Pass Creek Canyon

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Heather Lords climbing Troll Bride at the Portal

Located in the central portion of the Lost River Range south of Mackay, Idaho, Pass Creek offers a dramatic limestone canyon with sport climbs spread between several sectors. The canyon is a beautiful gorge with towering limestone walls, trees, a stream, and nice camping. There's even a nice outhouse!

Pass Creek Canyon Sectors

A listing of known sectors and routes.

Bingham's

Located on the west side of the Canyon, this singular route is on the first limestone formation as you enter the canyon.
  1. Bingham's Route 5.11(?) - Bolts. No route info, yet.

Savage

Up the road a bit further is the first sector on the east side of the canyon. This little feature is somewhat tucked away and difficult to locate despite being only about 75 yards from the road.
  1. Short and Savage 5.12+ - Three bolts to cold shuts. Desperate and savagely difficult for such a short route!

Campsite Wall

Past the cluster of campsites and the only outhouse in the canyon and up the road, around the bend is the next campsite on the west side of the road. The cliff immediately behind the campsite is a single route. To the right of this route where the rock nears the road is another route.
  1. Taming Free Radicals 5.10+ - Slab start to overhanging wall. Once above the overhang, a bulging face leads to sport anchors.
  2. Blue Sky Thinking 5.11 - Two pitches.

Grey Slab

A fun slab on the east side of the canyon. Excellent clean stone! Park below the cliff, cross the creek and hike the short distance up the talus slope to the base of the routes.
  1. Top anchors only 5.9 - With protection bolts, this route will offer excellent steep slab climbing.
  2. Unnamed 5.5 - Eight bolts to chain anchors. Cool features and excellent but not sharp textured stone.
  3. Unnamed - Two Pitches
Directly across from the Grey Slab on the west side of the road is a single route. No information. Looks scary!

The Portal Wall

The last sector before exiting the gorge is a short 50' wall located above the natural tunnel on the east side of the canyon. This nice convex shaped feature offers a cluster of routes with great technical movement on pockets and crimps. Some sharp stone and a little lichen in places.

Park near the tunnel, cross the creek and scramble up through the tunnel to reach the base of the crag. These routes have low visibility Metolius rappel hangers for top anchors to keep the visibility to a minimum at this roadside crag. Bring a rappel device to clean the top anchors.
  1.  The Hornet 5.6 - Three bolts to Metolius rappel hangers. A short but enjoyable route with some cool features.
  2.  Deja Vu 5.11- - Six bolts to Metolius rappel hangers. Overhanging big moves on big sinker pockets lead to a techy headwall finish. Excellent stone!
  3.  Troll Bride 5.10- - Eight bolts to Metolius rappel hangers. A cruxy start leads to a fun lieback flake followed by some techy slab climbing, a small lip overhang, and some closely spaced bolts.
  4.  Jigawatt 5.11 - Seven bolts to Metolius rappel hangers. A cool and technical convex shape that offers good pockets, crimps, a mono pocket, thin feet and a bulging overhang finish. A lot of route packed into this puppy!