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Cornucopia

Original Post
Josh Olson · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 255

So, I'm just getting into the climbing thing, and I live in northern Wisconsin. The nearest crag is 3 hours away, which kind of sucks. But, I've heard of the "sea caves" along the shore of Lake Superior, and i was wondering if there is any climbing to be done. The pictures appear to be sandstone, and there could be some awesome climbing to be done. Anybody ever look over in that area?

sunder · · Alsip, Il · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 805

Where at in wisconsin?

Stevens point is only
1.5 hours from devil's lake
1.2 hours from necedah

Check out the following and find some places close to you.
mountainproject.com/v/wisco…
mountainproject.com/v/michi…
mountainproject.com/v/minne…

andyedwards · · OR · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 205

No climbing per National Park Service (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore), the rock quality is pretty piss poor anyway, breaks in your hand, wouldn't be worth climbing anyway.

Andy Hansen · · Longmont, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 3,130

Barn Bluff and Taylors Falls are both in MN right across the border.

Josh Olson · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 255

Park Falls, WI is my hometown...2 hours from rib mountain which is now closed, three from the eau claire area, 3.5 from hillbilly hollow, but its only like 2 from the cornucopia area. I was hoping something closer. thanks for the advice though.

Evan Johnson · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 675
aed wrote:No climbing per National Park Service (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore), the rock quality is pretty piss poor anyway, breaks in your hand, wouldn't be worth climbing anyway.
I can't find this stated anywhere, anyone have the source for this?
Daniel Max Christiansen · · Boise, ID · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 765

I am on my way up to the Apostles tomorrow and when I got my permit from the park service I asked a ranger about putting up an deep-water solo FA of balanced rock off of Stockton Island (it's really only about 25 ft high so more like a boulder problem over water) via sea kayak and he said it was no problem...

Evan Johnson · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 675

That's good to hear. Had my eye on that last time I was at Stockton.

Take some pictures and let us know how it goes.

Daniel Max Christiansen · · Boise, ID · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 765

So the ascent of balanced rock was a no go due to actual (current) park regulations despite what the ranger said. The park service has disallowed climbing, swimming, and cliff jumping on Sand, Devil's, and Stockton in an effort to protect the sea caves on these islands. However, I spent 8 days in the park on several of the other islands and saw some awesome potential routes/deep water boulder problems on beautiful sandstone that reminded me of Moab and I think that could possibly be sent without violating this regulation. The eastern sides of Bear and Cat islands were the most promising and I messed around on a couple, but during my visit it was quite evident that climbing culture has not yet arrived to the Apostles and I wonder what the general opionion of those who already use the park for other activites, like hiking and boating, and the NPS would be if it took hold with any gusto...

Josh Olson · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 255

So do you know where we can find the rules against climbing in those areas? I would love to climb there as there is a lot of rock up there, but I would hate to start some access issues from the get go. I know there is a big climbing community in Duluth and on the west, i mean "north shore" of lake superior, maybe we can start to talk to the right people and secure some safe, legal climbing? I mean, Wisconsin has enough rock that we can't climb, I would hate to add to the list.

Daniel Max Christiansen · · Boise, ID · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 765

I looked on the NPS website extensively and could find nothing. Where I did see the no climbing/swimming/cliff jumping regulation when I was up there was in quite a unique place: the outhouses on the islands. The park service has decorated the inside of the outhouses with literature on the park and the particular islands, including a 'series' if you will called "Top 20 least known park rules" (I'm not joking at all). At the out house at the campsite on the south end of Devil's their is part of this series about the sea caves and the no climbing/swimming/cliff jumping regulation. I'm fairly confident that one could roll up in a boat or kayak to any part of any island with potential rock, as long as it is not near a sea cave, and send away without any problem because, as I said before, no one climbs there and therefore no one would probably take notice. But, if you wanted to fly below the radar I would keep it to islands or parts of islands that are no where near the tourist-attracting sea caves.

Off of this topic: I moved back to Wisco after being out west for 10 years and I am surprised and disappointed by the general lack of access that the state allows (e.g. Roche-A-Cri). It seems that climbing, like other aspects of life, remains entirely non-progressive in my home state though it continues to be developed in those around it...

Ed Wright · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 285

Man, I could tell you a story about getting a permit to climb at Roche-a-Cri but I don't have the time. I will tell you, though, that the place has been poached.

Burton Lindquist · · Madison, WI · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 4,215

Was that poached egg (um.... I mean climb) tasty? From what I have seen at RCSTP there are a few yummy edibles there. Forbidden fruit is oh so enticing...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Midwest
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