Mountain Project: Climbing Blue Mounds SP (Luverne)

Submitted By: Glenn Burns on Apr 5, 2006
Administrators: Glenn Burns, Darin Limvere, James Loveridge
Elevation: 1,090 feet
Latitude: 43.6975 Longitude: -96.1747
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BLUE MOUNDS STATE PARK AT LUVERNE, MN

Blue Mounds State Park is located in the southwest corner of Minnesota. Located approximately 4 miles from the town of Luverne, BMSP offers rock climbing on quartzite similar to the rocks at Devils Lake, WI. The quartzite cliffs rise approximately 100 feet from the prairie and offer 50-60 foot climbs of various difficulty from 5.4 to 5.12. The area is primarily a traditional climbing crag, but top roping is possible with the proper gear. There are also number of bouldering problems. There are no bolted routes.

Getting There

From the town of Luverne, go north 4 miles on Minnesota Hwy. 75. Turn east on County Road 20 and go 1 mile to park entrance.

The most commonly used climbing parking lot is off Rock County 8. From Luverne take 75 north about 1 mile out of town (or from the state park ranger office take 75 south) and take a right on Rock County 8 . Continue on Rock County 8 for about a mile maybe less. As the road forks to the right there is a small parking lot on the left, park here. The majority of the approach trails are off the paved bike/pedestrian path. This bike/pedestrian path can also be reach from the camp grounds and you can approach the cliff from the north rather than the south.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Blue Mounds SP (Luverne):

Ivy Right 5.5 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 45 feet Prairie Walls Area : 5. Saturday Buttress

Crazy Crack 5.7 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet North Quarry Area : Kanaranzi Buttress (East Fa...

Old Stump 5.7 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 45 feet Prairie Walls Area : 5. Saturday Buttress

Jasper's Dihedral 5.8 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 45 feet Prairie Walls Area : 5. Saturday Buttress

Z 5.9 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 45 feet Prairie Walls Area : 9. Chimney Buttress

Black Wall 5.9 TR, 1 pitch, 45 feet Prairie Walls Area : 5. Saturday Buttress

Kanaranzi Right 5.9+ TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet North Quarry Area : Kanaranzi Buttress (East Fa...

Mean Streak 5.10a Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet Prairie Walls Area : 6. Midnight Buttress

Oath of Fealty 5.10b Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet North Quarry Area : Bison Buttress

Cactus Capers 5.10b/c TR Prairie Walls Area : 7. Sunday Buttress

Purgatory 5.11a Trad, TR North Quarry Area : Kanaranzi Buttress (East Fa...

The Layback 5.11b/c TR, 1 pitch, 45 feet North Quarry Area : Kanaranzi Buttress (South F...

Featured Route For Blue Mounds SP (Luverne)

Here's Ian setting the bomber fist jams. Not a great pic of the crack...but a good one of the roof. 2006-06-02

Oath of Fealty 5.10b MN : Blue Mounds SP (Luverne) : ... : Bison Buttress

A very fun and challenging route. Climb up to the roof, use hand jams to pull over the roof. Continue to the top of the crack using fists, and offwidth technique or any face features that can be found. I'd recommend taping as the rock can be kind of sharp.* RCM&W #45, p.43....[more] Browse More Classics in MN

Comments on Blue Mounds SP (Luverne)

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By Ian Harmon
From: Minneapolis, MN
Jun 6, 2006

comment added to the "Getting There" description.

By Ian Schmit
Dec 18, 2006

do any of the harder less well protected lines see leads here?

By Doug Lintz
From: Lincoln, NE
Dec 20, 2006

BM is a good place for headpointing. I suggest Cactus Capers, No Go Crack, The Layback, Death Scream, and Purgatory for some "leadable" hard climbs.

By Paul Getzke
From: Bloomington, mn
Sep 24, 2009

I spent most of the last week bouldering in western Minnesota. Since there is no detailed mention of bouldering at Blue Mounds, I just wanted to report that there is bouldering and it's not too bad either. It starts in the woods below the interpretive center and goes all the way to the old quarry. There are a number of blocks, some big and some not so big. Two big ones are below the interpretive center in the woods. Take the Burr Oak Trail below the center and you will find them down the hill. There are several more smaller blocks along the trail heading towards the old quarry. Once you get to the quarry, check out the big boulder there. It is the future home of some very hard potential projects. One more boulder is downhill from there. Have fun!

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