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Aces High

5.9+, Trad, 110 ft (33 m),  Avg: 3.9 from 32 votes
FA: Pat Flemming,Luke Kretschmar 1998 ground up
S Dakota > Needles Of Rush… > Mt Rushmore Nat… > Emancipation > Five Card Draw
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Description

One of my favorite routes in The Hills! A Ballancy face start leads to a small left facing dihedral. Pull a small roof at the top of the dihedral and traverse right about 10 feet (take care-not protectable-but easy) to gain a beautiful splitter finger to hand to large hand crack! Multiple Cruxes just above the first bolt,at roof of dihedral and midway up the crack.

Protection

2 bolts low. then Look for the crystal placement just made for a .5 Camalot! sling your gear at the traverse to avoid rope drag! this route takes amazing gear. One set of stoppers-.3 to #3 Camalots. Doubles 1-3 if you want to sew it up. Bolted Chain Anchors at top left.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Aces High
[Hide Photo] Aces High
A Black Hills Splitter-top half of Aces High
[Hide Photo] A Black Hills Splitter-top half of Aces High

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Backwards Eric
Fargo, ND
 
[Hide Comment] The final crack is extremely good, just nice comfortable jams. Aug 12, 2024
Matt Touchette
Cody, WY
  5.10-
[Hide Comment] This climb is exceptional. Get on it !
Must have been so fun to establish ground-up. Oct 21, 2025