Trip Report
Last Black Hills TR for a while.
Sunday June 21, 2015 9:34pm
[Click to View YouTube Video]Had a great couple of days in the needles this weekend and did some sport climbing earlier in the week with a couple of my brothers friends from Boulder. This will be my last new post from the Black Hills for a while as I am moving in a couple of weeks to start a new life in Colorado. It is exciting, scary, sad, and happy all at the same time. After over two decades in the same place this is a major change for me and my family, but hopefully it will be a positive one. This is an attempt to jump start careers for my wife and I in the vibrant Colorado economy in a way that the stagnant job market in South Dakota just can't provide. After 8 years at a job with no promotion, hardly even a cost of living raise, and layoffs at the university where I work becoming a monthly occurance we are hopefully headed for greener pastures. For those of you that have read my posts over the years I think my love for the Black Hills has shown through so it is not without a little anxiety that this will take place. This storm will pass and there are blue skies on the horizons[Click to View YouTube Video]

A couple of weeks ago my brother called and said a couple of his friends were coming up and was wondering if I could show them around a little. So on Sunday night they showed up and we talked about some different possibilities for the week over a couple of beers. Waking up on Monday morning to major rain was somewhat of a bummer but I said I knew of a place in Spearfish Canyon that overhangs around 40 feet. So I drove them up to Botany Bay and they did a couple of routes while I ran back to work. They ended up climbing most of the day even though it rained all day. I think they got in a 10c, a 9 and a 11c.
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Credit: mike m
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5.9 corner still dry, the 11c goes up the shield of rock to the left.
5.9 corner still dry, the 11c goes up the shield of rock to the left.
Credit: mike m
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We also rode Crow Peak which is an awesome steep single track to the summit of one of the most prominent peaks in the Black Hills that is right outside of Spearfish. Later in the week after they did some trad climbing they made it back to Spearfish and we went up to one of the areas I developed starting in the Mid 90s called Sunshine Wall in Spearfish Canyon. I don't sport climb much these days but it was fun to go up with these guys in their 20's who love to sport climb and can really climb hard. We ended up climbing The Sundance
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Credit: mike m
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and Pete's wicked route on the light bulb buttress. They both sent both onsite with the latter being a fairly long and pumpy 11c.
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Credit: mike m
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I cleaned and bolted both these routes but only got the FA on the former. I did the first burn on Pete's Wicked Route with Pete Delannoy a legendary Black Hills climber who started all the climbing in Spearfish Canyon. After I didn't send on my first go I offered him the lead and of course he sent: hence the name. We then took a tour of the rest of the wall and called it a night as we did not get started until after 6pm.

Later in the week I met up with them in the Needles where they had done several of the classics including Classic Crack on Inner Outlet, Sex never did this to my hands, and Sore Thumb. Jack and I arrived in the Needles at about 2:30 and we immediately went up and did the Doody Direct on the Gnomen. [Click to View YouTube Video] We then ran into Brunno and Ian and they wanted to do Kamps Crack on Bell Tower. Ian did a great job leading it.
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Credit: mike m
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Jack gave it a burn on TR but got stymied by the old school 10a. It then started to rain and I showed them the old climber hang called the Sex Cave where Delannoy and his crew carried a picnic table up to this improbable camp spot several decades ago. In the mean time it stopped raining and we went behind the lake and did some routes on Old Peoples Dome and then Jack and I did Rhum Room while they did Goldberry Lane.

We called it a night and camped at Poverty Gultch where we met up with the local crew and talked climbing well into the night until some scary thunder storms shut us down.
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Hillstone still the size of golf balls 10 hours after last nights stor...
Hillstone still the size of golf balls 10 hours after last nights storm
Credit: mike m
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We got up at the crack of 10am made some breakfasts called our dads as it was fathers day. We then hiked into the Cathedral Spires. Bruno and Ian did Rubyatt
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Rubyatt is the 300ft spire in the lower right.
Rubyatt is the 300ft spire in the lower right.
Credit: mike m
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but took the wrong first pitch and ended up on a terribly loose scare fest, but they did get to the top of the first pitch eventually and said they loved the beautiful second pitch to one of the finest spires around. In my opinion this goes at around 10a with the crux protected by an old pin.
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Old pin protecting the crux.
Old pin protecting the crux.
Credit: mike m
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It is amazing what the Conn's did so long ago with such primitive gear as I have used every cam I have the couple of times I have lead it.
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Credit: mike m
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In the meantime Jack and I hiked up to the Picket Fence where we did granddad and grandma the two highest summits in the group. [Click to View YouTube Video] We had planned on doing the 5.5 route on Granddad but took the wrong crack and ended up doing a repeat of a new route put up by Andrew Burr and Chris Hirsch a few years ago.
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Credit: mike m
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This a picture of the summit of Granddad and Grandma from the summit of East Gruesome. It was a beautiful 90ft finger to offwidth crack that pulls decent size roof into a nice offwidth but goes at least at 5.9. Opps but we both sent and we then rapped down and Jack decided to lead Grandma
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Credit: mike m
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and did a great job leading an old school 5.3 that is probably more in the 5.7 range if it was rated today with a line of bolts beside it. We got a little cooked on that one but hiked back down to Brunno and Ian where we hiked back to the car. They decided they had another route in them and did another classic on Moby Dick called Nantucket Sleighride a heady 10a with a splitter tcu crack to start and then 5 bolts to the summit.[Click to View YouTube Video]
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Credit: mike m
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BTW here is the Wikipedia definition for Nantucket Sleighride: A Nantucket sleighride was a term used by Nantucket whalemen to describe what occurs immediately following the harpooning of a whale. The whale, distressed by the harpoon, attempts to flee and thus drags the boat along with it. The speed of the "sleigh ride" would vary depending on the species of the whale, with certain species (e.g. humpbacks) giving faster rides. The sperm whale was the whale that caused the longest drag events, reaching speeds of 23 mph (37 km/h).[

Here are a couple other pictures from the day.
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Climbers on Spire one with Javelin on the lower right.
Climbers on Spire one with Javelin on the lower right.
Credit: mike m
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Spire 5-9 from the top of Granddad
Spire 5-9 from the top of Granddad
Credit: mike m
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Large wall on the west side of Harney Peak that we put a route up on l...
Large wall on the west side of Harney Peak that we put a route up on last year.
Credit: mike m
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I will always called Black Hills home but it is time to move on.

  Trip Report Views: 2,003
mike m
About the Author
mike m is a trad climber from black hills. Who is cold

Comments
johnboy

Trad climber
Can't get here from there
  Jun 21, 2015 - 10:08pm PT
You gotta do what you gotta do, the hills will always be here beckoning for your return, even if it is a for a night or two.

I still can't get over what they did to the trees up around the needle, brings a tear to my eyes, as does many other parts of the hills.

Good luck with your move and future jobs, hope everthing is better for you and your family.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 21, 2015 - 10:22pm PT
Just this year all the trees at Poverty Gulch, the local climbers campground, have died. Many have been since cut down. I am devastated by it as well, but I can't decide what is worse: huge trees blown over and stacked up like match sticks or all cut up on the ground. I spent a fair bit of time on the on the western and northern side of Harney Peak last fall and you can barely walk anywhere around there anymore cause all of the dead beetle trees have been blown over. True wilderness now I guess.Sometimes I just hope for a big fire to get rid of it all.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
  Jun 21, 2015 - 10:29pm PT
tour de force
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Jun 25, 2015 - 06:15am PT
The Black hills will miss you, but oportunities and adventure abound in the milder climate of the front range! Not the least of which, you'll be closer to Vedauwoo!

Cheers and good luck!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Jun 22, 2015 - 04:36am PT
Wow! beautifull and sad at the same time. Love that place even though I have only been there a few times and not in 19 years....
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Jun 22, 2015 - 05:13am PT



I have been a constant viewer and thank you for each and every share,.
The real estate sold fast by east cost standards. good for you I hope

I know you will miss it, as you look forward to new zones,
and good luck in this next chapter.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 22, 2015 - 07:10am PT
overwatch

climber
Arizona
  Jun 22, 2015 - 07:26am PT
Incredible looking place, thanks for the posts. Looking forward to new ones from Colorado.
Fan

climber
  Jun 22, 2015 - 07:58am PT
So very sorry to hear this. I've enjoyed your posts. They reconnected me with a place dear to my heart.
Ed H

Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
  Jun 22, 2015 - 03:49pm PT
Great report Mike! Happy Fathers Day! Best wishes on the move. I moved my family across the country 17 years ago for a better job and more oppurtunties. The job is still going well, the family loves CA, and I started climbing in the Sierra. Boulder is a very cool town. Good luck to you and your family!
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  Jun 22, 2015 - 08:09am PT
Whenever you return to visit it will be like you never left.
Your post about the beetle trees is exactly what's going on here in CA. As of last week, every pine on my property has beetles killing them. Bummer.

Enjoy your new chapter Mike!
jonnyrig

climber
  Jun 22, 2015 - 08:38am PT
Nice TR. I see why you like the area, and good luck with the move.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Jun 22, 2015 - 08:47am PT
Your passion for the area has come through tremendously. Much good mojo to you on the new digs and gigs!
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  Jun 22, 2015 - 09:13am PT
Always nice to see what you and Jack are up to. Great stuff!!

WIth that kind of hail, any good after the hail day auto sales around town? Runs great, just looks like a troup of boyscouts attacked it with ballpeen hammers.
rgold

Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
  Jun 22, 2015 - 03:54pm PT
Your TR's continually evoked memories of my many happy and exciting days in the Needles. And even in this final note you mention Kamps Crack on the Bell Tower, which Bob and I did 48 years ago at the end of the Iron Age.

I actually started up that lead first, but climbed back down after breaking a few holds and chickening out of the committing crux move. Bob, of course, cruised the whole thing.

Best of luck in your new life in Colorado. With many new things to do, you probably won't be back to the Needles for a while, but, like me, you won't forget the mystical experience of wandering, just a touch lost, through a maze of spires, the breezes playing through the breaks and chasms, the tall grasses swaying, and those endless walls of nubbins daring you to explore their secrets.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Jun 22, 2015 - 09:27am PT
Cool stuff!

Too bad you're off to Chossarado, but rumor has it that you look good in lycra.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 22, 2015 - 09:30am PT
Thanks for the note Rich. My wife is from Sturgis and her mom still lives there and my parents live in the eastern part of the state so I sure we will still get back fairly often but wont have the kind of time to explore like I have the last couple of decades.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jun 22, 2015 - 02:55pm PT
A great tribute, best of luck in Rado, you'll fit right in!!!
the museum

Trad climber
  Jun 22, 2015 - 08:15pm PT
Hey mike m in response to your question on the other thread - yes we are in Rapid City. But in a twist of fate - the RCASchools are broke as you know and they cut the wife's position down here in Rapid and offered her a crap job. So she took a position with CAMSE at the University!! She'll be working with June and those people. Only has to commute 3 days a week..

Anyway good job finding gainful employment elsewhere and good luck to you all in your new position. You'll have a blast, no doubt.

the museum and mrs. museum
WyoRockMan

climber
Grizzlyville, WY
  Jun 22, 2015 - 09:25pm PT
Oh Mike. Change is hard, but being static is harder. You'll do great down in CO, but I for one will miss adventuring with you in the Hills. We are done with the Cody move and you are always welcome here. I owe you some hospitality.
PhilG

Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
  Jun 23, 2015 - 07:56am PT
Thanks for the great trip report.
I've wanted to visit the Needles for years!
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
  Jun 23, 2015 - 08:50am PT
Thanks for the good TR. I wish you the best of luck with your transition. Colorado is beautiful too and at least there is no shortage of rock there!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 23, 2015 - 08:13pm PT
Ian sent me a couple more videos we did today. Here is the Sundance[Click to View YouTube Video]and Pete's Wicked Route[Click to View YouTube Video]
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