Hydra-Crack

Hydra-Crack is the prominent lie back crack feature on the formations north face. It was first climbed on a few pieces of sketchy gear by Mark Jacobs in 1987. Mark writes, " My last climbing season in the Black Hills wrapped-up in '87. Hydracrack near Baldy is a bookend of that era for me. Future climbers would leave the rope & rack behind on a route near the center of the bouldering wonderland they would explore & develop. I lead the route with a few pieces. A B1 problem to an 11a layback. If I had left behind the rope and pro, I might claim some connection to development of Rushmore bouldering. Or found the trailhead. But that remained for the next group of climbers."

This is a classic highball at Rushmore and would be a true classic if cleaned up and given some new TLC.

center of north face.

Crash pads and spotters