other outstanding established route is the sport climb named Fly Like an Eagle located at the same start as Eagle Crack, on the north face. Reid Dowdle established Eagle Crack in 1984. These two routes are good to combine with White Lighting which is on the other side of the Sisters as White Lightning gets morning shade and Eagle Rock gets afternoon shade.
 
You can approach Eagle Rock from several different directions, but I advise parking at the pullout at the pass and circumventing the immediate granite outcrops to the east going through two fences and staying low until you are directly below a gully that runs up to the base of the north face of Eagle Rock. Follow a faint climbers trail up to the left side of the north face. Eagle Crack is the obvious crack with a human sized pod in the middle. Fly Like an Eagle is bolted just to the right. To the dismay of Salt Lake City climbers, You need to gain several hundred in elevation.

Route Description(s)

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

Eagle Crack- 5.10a***/

From a bench at the left side of the wall, start up a short slab with jugs to reach the obvious crack that runs through two roofs to the top. Above the slab, enter a relatively easy hand crack which lands at the base of the pod. Pull the first roof via jugs. The second, more subtle, roof is the crux of the pitch. Small gear protects an exposed and steep lay back on face features to gain the finger crack above. Good climbing at the grade continues and eases near the top. There is a fixed rap with a stance just out left before you top out on the formation. Dow

Fly Like an Eagle- 5.11a***/

Wide Cracks- 5.9?/

Descent

Rap the chains with a 70m rope for Eagle Crack. Fly Like an Eagle has its own rap as well. You might get by with a 60m for Eagle Crack, but I doubt you would for the sport route.

Essential Gear

This is a true north facing wall with the sun not quite reaching it in late afternoon in early July. A good summer objective for sure. Eagle Crack takes wires and small gear, single rack from #0 to #3, double #.4 to #1. 70m rope.

Images

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