Mountain Project: Climbing Devil's Tower > East and Northeast Buttress Approach

This area encompasses a large portion of Devil's Tower that is accessable via the East and Northeast buttress approaches. Everything from offwidth to finger cracks can be found here. Most routes are of high quality with sustained straight-in climbing. On the East side of the tower looms a large roof system that cuts across the sheer East face of the tower. To the right of these roofs is the Belle Fouche buttress which forms a prominent protrusion that ledges out halfway up the tower. This buttress marks, more or less, the left end of the routes accessable from this appoach. The right end is at the terminus of the ramp below the north face. Quality climbs of note include Belle Fouche buttress, McCarthy's North Face, and New Wave. From the Teacher's Lounge ledge there are several great climbs including Patent Pending and Assembly Line.

Getting There

From the lot follow the paved trail around the North side of the tower. The trail dips low into the woods and then climbs back into view of the tower. Hike past a bench and before a large boulder start looking for a faint trail that is sometimes cairned. The trail winds up to the notch that separates the base of the east face from the northeast. At the notch the better defined trail goes up steps to the right to the routes below teacher's ledge lounge and continues on broken ledges to all the north face routes. The less defined trail is so because there are less quality routes and abundant poison ivy. To reach routes on and near Belle Fouche buttress ford the ivy and scramble up and across slabs to the base.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for East and Northeast Buttress Approach:

Patent Pending 5.8+ Trad, 4 pitches, 640 feet, Grade III

Gooseberry Jam 5.9 Trad, 4 pitches, 400 feet, Grade III

Assembly Line 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 140 feet

New Wave 5.10a Trad, 2 pitches, 220 feet

Broken Tree 5.10b Trad, 2 pitches, 270 feet

Belle Fourche Buttress 5.10b Trad, 2 pitches, 150 feet

Witchie 5.10b Trad

Burning Daylight 5.10b Trad, 1 pitch, 160 feet

Casper College 5.10d Trad, 1 pitch, 160 feet

Back to Montana 5.10d Trad, 1 pitch, 140 feet

Everlasting 5.11b Trad, 2 pitches, 300 feet

Featured Route For East and Northeast Buttress Approach

Active day on the northeast side. Left to right; climbers on New Wave first pith, climber rappelling Broken Tree, Climbers on first pitch of Everlasting, far right climbers on Mystic and the Mulchers. Photo by Paul Jacobson

New Wave 5.10a WY : Devil's Tower : East and Northeast Buttress...

What a fantastic climb! We climbed this as an approach to Assembly Line - it starts at the Broken Tree area and finishes on top of the pillar where Assembly Line begins. Just to the right of this line is "Broken Tree" - another 10a that follows an obvious steep dihedral formed by, I believe, the Everlasting column.I led this whole thing in one pitch using a 70m rope - this is definately the way to do the climb: even with a 60, have your partner tied in and ready to move up the pillar after yo...[more] Browse More Classics in WY

Comments on East and Northeast Buttress Approach

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By Barrett Cooper
Sep 10, 2002

The way we were told to find the trail for the approach was wonderful. From the parking lot take the right(counterclockwise) paved path that leads you under Durrance and follow it to the USPS information sign for the fallen tower. From there walk 70 paces, the trail leads up to the left. It works every time and if your paces are smaller than mine the trail is ~70 paces at a point where the paved path starts going back up after dropping down a hill.

By CURT LOVE
Sep 30, 2004

Dear Friends,I am leaving today, just for the winter. For that I am a little sad. I hope everyone keeps crankin' & and having fun.Remember climbing is not to feed the EGO but a chance to be a good partner and enjoy Life around the corner from the manstream lifestyles. I have climbed in a few areas besides the ones in SD WY but here is home and in my opion really really great!! In our time right now there is so much BS already it seems odd to me that sometimes we fight in a very childish way. Lets all stand together and help one another not push one another down and judge each other for the small things. I know I am not a Saint, and that keeps me in check. Everyone make mistakes, hopefully we can all learn from them? Well anyway as we sometimes say, "I'M OUT"!I love this place and all the people in it, I may not show it sometimes but I think and pray for our community and resorces in it, all the time. I consider myself one of the Lucky Ones to have grown up here and in the process make many Lifelong Friends.To all of you out there short, tall, strong or weak, I LOVE YOU.Love Curt

By Andy Busse
Administrator
From: Rapid City, SD
Oct 1, 2004

Take it easy Curt, Have a good off-season.We look forward to hearing from you time to time....Andy Busse

By Sergio P
From: Idaho Springs, CO
Jul 26, 2007

It is possible to descend from the top of the tower via Assembly Line. Down climb the final 5.0 chimney of that route and look east for rap anchors.

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East and Northeast Buttress Approach

Description

Getting There

The Classics