Balcony Point

Description 

Balcony Point is named just for that, a large ledge on the south side of the rock. It can be mistaken for Spire Two from a distance, as it completely obstructs the view from the parking lot. If you look at the beta photo of the Cathedral Spires, the one that I have numbered as 2 is really Balcony Point.

This is a large spire, and it requires around 3 pitches to get to the top. One common way of climbing it is a beautiful crack that leads up from the saddle of Spire Two and Balcony Point. Descend by rappelling from the summit of Balcony Point to the saddle with Spire Two, and then follow its rappel down the east face route (two ropes necessary).

Getting There 

Follow trail #4 from the Cathedral Spires parking lot towards the spires. When the trail branches, the best way is to take the right branch and find the Spire Two-Three gully. Head up this gully (with Rubaiyat Spire at the bottom) and Balcony Point is the second spire from the top of the gully. The spire at the top of the gully is Spire Two.

Featured Route For Balcony Point

North Crack 5.6  SD : Custer State Park : ... : Balcony Point

This is a great climb. Start by climbing the first 2 pitches of the east face route on Spire Two. Then, when at the saddle between Spire Two and Balcony Point, climb up to the obvious beautiful splitter crack that goes almost to the summit of Balcony Point. Climb this, the hardest move being pulling through a bulgy crack to the top of the pillar....[more]