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Elevation: 3,825 ft
GPS: 44.4578, -103.8589
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 1,048,649 total · 3,976/month
Shared By: Anonymous Coward on Jul 21, 2002 · Updates
Admins: Peter Gram, Greg Parker, Mikel Madsen, Mark Rafferty

Description Suggest change

Spearfish Canyon is a gorgeous canyon, lined with steep slopes capped by bands of limestone. The amount of rock in the canyon is staggering.

There are 7 or so main areas along the canyon, starting with Skeletal Remains and ending with The Shadowlands. There are also several smaller crags interspersed throughout. The rock quality tends to get better further up the canyon, with walls at Blue Sky, The Mohican, The Big Picture Gully, Sunshine, The Dark Side, and The Shadowlands holding some of the best stone you'll find anywhere.

The style of climbing varies from crimpy, small pocket tech-fests to slightly overhanging pocketed walls to steep and burly. Most areas have a good combination of routes of all styles, although certain areas are known for being predominantly techy, or pumpy, or bouldery, etc.

Climbing can be had year-round here. Spring through June can be wet, but usually you can still climb a fair bit. Summer can be hot and humid, but there are shady crags and mornings and evenings offer sending temps. Fall is dry and cooler and is the best time to visit. Winter is mostly cold, but there are 10 days a month that offer ideal climbing in the sun conditions. There are several Northerly and Southerly facing crags, offering reasonable climbing conditions in the heat of summer and anytime the sun pops out in the winter. Notably, checkout Darkside and Shadowlands for Summer conditions and Sunshine, Botany Bay, Nacho and Top shelf in the winter. Many of the other crags have an East-West aspect and are best climbed in the mornings or evenings following or avoiding the sun as makes sense for the conditions. This isn't a big issue as you are within walking or short driving distance to other crags. 

The approaches are relatively short for most areas, typically taking no longer than 10-15 minutes on well-established trails.

Ice Climbing Suggest change

Spearfish Canyon in the northern Black Hills is an excellent place to learn to climb ice. The ice is very reliable, not very crowded, and is usually accessed by short approaches. All routes are in the WI2 - WI4 range, and there is potential to add some very difficult mixed routes in the Terminator Pillar amphitheatre.

Getting There

Suggest change
Go to Spearfish, SD. Take 14A south out of town.

941 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Spearfish Canyon

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 87
July 4th
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 197
Yippey-Kay-Yay
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 75
Carp
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 88
The Sundance
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 149
Peace Pipe
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 96
The Euphamiah Beresford Memorial
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 69
Astro Pop
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 58
Mary Jane
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 64
Concracktion
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 56
Indecent Exposure
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 62
Ripsnorter
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 146
Last of the Mohicans
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 80
The Juvenile
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 59
Blood Brother
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 53
Battlecry
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
July 4th Sunshine > Euphamiah Beresford M…
 87
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Yippey-Kay-Yay Mohican > Lady In Red
 197
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Carp Blue Sky > Fishbowl
 75
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
The Sundance Sunshine > Prow
 88
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Peace Pipe Mohican > [Redacted]
 149
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
The Euphamiah Beresford Mem… Sunshine > Euphamiah Beresford M…
 96
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Astro Pop Sunshine > First Wall
 69
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Mary Jane Danks > Upper Danks
 58
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Concracktion Dark Side > Dark Side Wall
 64
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Indecent Exposure Blue Sky > Indecent Exposure
 56
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Ripsnorter Sunshine > Thunderhead
 62
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Last of the Mohicans Mohican > [Redacted]
 146
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
The Juvenile Shadowlands > Court House Wall
 80
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Blood Brother Mohican > [Redacted]
 59
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Battlecry Mohican > [Redacted]
 53
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
More Classic Climbs in Spearfish Canyon »

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