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420th Bluff 
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Stevens Point Buildering 
Westby Bouldering 
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Wolf Rock 
Wyalusing ice 

Wisconsin 


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Devils Lake. Crux of Stool Pidgeon. Photo: Henning...

Wisconsin Rocks 

Welcome to Wisconsin, home to some of the Upper Midwest's finest rock climbing venues. Probably, the most popular and highest quantity of climbing can be found at Devil's Lake. Nonetheless, there are other scattered crags in the state for those who are willing to drive and explore. Don't expect to find towering cliffs here, but there is an amazing quality and history to the climbing in the state.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Wisconsin:
The Godfather   V4     Boulder   Box Canyon Boulders : Godfather Boulder
Sandstone Violence   V8     Boulder   Backbone Ridge : West Side- Backbone Ridge
East Comfort Route   5.4     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   West Bluff - Cleo Amphithea... : Cleopatra's Needle
Air   5.6     Sport, 95 feet   Necedah (Petenwell Bluff) : Air Spire
Brinton's Crack   5.6     Trad   East Bluff - East Rampart : Brinton's Buttress
Peter's Project   5.7     Trad, TR   East Bluff - East Rampart : Many Pines Buttress
Roger's Roof   5.8     Trad, TR   East Bluff - Railroad Track... : Horse Rampart
Birch Tree Crack   5.8     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet   East Bluff - East Rampart : Pedestal Buttress
Upper Diagonal   5.9     Trad, TR   East Bluff - East Rampart : Pedestal Buttress
Congratulations   5.10a     Trad, TR   East Bluff - East Rampart : Pedestal Buttress
Sometime Crack   5.10a     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet   East Bluff - East Rampart : Pedestal Buttress
Cheatah   5.10b     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 120 feet   East Bluff - East Rampart : Bill's Buttress
Y-Crack (aka Old and in the Way)   5.10c     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Necedah (Petenwell Bluff) : Y-Crack Wall
Thoroughfare   5.11a     Trad   East Bluff - East Rampart : Two Pines Buttress
D.L.F.A   5.11     Trad, 29 pitches, 290 feet, Grade VI   East Bluff - East Rampart : Pedestal Buttress
Straight No Chaser   5.11c     Trad   Necedah (Petenwell Bluff) : Y-Crack Wall
Son Of Great Chimney   5.11c     Trad   Prospect Point Rampart : Great Chimney Area
Acid Rock   5.12a     TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet   East Bluff - East Rampart : Gill's Buttress
Bagatelle   5.12c/d R     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet   East Bluff - East Rampart : Pseudo Hawk's Nest
Whiskey a Go-Go   5.13a     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Necedah (Petenwell Bluff) : Y-Crack Wall
Browse More Classics in Wisconsin


Featured Route For Wisconsin
The Zipper.

The Zipper V8  WI : Devil's Lake : ... : Monster/Flatiron
This is an impressive effort by Eric Zschiesche. The blank looking face to left of Monster was an aid climb. Now, a balls out high ball boulder problem. It's not "git on it" but "GIT UP IT!!!!"...[more]   Browse More Classics in WI


Photos of Wisconsin Slideshow Add Photo
Our awesome state

Our awesome state

Van Hise Rock <br /> <br />Located near Rock Springs, Van Hise Rock is named after renowned UW geologist Charles Van Hise.  Van Hise used this boulder in the 1890's to demonstrate concepts in metamorphic and structural geology to his students. <br /> <br />Learned geologists and geographers from the University of Wisconsin used the Baraboo Range for decades to formulate theories in mountain building epochs. <br /> <br />

Van Hise Rock

Located near Rock Springs, Van Hise...


"Flying Fin"  <br />Sauk County Wisconsin

"Flying Fin"
Sauk County Wisconsin


"Flying Fin" <br />Sauk County, Wisconsin

"Flying Fin"
Sauk County, Wisconsin


Air Dodge

Air Dodge

info  <br /> <br />Any questions email me @ dfocus@hotmail.com

info

Any questions email me @ dfocus@hotmail.com


Kris Gorny's 9.7mm Beal after a fall where the rope was stuck in a flake/crack at the Lake.

Kris Gorny's 9.7mm Beal after a fall where the rop...

Devil's Lake from the top of the Old Sandstone bluff.  10/18/08 <br /> <br />photo by: John Knoernschild

Devil's Lake from the top of the Old Sandstone blu...

Devil's Lake. Looking down the East Bluff from the top of the Old Sandstone trail. 10/18/08 <br /> <br />photo by: John Knoernschild

Devil's Lake. Looking down the East Bluff from the...

Sauk County

Sauk County

Sauk County <br />Virgin Sandstone?

Sauk County
Virgin Sandstone?


Sauk County

Sauk County

Sauk County

Sauk County

Sauk County

Sauk County

Oh DEER!!

Oh DEER!!

Narrows Creek, central WI

Narrows Creek, central WI

Fall '07 colors at Devils Lake.

Fall '07 colors at Devils Lake.

No.  Not in Wisconsin.  Summit Shot of Wisco Climbers Pat Geoghegan and myself on Crazy Peak in Montana.  Crazy (11,209) is the high point in the Crazies and the most "prominant" in Montana.

No. Not in Wisconsin. Summit Shot of Wisco Climb...

Crazy Peak - The Crow Indians consider it to be the most sacred mountain on the northern plains.

Crazy Peak - The Crow Indians consider it to be th...

Crazy Peak - The rugged West Ridge route is mainly 3rd Class with a couple of short 4th Class sections.  It was a "motha".

Crazy Peak - The rugged West Ridge route is mainly...

Apparently the Polar Bears at Henry Vilas Zoo are avid sport climbers.  Weird.

Apparently the Polar Bears at Henry Vilas Zoo are ...

South Slope of the Baraboo Range

South Slope of the Baraboo Range

Sandstone over Leland

Sandstone over Leland

Lower Narrows of the Baraboo Range

Lower Narrows of the Baraboo Range

Bald Eagle over the Baraboo River

Bald Eagle over the Baraboo River

Blue Mounds (1489 Ft.) High Point of Southern Wisconsin

Blue Mounds (1489 Ft.) High Point of Southern Wisc...

View from Cactus Bluff.

View from Cactus Bluff.

View from Cactus Bluff looking downstream (west).

View from Cactus Bluff looking downstream (west).

View from Cactus Bluff near Sauk of the Lower Wisconsin @ dawn.

View from Cactus Bluff near Sauk of the Lower Wisc...

Try Lienenkugel's 1880 Bock.

Try Lienenkugel's 1880 Bock.

Necedah

Necedah

Perhaps Cleo's 1st Ascent?  This was "borrowed" from the Wisconsin State Historical society site.  Taken by H.H. Bennett perhaps around the turn of the century?

Perhaps Cleo's 1st Ascent? This was "borrowed" fr...

Ammo Cams

Ammo Cams

Somewhere in southern Wisconsin...

Somewhere in southern Wisconsin...

Found on Supertopo forums with caption "Prunes leading the 1st ascent of yet another obscure 5.11 crack on a obscure crag in Wisconsin" <br /> <br />Anyone know where or what this is?

Found on Supertopo forums with caption "Prunes lea...

Wisconsin climbing legend, Travy Melin.

Wisconsin climbing legend, Travy Melin.

A rare Wisconsin Whitesnake sighting at Petenwell Bluff in Necedah.

A rare Wisconsin Whitesnake sighting at Petenwell ...

A secret Wisconsin summit!

A secret Wisconsin summit!

Fall Glory

Fall Glory

East Bluff

East Bluff

Roznos Prairie and South Bluff

Roznos Prairie and South Bluff

Cleo's

Cleo's

West Bluff

West Bluff

Yeah

Yeah

Devils Lake Regatta 4/28/12 <br />Badgers row to the start.

Devils Lake Regatta 4/28/12
Badgers row to the sta...


boulder bash

boulder bash

Boulder Bash 2012!!

Boulder Bash 2012!!

Poor photo/ light quality, but here is a shot of Chris Keller walking the high line we set at Pewits Nest last weekend.

Poor photo/ light quality, but here is a shot of C...


Comments on Wisconsin Add Comment
Show which comments
By Leo Paik
Administrator
From: Westminster, Colorado
Apr 23, 2008

Anyone climb at the cliffs near Greenleaf off WI Hwy 57? One hiker mentioned it had the same Niagara escarpment limestone as High Cliff State Park but taller cliffs.

By sweatpants
From: Broomfield, CO
May 14, 2008

I was curious if anyone knows of any bouldering that's been found in southern wisconsin or northern Illinois that might not be very well known? Just figured I'd ask. any info is appreciated. thanks!

By TravisMelin
From: Roanoke, VA La Crosse, WI
May 14, 2008

I scoped out a great deal of the central area just north of the border (my folks live there). The best I found was a stone watertower (project still), and a stone barn (V5 traverse)....any true rock was all choss or too short.

By Leveille
From: Appleton, WI
Jul 26, 2008

Anyone climb around Niagara, Wi? It seems like there is a decently long and high cliff band with no houses on top or anything so it might be a city/county park. Maybe the mill there owns the part behind the mill but most of it seems pretty accessible. It does look quite virgin (dirty) though. It also looks like high quality High Cliff stone under the dirt/moss/etc. I checked out the Niagara's website and they don't really mention the cliffs specifically though it sounds like there are various other gorges, etc. in the area.

By matt oberley
Apr 14, 2011

The new Union South in Madison is advertising that they have a climbing and bouldering wall and is opening this week...anyone know anything about the size and/or quality of these supposed walls?

By Trad Nanny
Apr 14, 2011

I am consulting for the U South Wall. It's about 30ft tall and features 4 auto-belays, plus a small boudering cave. The wall is mostly geared to beginners (I did the setting) with a harder route or two mixed in (5.10 max). There is also an awesome crack to climb (Jason Skinner FA). One of the auto belays is on a "realistic" wall which looks good but severally limits what you can set on it.

All the holds are Nicros and setting is mostly done by hold color and not by colored tape (less mess).

Hours are roughly going to be 4pm-9pm I think.

I believe you can go down and check it out starting next Monday.

By matt oberley
Apr 14, 2011

Thanks for the info...any pictures of U South?

By Juggler
May 31, 2011

To All Chicago Area Climbers:

I am looking for partners to go to WI climbing and other locations(Jackson Falls, DL, The Red, Grand Dads, etc) with.

I have an Airplane and can fly us there. Please send me a PM if you want more details and the cost of sharing the flight expenses. Hope to meet a few of you soon. I can fit up to 4 climbers with me in the Cherokee 6(with room for gear). I also have lodging available in a log cabin in the area :)

By Jeff VS
Jan 10, 2012

Devil's Lake: The top of Sunken Pillar/der Glotz on Balanced Rock Wall is missing! Large rock fall in the last few days. Doesn't change the rating of anything but there is a different look. Perfect climbing day today. 50+ degrees in the middle of January!