Idaho · Rock climbing · Clayton

The. Old sawmill slabs

13 routes at The Old sawmill slabs in Idaho span 7 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.

13 routes
5.7 – 5.10b/c
Trad · Sport

Best time to visit The. Old sawmill slabs

Best months: July–August. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    26° / -3°

  2. Feb

    33° / -1°

  3. Mar

    43° / 9°

  4. Apr

    50° / 18°

  5. May

    60° / 26°

  6. Jun

    69° / 31°

  7. Jul

    80° / 34°

  8. Aug

    79° / 32°

  9. Sep

    70° / 25°

  10. Oct

    56° / 19°

  11. Nov

    38° / 10°

  12. Dec

    25° / -2°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Stanley, ID, 24.7 mi away at 6,249 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Old Sawmill Slabs is a climbing area in Idaho on Bureau of Land Management land within the Challis Field Office. It sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking destinations in central Idaho, and the surrounding area offers both rock and trail for a full day of outdoor time. The climbing here is a mix of trad and sport routes, with 14 routes in total. The grades run from 5.7 up to 5.10b/c, and the hardest of them, Snake Eyes, is a sport route. Several of the trad routes are in the 5.8 range, including Blue Steel Arete and You Should See the Horses. Magnum Face is a 5.10a trad route, and Snakes and Ladders is the easiest at 5.7. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Stanley weather station show July highs around 80°F with lows near 34°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-20s and lows drop to around -3°F in January. French Creek is the closest hike, about 2.8 miles away, and the Central Idaho climbing area is about 4 miles off. Holman Creek Campground and the Holman Creek hike are both about 4.6 miles away.

Routes (13)