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Ten Sleep vs Spearfish

Original Post
evan h · · Longmont, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 360

I've been to Ten Sleep twice and absolutely love it. That being said, I've been hearing lots of good stuff about Spearfish as well. I'm starting to plan out my summer trip, looking for stuff in the mid 12 to mid 13 range. So let's hear it...stick with the tried and true or hit up the unknown?

evan h · · Longmont, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 360

Anyone?

Luke Bertelsen · · Tucson, AZ · Joined Feb 2005 · Points: 4,867

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I have visited Tensleep for the pat 5 summers. I love that place. Recently Spearfish was suggested to my wife and I for a new spot to check out. I bought the guidebook and am surely intrigued. I doubt you can go wrong either way. A suggestion if you make it back to Tensleep would be to make sure you hit new areas, there are a ton. You can also migrate south to Lander as there are a lot of awesome crags down there and Lander has a lot more going on (bars, grocery store, laundry, etc.).

I'll be on the lookout for any good Spearfish info.

Sean Nelb · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 470

When I lived in Wyoming, I would usually alternate between both areas on my days off. Spearfish Canyon is good quality and worth visiting. There are good options for shade, so unlike Ten Sleep you'll actually find people climbing before 1 pm. Not that you're going to see a whole lot of people there. The approaches are short and you're not far from the town of Spearfish, which has far more to offer than Ten Sleep does. The routes have a similar steepness to Ten Sleep: vertical to gently overhanging, although there are steeper areas around. Victoria Canyon isn't far away if you want some really overhung rock.

That said, the routes are typically shorter than Ten Sleep, and the rock is a little slicker feeling and less solid. The grading isn't as ego-friendly-soft as Ten Sleep either, and there won't be a ton of people to leave draws and give beta on the line you're eyeing.

Dark Side and Mohican were my favorite cliffs there.

Joseph DeGaetano · · Fayetteville, WV but curren… · Joined May 2008 · Points: 560

Can anyone tell me which would be a better destination for a family trip? Short approaches, young child-friendly crag topography, rest day activities. We are taking a month-long trip through WY and we should exit WY near Ten Sleep and enter South Dakota near Spearfish. Either are viable options as of right now for the last destination. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Sean Nelb · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 470

The approaches are longer at Ten Sleep, but steeper at Spearfish. The ground underneath the cliffs is flatter and broader at Ten Sleep, whereas Spearfish tends to have a narrow trail at the bottom and a steep slope beyond. The best cliff for kids at Spearfish is the Dark Side: the routes all start from a flat maintenance road that you hike up to. My wife and I would take our son up there often until we moved away when he was two.

If your kid(s) are young enough to carry or old enough to hike a bit, Ten Sleep is a better option. Slavery Wall is a 15 min approach with a decently flat base and great routes. Its a short walk north to Valhalla, which also has good lines and flatness. My son learned to crawl there. We'd carry him out to French Cattle Ranch quite often for the stellar lines there. Its a 30-40 minute approach up the hill, and the base is flat for most of the cliff.

Mike Gibson · · Payson, AZ · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 0
Joseph DeGaetano wrote:Can anyone tell me which would be a better destination for a family trip? Short approaches, young child-friendly crag topography, rest day activities. We are taking a month-long trip through WY and we should exit WY near Ten Sleep and enter South Dakota near Spearfish. Either are viable options as of right now for the last destination. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Neither Tensleep nor Spearfish would be a good choice for your criteria. A better option would be near Mt. Rushmore, specifically the south seas area. No approach, lots of short easy routes, ideal for young kids, plus many rest day options. Go see Sylvan Lake and the Needles Highway in Custer State Park.

Tensleep and spearfish dont have any (zero) good moderate routes and neither place would be ideal for just letting your kids run around (rattlesnakes or ticks or poison ivy).
Wilson On The Drums · · Woodbury, MN · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 940

I've never been to Ten Sleep but I've heard great things. I also don't climb your grade range so take this with a grain of salt. I'm a big advocate for SD climbing. I believe spearfish will have what you're looking for, just take a look at the classics and you'll see many 12s and 13s. As a big plus there is Victoria Canyon with some really great routes in that range as well. Not to mention Rushmore and Custer State Park. There has been some recent development in those areas as far as big numbers. I really don't think you can go wrong taking a trip to the Black Hills (north or south). Devil's Tower is just around the corner too if you want to round out a great summer trip.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Wyoming, Montana, Dakotas
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