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Devil's Tower


scrambled_legs

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It gets mighty warm on sun-exposed faces during the day...Africa hot!! We stayed at that KOA campground and it SUCKED!!!! Expensive and you have a bunch of RV's, ATV's, and other white t*ash paraphenalia making noise into late hours of the night. There's got to be better options but I don't know where. There's a general store right there as well (basics).

 

Check the summitpost Devil's Tower page - got lots of good route info. from Frank Sanders himslef (many FA's on the tower).

 

Some good info. also here:

http://www.piquaclimber.com/

 

and here:

http://www.gdargaud.net/ (nice photos!)

 

Oh yeah, as you're hiking down after a day of climbing, keep your gaze down - DON'T make eye contact with the tourists (or pack all your stuff inside the backpack, douse yourself with massive amounts of cologne and make like one of them)...you'll see why after your first day there.

 

Overall a great fun place. Enjoy.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Re: beta on DT:

 

1. We camped @ the Natl Park (or Monument?) area which is okay, but sounds like the hookup is to get your reservation at the climbers hostel / camp well in advance... Climbed next to the guy who runs it, super cool guy...

 

2. Be prepared for the crowd on the weekend; bag the Durrance and Matador on a weekday (if ya can)

 

3. Ditto on the stretch... unless you're already gumby dat is; Matador is unreal.

85925_Ascanio_elMatador_crux-med.JPG

 

<if I really got this image to insert, i'm buying myself a bier right now>

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We did the Durrance 2 summers ago. We got stuck behind 2 bone-heads that took the better part of the day to get up the thing, and along the way dropped 2 cams that nearly hit us. I was seriously torqued about this when at the final belay Frank Sanders pops his head over the ledge at my feet with rope in tow. He bellows a hearty greeting and proceeds to pull up the loose rope behind him. As it became clear to me that he was free-soloing the route he asks if I'd mind if he climbed through (kinda like a golfer would). When we got to the top he gave us a "tour" of the summit plateau, showing us a hidden pile of old rusty tin cans and other paraphenalia from the time back in 40s when the guys got stuck on top. He also pointed out his house down below just a short distance away, and invited us over for supper that night. If we hadn't been slowed down by the guys in front of us we would never have met Frank. That was one of my most memorable climbing days.

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Durrance is the classic, a must do. Also, check out Tulgey Wood 5.10a, fun finger crack... And I think Mr. Clean. It's been a couple of years but I think we camped in the monument and it was cool!

 

Watch out for the giant bear that created the tower trying to get to the 'locals' (seriously though, check the dates for the voluntary climbing ban for native american ceremonies, I think chucK is right - the whole month of June!)

 

Not much around there, but if you are driving out, you gotta stop at Wild Iris outside of Lander. awesome sport climbing, very cool scene and camping at the town park!

 

Enjoy.

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Durrance is the trade route and as such, typically reeks of urine. If you are willing to put up with climbs such as Durrance then you might be better off doing Tad, same kind of climbing with less urine.

Carols Crack

Walt Bailey Memorial

Belle Fouche Buttress

Mr.Clean

Soler

McCarthy North Face

West Face direct

Hollywood and Vine

Skinny Puppy (insert chestbeat emote)

Broken Tree

El Matador

Freaking awesome place to climb...load up heavy on stoppers and Rps and a small cam rack and you'll be all set.

 

And while your there, drive to the NW corner of the monument where the dirt road leaves the park. Step outside the boundary and in the soil you can find fossil squid shells Orthoceras.

 

Dont forget the bouldering! ( Andy Petefish on the Extingusher. North Tower loop)

3160petefish.jpg

 

 

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Advice about stoppers is good. Take two to three sets and less on the cams. The tower eats great stoppers, you can throw those babies in there. If you are going to do the Durrance route, do it fast and early. Also there are variations that are slightly harder you can do to get by slower parties. If Mr. Clean is within your abilities and El Matador they are awesome. While the desert may have the most perfect cracks the tower has the most fun ones to climb...

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