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Shovel Point
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Select Route:
A Dream of White Sheep 
A Study in Scarlet 
Balance of Power 
Cornered 
Dance of the Sugar-Plump Faeries 
Did Plato Love Trees? 
Ego-itis 
Gold Plated 
Great Barrier Roof, The 
Great Yawn, The 
Narcoleptic Epic 
Out On A Limb 
Rise Over Run 
Ross's Crack 
Sacred Biscuit 
Soldier of God 
Straight, No Chaser 
Straw House 
Tree Route, The 
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee 

Shovel Point 


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Administrators: Kris Gorny, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: nodin on Apr 12, 2006

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Shovel Point as seen from Palisade Head.

Description 

The more moderate of Tettegouche's two sea cliff crags, Shovel is more popular with boy scout troops, church groups and top ropers. This notwithstanding, more than a handfull of full value classics are to be found here. Must-dos include Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies, Gold Plated, Rosses Crack and others.

This spot is popular with tourists as well and they will likely watch you climb and ask you questions.

You are encouraged to stay on the trails and use the new statepark placed anchors (the biggest bolt hangers ever!). Be kind to the trees as well...


Getting There 

Park at the statepark rest stop and hike northeast following the signs.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Shovel Point:
Out On A Limb   5.6     Trad, TR, 50 feet   
The Great Yawn   5.6     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 70 feet   
Dance of the Sugar-Plump Faeries   5.8     TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   
Did Plato Love Trees?   5.9 PG13     Trad, 3 pitches, 200 feet   
A Dream of White Sheep   5.9     TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   
Cornered   5.9     TR, 100 feet   
Gold Plated   5.10b     TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet   
A Study in Scarlet   5.10b     TR, 120 feet   
Ross's Crack   5.10b     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet   
Sacred Biscuit   5.11a     TR, 120 feet   
Narcoleptic Epic   5.11d     Trad, TR, 70 feet   
Browse More Classics in Shovel Point

Featured Route For Shovel Point
KD climbing what I think was Ross' Crack, June 2004.

Ross's Crack 5.10b  MN : Tettegouche SP (North Shore... : Shovel Point
I have only ever top roped this route from above, but it is also possible to lead it in 2 pitches. The first pitch is reported to be 5.8 and mediocre. For top roping lower about 60 feet to a tree and climb the dihedral stemming your way to the top. There are several old pins within the thin crack, that are about the only protection I remember towards the top if you were leading it....[more]   Browse More Classics in MN


Photos of Shovel Point Slideshow Add Photo
Shovel Point on a cloudy February morning.

Shovel Point on a cloudy February morning.

View from the top

View from the top

Shovel Point.

Shovel Point.

Setting up a belay on I think Ross's Crack.  Spring 2004.

Setting up a belay on I think Ross's Crack. Sprin...

Can't remember which route, spring 2004.  Amazing place.

Can't remember which route, spring 2004. Amazing ...

Can't remember which route, scan of a print, spring 2004?

Can't remember which route, scan of a print, sprin...

Derrik Patola --Giant Anchors!

Derrik Patola --Giant Anchors!

surfing

surfing

Shovel Point, August 2011.

Shovel Point, August 2011.

Zach Vavricka on Only the Lonely

Zach Vavricka on Only the Lonely


Comments on Shovel Point Add Comment
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Comments displayed oldest to newestSkip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Jan 23, 2013
By USBRIT
Jan 25, 2009

This crag was opened out by Paul Ross and assistants while working for Minn Outward Bound School about 1976/7 .At that time here was not even a trail out to the cliff . There was a massive amount of loose rock on most of the climbs when first ascented.At this time about 12 climbs were first ascended up to 5.10, some for the use of students and some for their own personal fun.

By Brian Weinstein
Jan 26, 2009

Paul,
Was that the story for Palisade as well?

By ferrells
From: Minneapolis, MN
May 4, 2011

Great new hangers now at the tops of the most often climbed pitches!
I am honored to be part of a community that was able to make this happen. Let the regrowth begin!

By Matthias Holladay
From: Durango, Colorado
Sep 8, 2011

"The more moderate of Tettegouche's two sea cliff crags, Shovel is . . ."

I'm sorry, but despite how large Superior is, it IS a lake, hence the North Shore's cliffs are lake cliffs--NOT sea cliffs.

Go to the Redwood Coast or Acadia for true sea cliff climbing here in the USA!

By Dave Rone
From: Eau Claire, Wis
Sep 8, 2011

Matthias,
Your observation is about as meaningful as which came first, the chicken or the egg. Climb on Palisade Head or Shovel Point and you know what sea cliff climbing is all about.

By Matthias Holladay
From: Durango, Colorado
Sep 18, 2011

You are right and I apologise for being a stickler for semantics. And please don't get me wrong, I'm sure it is especially lovely, committing, and fun---I'd be honored to climb there someday as I truly LOVE cliffs by water.
But the water on the ocean sometimes has big waves, and I mean big ones, and the air and the roar create a briny aroma which permeates everything...

By josh wabaunsee
Sep 19, 2011

salt air? nope

big enough body of water to generate its own weather? check

big waves? define big, i do know on a rough day it makes me nervous to turn my back to the lake as i stand on the shore.

Hardest of the hardcore surf the lake in the winter.

By Garrett Genereux
Apr 24, 2012

I was up at Shovel Point this past weekend, and while having some fun on Soldier of God we noticed some peregrine falcons switching spots on a nest just around the corner from us. When I spoke to park staff about it, she said that they aren't sure how many nesting pairs there are on Shovel Point this year and that they were getting ready to start putting up definitive route closure signs soon. I would guess that it is possible that Out on a Limb through Soldier of God will be closed through nesting season.

By Matthias Holladay
From: Durango, Colorado
Sep 9, 2012

Define big, eh? Well, whilst new routing on sea cliffs on The Redwood Coast years ago (on the cliff itself proper, not "standing on the shore," my belayer was inundated by a rogue wave which rolled in from the Far East, all the way across the North Pacific Ocean, knocked him almost unconscious & off his stance. Had he not been anchored, I would have been pulled from the tenuous moves I was making.

So sorry, your description is still inaccurate, and as fantastic as your area is, and it does look wonderful, it is still a LAKE cliff. Perhaps with "nailing and bolting ... not allowed," no wonder you are a bit testy about your especially beautiful place.

That would be deplorable! TR-ing a new line from the rim and not being able to bolt it for a some real adrenaline on the sharp end...or scoping an amazing traverse just above those glorious wave-lets, and not even be able to pound a KB or bolt...unless you covertly did it and then did not document it, except via word of mouth...that would be pleasant...

Oh, and having done many new routes on actual sea cliffs, I think I know what true sea cliff climbing is all about, thank you. ;-D

By colin rickert
From: Ottawa, ON
Dec 8, 2012

Matthias,

Remember this isn't a surfing web site so your points are moot as far as I am concerned. Do rogue waves inspire you to climb better? Probably not I am guessing. I am also going to guess that the scenery, location, ambience, exposure and most of all the quality of rock are what matters most and this place looks like it has all of that and then some.

If they want to call it a sea cliff because it resembles one pretty much to the T then why not just let them?

PS - Ever heard of the phrase "inland ocean"?

By Evan Johnson
From: Prior Lake, MN
Jan 23, 2013

@Matthias Holladay:

big = "Annual storms on Lake Superior regularly record wave heights of over 6 metres (20 ft). Waves well over 9 metres (30 ft) have been recorded." - wiki