All Locations > S Dakota > Custer SP

Tenpins/Switchbacks Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Tenpins/Switchbacks

Dakota-Illinois 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Dave's Dinghy 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Deception Pinnacle 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

End Pin 1 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Falcon 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Fin 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Hairy Pin 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

High Point 2 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

King Pin 2 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Leaning Tower 1 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Moby Dick 2 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Not the Pawn (Other Pawns) 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Pawn 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Phallus 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Picture Rock 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Podunk Pinnacle 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Pop-Top 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Queen Pin 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Reunion Rock 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Rook, The 2 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Safety Pin 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Sandberg Peak 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Someone Else's Peg 2 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Split Pin 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Super Pickle 1 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Superpin 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Tent Peg 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Totem Pole 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Tricouni Nail/Cerberus 2 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

Whaling Wall 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Wigwam 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Elevation:	6,230 ft
GPS:	43.8394, -103.5358 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	122,081 total · 479/month
Shared By:	Andrew Gram on Jun 28, 2002
Admins:	Peter Gram, Greg Parker, Mikel Madsen, Mark Rafferty Page Updates (admin only)

Description

The Tenpins/Switchbacks area is in between the Needles Eye area and the Cathedral Spires parking lot along the Needles Highway. The Ten Pins is the most interesting cluster of spires along Needles Highway. Tent Peg and the Tricouni Nail are classic reasonably protected moderates. End Pin, Hairy Pin, and Superpin are classic testpieces requiring a cool head and willingness to do hard 5.10 friction moves a *long* way above gear. There are a number of other interesting spires in the area besides the Ten Pins for those willing to explore.

Getting There

Pass through the Needles Eye area, and descend down a series of steep switchbacks on the Needles Highway. At the bottom of th switchbacks, look on the right side of the road for a cluster of impressive skinny tower next to the road - these are the Ten Pins. Park in a pullout and struggle through the 15 foot approach.

60 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Tenpins/Switchbacks

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 17 ● North Face Trad Podunk Pinnacle
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 91 ● Tent Peg Trad Tent Peg
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c X 19 ● Patience Sport Pawn
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 179 ● Cerberus Trad Tricouni Nail/Cerberus
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 12 ● Phallus Trad 2 pitches Phallus
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 50 ● On Little Cat Feet Trad Sandberg Peak
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 31 ● Tee The Ball Trad, Sport Someone Else's Peg
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 28 ● Dakota-Illinois Trad Dakota-Illinois
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 20 ● Loss of Sensation Sport Reunion Rock
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R 41 ● Nantucket Sleighride Trad Moby Dick
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b X 24 ● Barber Route Trad Superpin
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b X 22 ● Cleveland Route Trad Hairy Pin
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b X 10 ● Quartz Jester Trad King Pin
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13 26 ● End Pin Trad, Sport End Pin
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a 3 ● End Game Sport End Pin