Grandad's Bluff WI - Memorial Weekend (2018) - Route finding/conditions info

Hey everyone,

Thinking of hitting this place up this weekend - anyone been there recently? Are the routes in good condition? We'd be leading anything up to 5.11d.

Also, are the routes/walls fairly easy to find/near each other, or more spread out? Couldn't find a good route guide.

Any info appreciated and thanks!
- Jake

Jake, I'm curious if you made it out and how it looked. I have been planning a trip there but a friend told me it was closed for climbing? It was hard to find any definitive answer, but it would be quite a long trip for us to not be able to climb at the end.

Hunter,

I used to live in La Crosse and I can tell you that it is one of the best sport climbing crags in Wisconsin (although to be fair there are not too many). The rock is quarried sandstone and is pretty clean in the main crag areas, as there is a fairly loyal group of locals that gives it good traffic. Access is on essentially a "don't ask- don't tell" status, and is legally both not prohibited and not expressly condoned. The crag sits on the cliffs on the south face of Grandad's bluff proper (where the flag pole and shelter stand), and provides great views of the surrounding seven rivers valley. The two best crags are Adidas wall, providing 5.8 through upper 5.10, and Meader wall which has 5.10 through 5.13. There are several good spots in between these two spots including Donkey Punch wall and Mushroom wall, and everything is easily accessible through established social trails. If you get lost trying to find something just stick close to the cliff line till you see bolts; all the areas have distinct features of some kind that make it reasonably easy to route find. The approach is downhill from the first dirt parking lot on the left, after entering Grandad's Park proper. The grading here is considered Wisconsin Stiff, and is mostly vertical with some mild overhang.

If La Crosse has poor weather or doesn't appeal there is also Sugar Loaf bluff in Winona, MN whichhas 5.3 through 5.10 climbs on an impossible to miss crag.

Hunter Kemps wrote: Jake, I'm curious if you made it out and how it looked. I have been planning a trip there but a friend told me it was closed for climbing? It was hard to find any definitive answer, but it would be quite a long trip for us to not be able to climb at the end.

We went, Hunter, and it was great. We spent most of our time at Adidas wall (I was the only route setter and we had two with us just getting into wall climbing - usually only boulder), but we all had a blast. Met some great ppl as well, including the route bolters. It was HOT. I'll say that. But Adidas wall at least faces away from the sun so until around 1p or so it was great, if not a little buggy. I'll be posting some picks shortly. Overall, I'd recommend hitting it up - I was told by some locals that it's "technically" illegal to climb....but that's because it's "technically" illegal to wander off the road lol; some state law or something. It's a commonly hiked (and climbed) location though, so if you go, just follow the obvious "don't be a dick and respect the place" rule so we can keep the tradition alive :D

Thanks to both of you for the detailed responses. I will definitely be going there at least once this summer. I have had my eyes on the Adidas Wall for some time now. Good to know the nuances of climbing there, as I had assumed it was generally a be respectful and out of sight situation, then play dumb if anyone hassles you.

This is great to see! I’m headed to La Crosse to climb hopefully next week. So I’m glad seeing good things about it! Has me even more pumped to go