Kudos to Jay Knower for his excellent 10 page article about Devils Lake in latest issue of Climbing(#293). Covers all the right names and routes to give the uninformed a good idea of what you are up against on the frictionless Wisconsin Quartzite. Best of all are the quality photos by Andrew Burr. The rest of the country will see that DL has the most colorful rock you could imagine for climbing. A nod to the DLFA was of course required ***ness material. Hope we get more articles like this in print about routes and projects at'the Lake'. A 'clubber salute, "drink to puke".


Woodchuck Killer

Not surprising since every other photo on the main page slide show is of Devils lake...good stuff

That was an awesome article. Good to see the midwest included in a magazine like Climbing. We dont have mountains but we have a lot of good climbing.

Congrats Jay!

Too bad the ugly mugs of Rhoads and Remo got in there somehow.

This article was the highlight of my February.

Seems about every 10 years or so they get around to printing an article about the Lake in either Climbing or Rock and Ice. We need more, with lots of great photos too. This was the most inclusive article yet on the Devils Lake scene.

Good on ya Jay! I think we all know what the lake has to offer all of us regardless of difficulty. However I feel that more people need to know about one of the best moderate trad climbing areas in the country. One could nake the argument that its is the best with more good leads in the 5.4-5.7 than anywhere in the country.

The HEADPOINT hit list included in the article is so inspiring....makes me really want to train for and attempt to knock off a few more of these off my own list....

Burt I agree. Seeing the list and the pics were inspiring. I foresee a good year at the lake for many, due to this article. Git on it!

Burt, I also agree. Seeing as I have the first on the list ticked off (Mouse's Misery) I do believe it's the start to something good and will promote more leading at the Lake. It's good to see this article in the magazine and although I would love to see Wisconsin in the spotlight all the time that would lessen the magnitude of this article and thus reducing the Lake's unique effect it has on its local climbers.

Jay, Bravo on the article on the Lake.its always great to see stuff on DL in the mags.
I wish old Rich Prunes Bechler was still with us,he would have got a kick out of the DLFA reference.Rich was a huge driving force for myself and others to pull down hard....then harder till ya puke.
Thanks for mentioning the DLFA "burnouts"(derelicts is more like it ,but we were motivated to pull dn).Too funny.When I reflect on my time at DL I wonder,did we do anything that cool?Maybe sorta.Didnt we do what any dedicated fresh young blood at many a climbing area does.Work thru the grades,lead the established test pieces,then sack up and bust out on some new ones.Then get JACKED and not necessarily in that order.That said its nice to know we raised the bar a little.And had the time of our lives.We all stepped up to the plate,just like Jason,Nick,Kris,yourself and the rest of the new crew has done over the last few years.
Also just to give credit to the other clubbers who were part of our scene.Its not just a case of leading hard routes at DL to be involved with the DLFA,although it did help in a sense that ifna ya were trying to lead the hard core routes at dl you were probably slighty twisted in the head.To be DLFA you had to know how to have fun climbing(not to serious and no whining)and like to party(just a wee bit)Comradery is a huge factor in the scene at DL and I could not think of better punters to have on your team than the DLFA.
The head point list was spot on and I,m sure we could all add more but obviuosly space was limited.
The reference to the fact that a top-rope ascent counts at DL is totaly true.Leading at DL is not for everyone, not the WEAK of mind or body.The hard climbs are tricky,the rock is slippery,the gear is sometimes suspect,and the ground is ohhh so close and jagged. Its amazing more folks don't get hurt trying to lead the test pieces at the Lake.
As a side note.DL use to get a bad rep as just top-roping(its still called climbing).I remember that we (DLFA) use to adhere to a strict ethic of no hang dogging when on TR or leading.If you fell on TR you were lowered immeadiatly to the ground.No exceptions.Kinda stupid ,but it made us strong and a quick read on cruxes,i.e. you were going to fight like hell to not fall off on yer umpteenth time up to your high point.(think Bagatelle)AS we got better we definitly stopped headpointin our projects as much and even lead some of the routes on sight.
THanks again for the effort spent writing the great article and the nod to the Derelict burnout misfit DLFA.IT would be nice to see the pic's that did not make the cut,as I'm sure there are some good ones.
If your ever in ELDO look me up,my house is a short walk to the start of the Naked Edge and I still climb.Peace and fuk-nes Steve Sangdahl
P.S. Sorry for the excess SPEW.
CLUB SALUTE to RICH "PRUNES" BECHLER, R.I.P.

Ditto everything Steve said above. A well written article and great to see credit given where it is due.

I will be instituting the TR lowering rule immediately, except for gear checks ;)

okay punters you heard it here first. By the power invested in me by the prez of the DLFA it is now proclaimed that wwho ever belays thee ,Nick and Chris on a toprope shall lower ye as soon as the rope is weighted. Head point projects included. you will be allowed to inspect gear placements but no fondling of holds. so it is said let it be done.
also can somebody load some heavy rocks and extra beers in their packs before they hike up to the cliff.peace and f-nes steve s.

I also will institute the rule as well from here on. Sounds like a great fuggin rule.

Haha! You guys totally screwed yourselves! Good luck with those headpoints!

:) J/k, you guys are strong.

Unfortunately I can't follow this rule. It's too hard to remember the sequence when you are following other DLFA traditions before each climb. *cough*

Kudos Jay and Andrew, on a great article and photos, it took a will for me to to find a copy of the mag, done 3 of your headpoints, the other one's are way big a pucker factor, even wired, FYI Paul Jones the King of that rule, dirt me after a fall on TR or lead, never hang on the rope to work a route ever,

Funny thing happened,
last week I was climbing in Clear creek canyon and I was talking to my partner and Devils Lake came up the and a guy next to us, (a older guy) he said I use to climb at Devils Lake a long time ago, I asked, if was climbing there when Jim Erickson, Pete Cleveland where there, he laughed and say yeh, we talk a little bit, he asked my name, and I asked his and what do you think he said Jim Erickson, too funny,

he told me of a FA they lead, only to find out later some guy named Pete Cleveland lead it first, that was upper D,

The fa of Upper D is listed as Rich Goldstone and I beleive he was active at DL before Pete showed up and definitly Jim E.
See Jim Erickson out here in Eldo and he is too funny always denying that he climbs anymore and that he never did any climbs of great signifagence.Humble man.
We picked up the no hanging ethic from old Pete C and Tommy D. way back in about 1976 or 77.It was partly a style thing and also since we usually tied in with just the rope on a bowline ,you obviously didn't and couldn't hang for long.We eventually got some fashionable 2 " webbing to tie swami belts out of but we never had leg-loops in my days at DL.(not sure about the paul jones thing,musta been after i left)
I have done 6 on the list and I know these new guys are gonna do them all.peace and fuk-nes Steve S.

from a buddy after he read the Lake Effect Article...

It’s also interesting that we had some of those climbs COMPLETELY wired – literally climbing blindfolded (Acid Rock), or leading with 1-2 pieces of gear. We made up some silly leading games to get past this. I remember climbing Peter’s Project as a 12 pitch route. I did a move then set up a belay, then Matt did and so on till we got bored and soloed off. Once I went around with Tom and we allocated 2 pieces of gear to see how many routes we could lead (something like a #2 RP and a #7 stopper. Another time I had come into a set of tube chocks and tested how many routes I could do with them. Then there are the stories of people like Dennis Junkins leading on a collection of knots. Didn't he do the first lead of Orgasm Direct before moving to Denver?

Out west now, we still do silly leading games like: "Here's your three bolts for this route. Careful, you might want one for a belay anchor."

minty, WE had to make up the games or we probably would have got bored to death or worse. I use to lead congrats and upper d barefoot and with 3 knotted slings cause as we all know" NUTS leave scars and rock shoes make the holds much larger". Then we moved west to releive or minds. Also Rich Bechler,Dale Moir and myself did the first lead of Orgasm Direct. peace and fuk-nes Steve s. now puke