PRINT: Rock Climb Waves, The Needles Of Rushmore

Waves

5.8, Sport, 180 ft (55 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 3.6 from 323 votes
FA: Vern Phinney and Mike Engle 1989 Ground Up
S Dakota > Needles Of Rush… > Mt Rushmore Nat… > S Seas > Shipyard Rock

Access Issue: Check NPS for Closures Details

Description

Waves is one of the best easy routes at Rushmore. Begin on the left side of a ledge on the face furthest from the highway. The first 20 feet of thin climbing up a dyke is the crux. The route can be done as one pitch with a 60 meter rope, but there is an excellent belay ledge halfway up that makes for a good introduction to multipitch climbing. The second pitch is fun steep 5.7 on jugs.

A double rope rap from the summit reaches the ground. This is a great route.

(A 70 meter rope is not sufficient for setting a toprope for others.)

Protection

14 bolts, Bolted Anchor

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Me climbing Waves

Anchor at first belay ledge. Top is similar. (July 4th 2014)

At the top of waves

Sandra nears the summit of Waves

Getting stoked for the morning run on Waves.
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Climber: Logan Dop
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Photo: Clare Chamberlain

Getting stoked for the morning run on Waves. Climber: Logan Dop Photo: Clare Chamberlain

Kate Muehling riding Waves. 29 May '10.

Unknown climber on the summit of waves. This photo was taken from on top of the huge chockstone in the Chopping Block area.

Summiting Wave as seen from Gossamer

2nd pitch of Waves

Mark Schwartz starting out on Waves.

Circa 2000

just watching the sunset from the top of waves on a perfect day

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Cameron Luth

All of the pitch of waves are great climbs. This is a great place for beginners. The holds are massive and the protection is awesome, and to who ever bolted Tsunami, the rope runs perfect through the spines,you did an outstanding job. Mar 20, 2006

scott isaacman
Silver Bay, MN

This is a wonderful route and is pretty easy. We used one rope and I climbed in approach shoes. Sep 23, 2006

Peter Arndt

5.8

I love Waves. Have climbed now 3 times. The 1st 5.8 pitch on the lower face is a little cruxy off the deck to the 1st bolt. The 2nd pitch though a little easier is "gitty fun". We used 1 rope and rapped down to the comfortable 1st belay station. It was quick and easy and would recommend so one does not need to deal with a trailed rope. Jul 2, 2007

randy baum

for rappelling, a single 70m reaches the ground. Jul 6, 2009

Gary Schmidt
Boulder, CO

Fun route. The start will probably get your attention and you will probably give a sigh of relief once you have that second bolt clipped. From then on enjoy the hike. Aug 5, 2011

Evan Johnson
Boulder, CO

what are the two bolted routes in the gully to the right, are they variations of waves? is tsunami a second or first pitch variation? Oct 25, 2011

Seth Hogan
Frisco, Co

I don't see why anyone would do this in two pitches. I pitch, two rappels. Jul 12, 2015

Michael Parker
Belgrade, MT

5.8

The 1st bolt must be like 30 ft off the ground. While you are on fairly easy terrain up to this point, it is still a little intimidating if you aren't comfortable at this grade. Dec 1, 2016

Carson Eisenbeisz
Rapid City, SD

Just a heads up, there seems to be a wasp nest just past the last bolt of the first pitch. I climbed around the arete after clipping that bolt and quickly found myself swarmed by 4 or so wasps. They disappeared into the small crack that leads to the belay ledge atop P1. Sep 3, 2018

Arch Richardson
Grand Junction

I felt perfectly safe clipping the first bolt, but I had 2 solid cams in below me. Just sayin... Jul 31, 2021

Clara Leonard
Nashville, TN

View from the top is incredible. Split up the rap in two, 60m rope worked great. Oct 10, 2021

Jack Jagielski
Minnesota

Killer route. We climbed Waves in two pitches (the standard way) and descended off the "Humpbacks in Love" anchors with an 80M rope in a single rappel. Our 80M rope touched the ground with only a couple feet to spare! May 30, 2024