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South and East Faces
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Routes Sorted
L to R R to L Alpha
Animal Cracker Land 
Best Crack in Minnesota 
Bon Homme Variation 
Cave 
Dancing With The Devils After Dark 
Direct Southeast 
Double Indemnity 
Dusk In Dogtown 
El Cracko Diablo 
Extension 
Free Association 
Hollywood & Vine 
interesting problem below, The 
Let Me Go Wild 
Roach Addition 
Rocksuckers 
Soler 
Soler Eclipse 
Space Ranger 
TAD 
Walt Bailey 
Windex 
Window (Free), The 
Unsorted Routes:

South and East Faces 


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Administrators: Peter Gram, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Peter Gram on Jul 6, 2002

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  Print a Mini-Guide with routes

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Devils Tower National Monument Lifts Current Prairie Falcon Climbing Route Closure MORE INFO >>>


Devils Tower... as the Prairie Dogs see it every m...

Description 

The South and East Faces both share the same approach. The South and East face routes are very popular, perhaps because they end up at the meadows. Once at the meadows, it is easy to top out. The most climbed routes on the tower (besides Durrance) are on the East face, including Soler and Tad. The South face also holds some popular routes, including Bon Homme Variation and Walt Bailey. Most routes are 2 long pitches to the meadows, with Walt Bailey being only one pitch. Rappel off the meadows chain anchors with two ropes for 3 rappels to reach the ground. Also, some routes have their own set of rap anchors.


Getting There 

From the Devil's Tower parking lot, take the paved trail towards the tower. Take a right when the trail forks, and follow this trail around towards the south face. Look for a climber's trail taking off up towards the tower when you see a viewing tube (for looking at the old wooden ladder near Bon Homme). Follow this good trail up to some slabs near Durrance, then climb up and to the right, following the slabs around the tower. From here, it depends which route you are doing as to how far to go. Some of these approach rocks are really slick, so be careful with heavy loads.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for South and East Faces:
Bon Homme Variation   5.8     Trad, 3 pitches, 300 feet, Grade II   
El Cracko Diablo   5.8     Trad, 2 pitches   
Soler   5.9-     Trad, 2 pitches, 280 feet, Grade II   
Walt Bailey   5.9     Trad, 1 pitch, 180 feet   
Dusk In Dogtown   5.10c     Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet   
Hollywood & Vine   5.10c     Trad, 2 pitches, 270 feet, Grade II   
Double Indemnity   5.11a     Trad, 130 feet   
Soler Eclipse   5.11b     Sport, 2 pitches, 200 feet   
Direct Southeast   5.11d     Trad, 2 pitches, 220 feet, Grade II   
Animal Cracker Land   5.12b     Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet   
Browse More Classics in South and East Faces

Featured Route For South and East Faces
Great route, one of the more obscure approaches however.

Dusk In Dogtown 5.10c  WY : Devil's Tower : South and East Faces
Location: Take the south face approach to the base of Soler, continue traversing discontinuous ledges, past some rappel anchors, until below the window (series of overhanging roofs). The climb is located just left of the overhangs in a right facing dihedral. The crack has a V-shaped pod approximately 30' off the starting ledge. Note: The traverse from Soler to the window is quite exposed.This route features many fingerlocks and edging on low angle rock, surprisingly thin for 5.10 at the tow...[more]   Browse More Classics in WY


Photos of South and East Faces Slideshow Add Photo
Approach hike.

Approach hike.

Summer evening

Summer evening


Comments on South and East Faces Add Comment
Show which comments
By Andrew Gram
Administrator
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Jul 9, 2002

This approach is generally known as The Ramp. It can be very frightening when wet or icy in places - especially going up to Bon Homme or around past the Soler/TAD area.

The best descent route is the Meadows rappel. The Bon Homme rappels have some scary downclimbing and the Durrance rappels are almost always cloged with people climbing up. Be careful of rope eating cracks when pulling rap lines.

By Brian Milhaupt
From: Golden, CO
Jul 11, 2002

I have heard this area described as the "bowling alley". Many routes, and the most popular rappel all funnel into the same small area. I have seen a climber incapacitated by rockfall when this area was hoppin'. A brain bucket is not a bad idea here.

By Joe Dawson
Jun 1, 2009

This approach has a couple of exposed 4th class moves on it. If you are not comfortable with that, I would rope up for it.

By Guy H.
From: Fort Collins CO
Oct 13, 2010

The Meadows rappel route can be done from the summit with a 70M. There is about 3ft to spare on each rappel except for the last one that ends at the beginning of the ramp. You will need to down climb about 5ft from a good stance.

Don't get your ropes stuck! Self rescue with a single rope might be a difficult.