A Few Favorite Climbs In The Black Hills

This is for you Pete.

These are some of my favorite routes in the Black Hills that I’ve done as well as routes that are “must-dos” according to others.

Rushmore area:

• Gossamer – climbs an arête to the left of a picture window hole in the rock 
• Valdez Overhang – best described as a gym problem outdoors
• Weird Water
• Waves – 2 pitch bolted climb
• Star Dancer
• Garfield Goes to Washington – 3 pitch trad climb; one of Russell’s favorites

Cathedral Spires/Ten Pins

• Spire 4 – 2 pitch trad route with optional Wormhole
• Station 13 – slender 150’ spire with exposed finish
• Sandberg Peak – super fun and the best “show-off” route for people in cars. It looks like it will fall over any minute.
• Sickle – this is an arête climb that Greg & I backed off from because we thought we were lost. Turns out we weren’t.
• Tricouni Nail/Cerebrus – relies on  a piton placed in the ‘60s for one piece of protection. Needs a simul-rap or one rope rappel from the top.

Sylvan Lake

• Lander Turkey Shoot – fun arête with belayer on the opposite side of the rock from the climber
• Inner Course – long bolted route with a great view
• Campground Boulder – John Gill’s famous boulder
• Aging Gracefully – long route with tiny button head bolts
• Conn Diagonal – famous trad route
• Better Than Pool and Pie – this is the site of Amy’s famous night time lead

Moonlight Ridge & Needle’s Eye

• Gobs of Knobs – odd name for a climb that has gobs of knobs; no listing in Mountain Project
• Wave Runner – bolted route up a blank-looking face
• Lunatic – bolted route up an arête
• Moonlight Rib – many times, this is just free soloed
• Needle’s Eye – someone day I’ll follow someone up this baby

 

 

 

 

Spearfish area – I’ve only climb here twice so I have limited knowledge. I do remember these:

• Pakastani Route – follows an arête most of the way. Very exposed and a great climb.
• Yippey-Kay-Yay – big moves with big holds