Beta on Devils Tower

Hello all. I am interested in climbing Devils Tower in the next 2 weeks on a weekday. I am hoping I can get some information below:

1. Is the Durrance route the easiest way to get to the top?
2. If so, how far is the approach?
3. I heard it is busy. Should I start really early to beat the crowd even on a weekday?

Thanks for the help,

Tim

Approach is very short and easy. I haven't climbed TAD but I've heard its easier than Durrance. Durrance is HARD if you don't know how to climb offwidth (which I didn't)

EDIT: I've also heard TAD sucks but hey who knows.

Yes, Durrance is busy. Get an early start or hit it mid-week. And yes, TAD does suck. I'd rather aid up something clean than climb TAD again.

Did Durrance awhile ago when I was just getting started with climbing and found it to be very easy. Basic crack climbing, arm bars, and lots of holds on the face will get you to the top. I do remember cussing in cussin' crack. May help to lose the helmet and trail the pack for that one. Good gear the whole way.

Approach is short, just know you will have to do some scrambling as you traverse around the tower to the start of P1. I would start early to beat the heat/crowds on a weekday and give yourself plenty of time to climb it.

Trickiest part for us was finding the last pitch. We opted to traverse along the ledge after the "jump" and for some reason took an hour to figure out where the final pitch started. Raps are pretty straightforward. Again, this was back when we were n00bs, you may not have any of the issues we did.

Tadtmoos is worse than Tad...

Durrnace isn't that bad I'm just saying don't underestimate the Durrance Pitch. It's a long sustained offwidth. It was my first offwidth ever and I thought it was a tough lead.

I had to fight much harder on Durrance than I did on Assembly line and Solar...

But like I said, I had literally no offwidth technique or experience so maybe it will be easy for you OP. :)

Also we did the baileys direct finish for Durrance and it was great! :)

EDIT: My comments above only apply to the Durrance offwidth pitch. The rest was chill. :)

TAD sucks. Or that's at least what Frank at Devil's Tower Lodge will tell you, and he's climbed more on the tower than anyone else.

Durrance is good route. Worth doing. I'm really fond of Solar. One of the best climbs I've done.

mountainproject.com/v/soler…

I have done both - and thought Tad was one of the worst climbs I have ever done in 30 years on the rocks. Durrance isn't that bad and I am not the strongest crack climber. I didn't find the off width pitch necessary to climb as an off width - it wasn't bad and options exist that are more straight forward ways to climb it. Start early - expect others on the route - just relax and enjoy it - it's a fun day. There is also an optional 1st pitch that is a direct approach to the base of Durrance which is fairy nice as well.

I agree that Soler is a great route if you climb at that level. Walt Bailey is also nice.

Did bon homme and people said to do walt bailey. The grades on bon homme are very good as they don't feel too sandbagged as long as you have good technique. Both get to the top if you do the meadows ramble, or reverse the jump traverse and do the walt bailey var on durrance. I don't think i'll ever do durrance as it is a CONGA LINE and it attracts people who know less than nothing about offwidth.

furthermore, i'd recommend getting the green book or the yellow pamphlet if you are climbing there as those were the two books recommended for the climbs by the guides at frank's.

+1 for Soler and Assembly Line. If you climb at that grade, skip Durrance and go straight for Soler. Doesn't get much better than Assembly Line. And once you've done it, you'll know how it got its name.

TAD's rad. I don't understand the persistent hate for the route. Sure the belay isn't the most comfy in the world (hint: it is much better to belay with your feet on the chockstone), but the first 100' of the second pitch is a fantastic section of rock and makes the route. The TAD sucks mantra is mostly propagated by those who haven't climbed it. Are there better routes at the Tower, of course, but not many at the grade and the others all have much more "wide".

Durrance is easier than TAD, but you won't ever wait in line for TAD. An early start (or late afternoon start) is best for the crowds and the fact it is a furnace on a warm day until it goes into shade. The Durrance pitch is NOT a sustained off-width. It could be, but there are plenty of stemming options.

Assembly line, Soler, and Walt are all excellent choices but all are significantly harder than either Durrance or TAD. El Cracko is a great choice and is only a bit more difficult than D or T.

Just my 2 cents. If you do durance, do the "bowling alley" approach pitch and the walt bailey direct finish (instead of the jump traverse). This will give you a complete bottom to top ascent. The approach is short. Paved trail to some switchbacks. An early start isn't a bad idea.

Alternately you could do El Cracko Diablo, which IMO is easier than Durance if you have the jamming skills. Durance tends to be a big grunt fest, whereas El Cracko is pretty much jamming the whole time.

Other routes looking into are walt bailey and soler.

Furthermore if you do durance I would highly suggest against a pack of any kind. Just bring one nalgene, a few snacks, and conserve it. a standard rack of nuts and cams to number 4 C4 is perfect. The cussing crack can be done without using the off width if you step left onto the face and do a few tricky 5.8 moves protected by a small stopper or cam in a flake.

Cheers!

Thanks guys! Great beta.

One nalgene for a party of two in the summer sun on the Durrance route is not going to be enough for most typical Durrance route teams.

It's been hot as hell at DT. I think Durrance is in full sun for most of the day, since it's south-facing -- another reason to start early.

Durrance is in the shade until about 8:30am right now. It goes back into the shade around 2:45 in the afternoon. If you climb it in the shade, you won't be in too bad a shape bringing 1L of water a piece. If you're in the sun, bring at least twice as much...