BETA PHOTO: Early morning shot of the SE face of Devils Tower:...
Description
Devil's Tower crams a high concentration of great cracks into the smallest area possible. People come from around the world to climb on this unique wonder. Climbing is sustained, and cracks are beautiful and uniformly shaped. Essentially, there is a crack every 5 or 10 feet, and they mostly run perfectly up and down, which reduces rope drag. The majority of the tower is less than vertical, and faces are blank. There are few face climbs, but who needs them with all these splitter cracks?
The easiest route to the summit is Durrance, which is stout 5.6. In general, climbs that are 5.8 and under tend to be offwidths, 5.9 are hand cracks, and 5.10 are finger cracks. There is too many classics to list. However, check out Assembly Line, Walt Bailey, and Soler for 5.9. For 5.10, go to One-Way Sunset, Hollywood & Vine, and Tulgey Wood.
Many routes are best done by climbing the first few pitches and then rappeling. Fixed anchors are numerous. The rock quality is poor for the last 100 feet of the tower or so. Most parties who summit do so through the Meadows area. This is the ledgy area that is a small distance below the summit on South face of the tower. Climbs such as Durrance, Wiessner, Bon Homme, Walt Bailey, and Soler use this. From the meadows, follow a 4th class chimney and ramp system to the summit (some parties rope up).
To descend from the summit, a rap anchor is on the south side. two ropes are required. The summit part can either be rappeled or downclimbed to the meadows (easy, but exposed). Then, 3 two rope rappels are required to get down to the ground. Be careful when rappeling from the meadows -- it is very easy to get your rope hopelessly stuck in the cracks, so rap over the face.
Getting There
Drive to Sundance, Wyoming, and then take highway 24 north from I-90. Just follow the signs, and drive towards the big chunk or stone. Turn into the monument and pay the entrance fee. Then continue to the visitor's center. From here, make sure to register for the climb (this is free - used for record keeping and rescues, etc.). Then, approaches differ by route from here.
Devil's Tower Climbing - Great site full of useful information, and home to the Devil's Tower Lodge and Guiding service. A fantastic place to stay just minutes from the climbing. Check out their fly-by footage of the tower!
A super-fun route on the west face. This is apparently a good way to summit on the west face, but most parties do not climb beyond the 2nd pitch. The description here only includes the 1st 2 pitches. The 1st pitch is very popular.This climb can be identified by the prominent roof on the first pitch. The 2nd pitch is directly left of the column forming the left wall of El Matador's stem box. P1- beginning just to the left of the start of El M...[more]
If you do go to the summit (which I would recommend doing only once to sign the book b/c of the poor climbing and rappel) be extremely cautious on the rappels. Not only is it easy to get your ropes stuck, it is also easy to launch big rocks if your ropes do get hung up on something and you pull hard. I've seen this happen several times and with the crowds on Durrance right next to the rap route it is prime territory for a serious accident.
Bring your own drinking water when you come to the Tower. The water in this area of Wyoming tastes like a$$. If you must drink the water, then the ranger station bathroom water is about as good as it gets.
Does anyone know anything about raptor closures on Devil's Tower? I know that the west face is usually closed but does anyone have the specifics. Do they usually reopen if birds don't nest, and when do they usually lift the closures if this is the case?
They have a list of route closers on the Tower at the trailhead near the parking lot. I was there on Sunday and it had quite a few routes on it. If you're looking for specifics, call and talk to climbing ranger Chuck Lindsey. He should be able to tell you about specific routes.
By Peter Gram Administrator From: Salt Lake City, UT Apr 14, 2004
You can also check out this website for the 2004 season closures:
It is a shame that there is a bolting ban at the tower. Have you checked out any of the aretes or faces between the cracks. There would be hundreds of new routes to do!
Eric, there are climbing bans popping up al;l over the country, and it isnt becasue bolts are bad, but there are so many bad bolters. The tower is one of the most unique places i know of, and with all the cracks, i dont know who would make a visit to climb a sport face route. If you feel that there is a really quality line, go talk to the park service and ask them, if you are respectfull of them the rock, and everyone that frequents the tower, they are more likley to be open minded. look at the garden of the gods or eldo canyon, both have bolting bans, but both consider new lines if they seem like they are worth the dammage to the rock
Was climbing soler on 5/13 and summitted via a unknown route 1 crack system right of bailey's direct, was wondering if anyone knew what that was/rating. The pitch was over 100ft and varied between OW/chimney/face with an exciting overhaning move right at the top. Also was going to grab frank sanders rope for him from his epic the night before (electrical storm during moonlight ascent of the durrance), and some tool coming up the durrance fixed the rope at their belay below us so we could not pull it up. When the guy (said he was from montana, no revelence to his attitude) came up to our belay, said he "would appreciate if he could take the rope to turn it in since I got it unstuck from the crack below") The rope was fixed as a single line rap, I'm assuming because sanders party had to get down quick during the storm, and my partner and I agreed that this guy was was a lying sack of shit about his comment about the rope being stuck from bewlow, and that he was trying to get the rope to: A. keep it for himself or B. turn it in so HE could get the reward that was posted on the climbers board in the parking lot. I am writing this in hopes that the guy DID turn the 70m rope and 2 locking biners in to the park service as the note indicated and him being true to his word. If not unfortuntaley I forgot the guys name, he said he was from somewhere in montona, and was with his girlfriend from greely, co who just graduated from nursing school.
To all the cheap climbing bums out there! especially AC. There is free camping about 11 miles outside of Devil's Tower. Directions are from leaving the park entrance. Leave the park and at the juction turn left toward Hulet, and go less than one mile to a dirt road on the right. Follow the dirt road for about 10 or 11 miles to the Black Hills National Forrest, and please use existing camp sites.
Climbed here in August and I loved it. The Park service had just repaved the campground roads. The camping was excellent. FYI, I heard that there is some "master plan" that will close the camp ground, supposedly because of water pollution to the river that flows through the monument. I heard that this is all pollittically motivated attempt to close a public camp ground. Anyone else know anything?
Interesting... Would be surprised to hear that this was politically motivated as most if not all national parks or monuments have public camping. Devil's Tower is a little unique in that there is the Native American connection though. Anyone know any more? It would be a shame if they move the campground as it's such a nice setting along the river...
I climbed the tower summer of 07 in 105 degree heat. It was pleasant in the shade, we started just as the sun got off Durrance in the after noon and did the same deal on Bon Homme. Got to the summit just in time for the sunset! Bring a headlamp.
hello guys, Im brasilian and i am planning go to devils tower, but im alone and i looking for partners to climb there in may. Other think, is possible to camp outside the park but near the rock? thanks
Oi, tudo bem amigo. My understanding is that partners are relatively easy to come by at Frank's lodge or maybe at the campground. You can PM him here, look up Frank Sanders. Camping in the park is pretty cheap, maybe $12 a night if I remember right, but for cheaper or free camping, see the post above by jleining. Have fun.
Hey Luiz, When in May are you planning on going to Devil's Tower? I will be passing through there in mid-May and thought I might try finding a partner to do anything from the Durrence Route to El Matador. Let me know.
did somebody die on TAD? We were climbing on Sunday the 29th almost to the top of the first pitch and I ran in to a crusty blood splatter the size of my torso. If you have any information please post.
yeah, confirmation. A woman took a fall, i think on El Cracko Diablo, screwed up her ankle, caused a bit of rock-fall. She rapped herself and seemed totally okay
I'm planning a trip towards the end of October, I know we're talking about Wyoming the land of freak weather but how is it generally this time of year at Devil's Tower?
Devil's Tower
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