The Fins, Sport climbing

YDS

5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10a 5.10c 5.11a 5.11c 5.12a 5.12c 5.13a 5.13c 5.14a 5.14c

Map

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1 Classic Rock Wall 2 Burning Spear Wall 3 Yellow Cake Wall 4 Discovery Wall 5 Jet A Wall 6 Solstice Wall 7 The Honing Stone 8 56 Wall 9 Head Wall

Directions in Google Maps

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Seasonality

Summary

Limestone

First class limestone in an amazing setting. The Fins are at the extreme tip of the Lost River Range and the view from the top is just breathtaking out into the plains of Idaho.

Description

Mostly vertical and slightly overhanging routes on excellent quality limestone. Crimps, pockets, slopers, the hardest route in Idaho and all that in a very pristine setting. Come prepared for some wilderness, rattlesnakes, beautiful views and night skies. Take an extra portion of skin as some of the routes are sharp and. Depending on where you park the morning hike up can be brutally hot in the sun but is absolutely worth doing.

Approach

From Blackfoot - the potato capital of the world - take highway 26 west until a few miles before Arco, where you make a right on highway 33 towards Howe. At about milemarker 10 you will see a gravel pit on your left, turn here on an unmarked forest road (it has the number 557) and pass left of the pit. Follow the relatively good road into the Eightmile Canyon - first flat, than a little down and finally up. After about 5km you will see a small parking lot on your left (some cliffs are already visible above you). Park here if you don't have a 4x4 car. Alternatively you may continue up on the now steeper road with lots of loose gravel into an nice small pine forest just above the cliffs. Check the road before you go as there might still be snow on the top as late as early June!

From the lower parking hike up the road for about 200m and then follow the obvious and steep trail up. It leads you directly to Yellow Cake Wall, from there you follow right and up along Discovery Wall and then almost flat to all other sectors.

Where to stay

You may camp at the parking below (small and not a lot of flat space), on top (nice) or just like 1.5km after the pit on your left on a nice flat spot. There are no facilities of any sort - please pack-in what you pack-out!