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Intermediate Trad Route Recommendations for Devil's Lake

Original Post
Kurtz · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 4,632

We'll be passing through Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 4th and I have just that one day to climb at Devil's Lake. I lead trad up to 5.9 (Gunks, Daks, CT, NH, Red Rock). Would someone please recommend a great area and routes to fill one day?

Many Thanks!

SteveZ · · Excelsior, MN · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 431
East Rampart has some classics in that range like:
Brinton's Crack
Breakfast of Champions
Chicago
Birch Tree Crack
Upper D
If you're feeling good you could try Sometime Crack too.

Also, the most important recommendation would be to dip in the lake at the end of the day :)
Kurtz · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 4,632

Consider it considered, Dylan! What's good in the 5.7-5.8 range?

Thanks, Steve! Much appreciated!

James Schroeder · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined May 2002 · Points: 3,166

Kurtz-

Charybdis, Scylla, Breakfast of Champions and Chicago are all bordering on, if not, PG13 and/or considered classic sandbags; they would all be proud, bold, onsights for a leader at his or her limit. If you want to climb classic, protectable routes here is a list by grade:

5.5
Foreplay - Classic, well-protected

5.6
Brinton's Crack - 10 Stars, well-protected
Full Stop - Great, reasonably-protected
Berkeley - Classic, a Steve Roper (yes, that Steve Roper) FA, a little heady
The Pretzel - Aptly named, fun, good pro to be had

5.7
Peter's Project - 10 Stars, low crux, get good gear before you pull it, above that it is cruiser and gorgeous climbing in an amazing position
False Alarm Jam - So good, check out the antique pin at the crux, some exposed 4th class downclimbing makes getting off the tower a little weird
Northwest Crack/Arete - A fun route to the top of a cool feature, getting down is the crux, either rap off a sketchy ring (I never do this), or down solo easy 5th class on the south face

5.8
Birch Tree Crack - Classic, a 5.8 that has embarrassed many a 5.10 leader, make sure you have good gear when you step off the loose block in the alcove

Kiri Namtvedt · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 30

On the same formation as False Alarm Jam is Double Overhang, which is super fun. Both of them are long routes. Downclimb the back of the formation to descend.

AJ Leiden · · Eau Claire, WI · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 0

Leading trad for my first time at the Lake a few weeks back I can second some of the routes already listed, and also think Jolly Roger is pretty worthwhile. It's great straightforward climbing that's well protected with a nice 5.6 right next to it.

e-m-p · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 25

I think that James probably meant to recommend Full Stop and Peter's Project instead of Two Pines Buttress and Many Pines Buttress.

You might also consider Vacillation on Two Pines Buttress.

Sometime Crack is an excellent choice if you're looking for something harder -- it protects well and is overhanging enough that you're not likely to hit things on the way down. I would rather lead it than some of the "easier" suggestions here (Chicago or even Upper D).

James Schroeder · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined May 2002 · Points: 3,166
e-m-p wrote:I think that James probably meant to recommend Full Stop and Peter's Project instead of Two Pines Buttress and Many Pines Buttress. You might also consider Vacillation on Two Pines Buttress. Sometime Crack is an excellent choice if you're looking for something harder -- it protects well and is overhanging enough that you're not likely to hit things on the way down. I would rather lead it than some of the "easier" suggestions here (Chicago or even Upper D).
e-m-p,

You are correct about my intentions, I will update. As for Vacillation...that thing is terrifying!
Double J · · Sandy, UT · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 3,931

Vacillation is not terrifying! James is just being a big sally.

To the OP, if you lead 9, the one nine you should do is Upper D. That climb is the 4 star gold star super star classic of the range.

The end.

James Schroeder · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined May 2002 · Points: 3,166
jon jugenheimer wrote:James is just being a big sally.
It's how I live my life.
SteveZ · · Excelsior, MN · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 431

Also, if you're coming in from the South you might consider taking the Merrimac ferry
They sell ice cream for the ride back too!

Kurtz · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 4,632

The replies just keep getting better (and more useful)!

Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265

A couple moderate East Bluff classics not mentioned that I really like.

PushMi, Pull-Yu (5.6) -Classic
Coatimundi Crack (5.6, Sandbag...) -Classic
Condolences (5.7) Some may disagree but I thought this was a great route. Very fun traversing route if you're into that and it always seems to be open. I climb it like every time I'm at the lake now. Finish on the finger crack after the traverse. :)

Otherwise +1 for everything James and steve said. August 4th is a Tuesday so you should be able to hit these classics hard for an amazing day of climbing.

Hit as many as you can!

EDIT: If there was one route you MUST get on I vote Brinton's. And for a harder lead, Upper Diagonal.

I like Breakfast of Champions more than Upper Diagonal but BOC, like James said, would be a bold onsight at your trad limit.

e-m-p · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 25

Trip report? What did you actually get on?

Kurtz · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 4,632

We're just back from the Upper Midwest. As planned, we climbed D.L. on Aug 5th and had a great day. The Park is really quite beautiful and I wish we had more time to explore. We pulled into the CCC lot to find about 75 young campers about to try rock climbing for the first time. YIKES!! We needn't have worried. Their guides were considerate and it was fun to climb near them (kids say the funniest things when climbing).

After 3 days of driving and 2 days of 90+ degree Chicago (during Lollapallooza), we had less energy than hoped but we still got in some fun climbing...

I led Boy Scout and Brinton's Crack (got half-way up the direct variation before realizing I missed the traverse). Set a TR and ran a couple of laps and variations because it was so nice.

After that we moved left 75? feet and led a very easy dihedral (5.2ish) to keep my wife interested. I guessed we were on Two Pines Buttress because there were 2 large pine trees to our left half-way up. Beneath the left tree was a beautiful crack with some chalk on it. I TR'ed it and would guess it was 5.6-5.7 (local standards). I've been unable to figure out what the route was. The pics on MP don't seem to match what I remember. Any ideas?

Random impressions from a first-timer:

  • The local rock is pretty darn slick (esp. on the approach trail). We started to get used to it after a couple of laps.
  • The routes are closer together that I expected.
  • I've climbed in quite a few old-school areas and D.L.'s ratings are the stiffest I've yet encountered (at least the "easy" routes we climbed).
  • I was surprised to see that the trail at the top was blacktopped in sections, but enjoyed the CCC staircase.
  • We successfully avoided the wild parsnip (yeah, I know it's real but it sounds like a Monty Python gag).

Thanks again for all the beta! Let me know if you're in my area (Central CT and the Gunks) and I'd be delighted to reciprocate.
Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265

Sounds like the easy route you lead was Anemia (5.3) and the chalked crack you were unsure of sounds like Peters Project (5.7). Looks those up and see if that's looks right.

Glad you had a good time at the lake though!

Kurtz · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 4,632

Bingo! Those are the routes. There must have been a bunch more pine trees than I noticed. Peter's Project was a sweet climb.

Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265

Sweet well you managed to get on one of the best 5.7s at the lake. Uber classic!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Midwest
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