First, let's stop and check out Pocatello and it's famous Pump. The Pump is a quasi "competition" spanning a weekend in September (usually the third). There are several categories one may enter from 5.12 honemaster to handicapped. The event is held within the very city limits of Pocatello in Ross Park which is situated between 2nd and 4th avenues at the south end of town. The enlightened town fathers have seen to outfitting the local basalt cliffs within the park with lead bolts, anchors, wood chip landings, manicured lawns for family picnics, tables, benches, grills, restrooms, a skate board park, swimming pool and water park and even a zoo. A number is painted at the base of each climb. A simple route card suffices as a guide and is available through the Idaho State University web site (see below) or from the ISU Outdoor Program office in the Pond building along the campus quadrangle. There are actually two cliff lines. One conveniently faces west (the 2nd Ave. side referred to as "The Sunny Side"); and east (the 4th Ave. side called "The Shady Side") allowing for a full day of climbing year round. All very civilized indeed.

The intensely active Outdoor Program of ISU organizes the Pump and is, by the way, responsible for the Reed Gymnasium climbing wall which is the largest college climbing facility in the country and is perhaps one of the finest indoor walls anywhere. The wall is open from 6 to 8 am, and 4 to 8 pm on weekdays; 1 to 8 on weekends. It is truly an impressive wall.

The Pump is, in actuality, a fun event. There are no prizes awarded in any category. Winners get a specially designed-for-the-Pump hand made coffee mug. Everyone shares an equal chance at one of the prizes from among a raft of them raffled off at the comp's conclusion, Sunday.

Saturday consists of toproping as many routes successfully as you can within a ninety minute heat. The higher the grade the greater the point value. On Sunday you have a morning to lead nine routes (there are non-leading categories) of which your best eight are scored. A fall while leading, however, ends your attempt on that route and uses up one of your nine lead attempts. So strategy plays a key role on Sunday. How hard a lead can you attempt without risking a fall? You have only one fall to "waste". Believe me...it's a pump!

There's also the C. W. HOG Pig Out (Handicapped Outdoor Group) held in conjunction with the Pump on Saturday night to benefit the local organizations to aid the handicapped. Pocatello is one town that really goes all out for the handicapped. This is evident all over the city and especially at this comp. Admission to the barbeque is reduced with registration in the Pump. Overnight camping is allowed free of charge in the parking area on The Sunny Side.

Thoroughly pumped from The Pump? Had enough of Ross Park and the incessant freight yard noises? Then let's take a short trip out to Massacre Rocks just off of Rt. 86 from the American Falls exit about 21 miles west of Poco.

After the American Falls exit go right toward AF. Bear right at the fork. At this point you absolutely MUST be in possession of a copy of Dan Spurlock's guide to Massacre Rocks. It's now being updated and formatted by Bruce Black and is available FREE through the ISU web site.

If this doesn't seem to work for you as it didn't for me when I tried years ago then go directly to the isu.edu website and search the menu. The guide is about 33 pages long. It includes detailed access directions and a map which had to be revised last year when the former access road was plowed under for the cultivation of the spud. The new entry is a bit rough. High clearance is handy due to deep ruts and exposed basalt. Nothing too serious though unless you're extremely faint of heart.

One reason this is such an excellent potato growing region is the sandy soil which permits the tubers to grow so large. The "ground" under foot everywhere here is about as solid as Crane's Beach. New Englanders should feel right at home. You'll be experiencing deja vu as you slog up and down huge dunes of deep, fine grained sand on the approaches to any of the two dozen crags. "Wheyahs da watah?" Once you've reached Massacre you will have acres of privacy and blessed quiet in which to set up a camp site. The end of the "dirt" road affords the largest junipers to nestle your rig amongst for shelter from the heat of the sun and the often tempestuous wind. Be prepared for any weather eventuality here. It can get nasty. But most often, particularly during the fall, the chill of the nights melting away before the promise of a warm, blue sky perfect day is sublime beyond any easterner's dry dream.

So why would anyone want to drag themselves here? Have you ever climbed good basalt? There are over 600 incredible routes in a very concentrated area. Most of them are bolted. This is entablature basalt. It isn't the columnar repetitiveness of Devils Tower. It's what you'd find in parts of the Cracked Canyon at Smith Rocks. What you get in the bargain is variety. Sure there are vertical cracks (some of which require gear and are well worth doing) but there are faces studded with gas pockets and sharp gratifying edges, arêtes, dihedrals, horizontal cracks, overhangs, low angled ramps as well as the steep stuff. It's a place where technique pays dividends over brawn and power. Unlocking the hidden mysteries of each route can be the key to not only success but to pure physical pleasure and intellectual reward. When the words "joy of movement" were assembled climbing at Massacre Rocks most certainly was the creative impetus.

The Real Skinny
American Falls is the nearest town to Massacre. It is not as large a town as Pocatello but it offers most amenities though not in quantity. There's a decent super market, but I'd suggest a stop in Poco first at the Grocery Outlet and the Wal-Mart Super Center located side by side behind The Flying J gas station (the Chubbock exit). There's a library that doesn't open until noon most weekdays but allows seemingly unlimited time on the internet per visit. The library is situated along side the huge town common. This is where you can fill up your water jugs and sun shower from one of the fountains. The post office zip code is 83211 for your general delivery.

Just outside of town is the American Falls Dam and Reservoir. Free camping with facilities is allowed for up to two weeks in a large parking area along side the "Sportsman's Access" boat ramp which is just beyond the visitor center building on Rt. 39. Rt. 39 is a continuation of the road you exited Rt. 86 onto. I would suggest that you spend the night here if you won't be able to drive into Massacre during daylight. This camping is a right at the intersection at which you would be turning left onto Lamb-Weston Rd on the approach to Massacre. Camping is also condoned right along the reservoir beach however beware of getting stuck in the bottomless sand. The incessant blasting of train horns will probably limit your rapture with this locale but it's convenient and the sight of the rising full moon over the reservoir is worth a stop. You can always be sure of cool breezes here no mater how baking the day was. Oh, and that smell? That's just the familiar smell of potatoes being processed for all those fast food chains.

Be sure to bring a partner to Massacre. Finding someone to climb with can be either a case of feast or famine. The Poco folks seem to favor The City of Rocks. As much as I love to hang out in the shade of the junipers I hate to be missing so many superb climbing days. And, yes, I have been warned about snakes but I've only seen one hiding under a rock.

Believe me. The climbing is well worth the effort to get here. If you have a boat on your rig you can stop at the Massacre Rocks State Park along Rt. 86 and paddle across the river to the Main Wall climbs - the highest of the Massacre crags - to tick a few routes on your way to The City of Rocks. Try it and you'll be hooked like I am.

Ciao