Durrance Approach  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  168,796. Good page?    Administrators:  Peter Gram, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Peter Gram on Jul 10, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue 73° | 48° 79° | 52° 79° | 52° 77° | 52° 73° | 55°

Devils Tower National Monument Lifts Current Prairie Falcon Climbing Route Closure MORE INFO >>> 07/01/2012: Because no falcon nesting activity has been observed, the prairie falcon nesting closures currently in effect will be removed on Sunday, July 1, thus opening these areas to normal recreational climbing activities. The areas to be reopened include on the northeast face, routes between and including “Belle Fourche Buttress” and “Maid in the Shaid” (routes #68 to #93), as well as the “North Face” rappel route. Separate from the falcon closure, Devils Tower National Monument has a voluntary climbing closure in effect for the month of June, out of respect for American Indian cultural traditions. For further information on climbing closures, please contact the monument’s Chief of Resource Management, Angela Wetz, at (307) 467-5283 ext 212 or Angela_Wetz@nps.gov. For general climbing information please contact the Devils Tower Climbing Office at 307-467-5283, ext. 632. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Don't forget your wide gear!

Description 

This approach leads to Durrance and surrounding cracks. Durrance is the most popular route on the tower, and it is usually crowded during summer months. This area also contains the Wiessner offwidth, Best Crack in Minnesota, Rangers are People Too, Pigeon English, etc. This area is primarily on the south side of the tower, so expect hot sun through most of the day.

Getting There 

Take the trail east from the parking lot and then take a right at the junction a short distance away. Soon after, start heading toward the tower across the talus, taking the path of least resistence. This is also the start for the west face approaches. As you approach the tower, scramble up onto the southeast shoulder, and then depending on the route desired, follow this trail east around the tower. Durrance is located around the tower a ways, and starts near the location of the ramp for the south and east faces.

Durrance can also be reached by following the approach for the south/east faces until the start of the ramp. At this point, some scrambling/lower 5th class rock is required to get up to the base of the route and should probably be roped up.

The Classics

Featured Route For Durrance Approach

Direct Southwest 5.11b  WY : Devil's Tower : Durrance Approach

Approach Via the Durrance approach and head left at the cliff base to reach the SW corner. At the SW corner there are a number of shorter colunms that reach a height of perhaps 100'.The dihedral at the right hand edge of the right-most of these colums, beginning as a ever-steepening slab is "Rangers Are People Too." The next crack left of this, on the left side of the right-most short column, is the fist pitch of Driect SouthWest.P1: (5.7, 80')Climb the crack described above for 80' to a ledge...[more]   Browse More Classics in WY

Photos of Durrance Approach Slideshow

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Durrance Area. Photo by Todd Gordon.	BETA PHOTO: My Southwest Buttress Hurts...	P4 Durance
P1 Durance