Chopping Block  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  15,005. Good page?    Administrators:  Andrew Gram, Peter Gram, Greg Parker, Andy Busse, Mike Housiaux, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Peter Gram on Jul 15, 2002 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Nice day for a great climb!

Description 

This is the namesake rock for this area. This rock is steep on all sides, and provides many hard routes from 5.9 to 5.13. The most popular routes on this rock are Baba Cool (5.9+) and Meat is Murder (5.11).

Getting There 

Follow the trail up the hill from the parking lot. Wrinkled Rock is on the right, and Chopping Block is on the left. First encounter a steep bolted line called Tender Vittles, but continue uphill for the rest of the routes. Go around the corner to the left when possible and look for two faces with a large dihedral in between. This is where the bulk of the climbing is.

The Classics

Featured Route For Chopping Block

Baba Cool 5.9+  SD : Mount Rushmore National Mem... : ... : Chopping Block

Located on the Chopping Block. Hike up from the small parking area just as your leaving the Rushmore memorial. Follow obvious trail. Wrinkled Rock is on your right and the Chopping block is on your left. as the trail curves around the Chopping Block, scramble up to base of the routes. Baba Cool is the left most route on the face.Paul Piana describes it as " A perfect Route. All time classic. Climb this one! " He is right. I'd say it is a very solid 10A....[more]   Browse More Classics in SD