Crags

 

MN Strip at Taylors Falls.

Palisade Head. Photo : Taylor Krosbakken

 

Blue Mounds

Blue Mounds State Park is located in the southwest corner of Minnesota. Located approximately 4 miles from the town of Luverne, BMSP offers rock climbing on quartzite similar to the rocks at Devil’s Lake, WI. The quartzite cliffs rise approximately 100 feet from the prairie and offer 50-60 foot climbs of various difficulty from 5.4 to 5.12.

The area is primarily a traditional climbing crag, but top roping is possible with the proper gear. There are also a number of bouldering problems. There are no bolted routes. Knowledge of setting anchors with gear is required. 

Rock type: Quartzite
Location: Blue Mounds State Park, Luverne, MN

Local Ethics:

  • As this is a state park, please make sure to fill out a climbing permit at the self registration station!

  • Blue Mounds is home to some rare plant species! Tread very carefully around vegetation, particularly around muddy basins in the rock.

  • While this was once a chalk-free area, chalk is now tolerated—be sure to minimize the visual impact (limit chalk usage & brush all tick marks).

  • Bolting is not allowed in this area.

  • Don’t park along the road (you will get ticketed)! There is a small parking lot at the south end of The Mound. Try to park conscientiously. If that’s full, park at the interpretive center.

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace. 

Palisade Head & Shovel Point

Head is considered the most serious and richest crag in Minnesota. With very few climbs easier than 5.8 and the bulk of climbs harder than 5.10, this is the place in Minnesota to hone your try-hard skills. Between several off-width, hand, and heinous finger cracks, crystal faces, and stunning arêtes, there should be enough variety here to please almost anyone! 

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

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

There is no walk-off access for these areas; knowledge of haul systems and rope ascension are recommended. Being able to set anchors for a top-belay system is also required.

Rock type: Rhyolite 
Location: Silver Bay, Minnesota

Local Ethics: 

  • As this is a state park, please make sure to fill out a climbing permit at the self registration station! 

  • Call before you head up to climb to find out if there are any closures for peregrine falcon nesting. You can find information via email (tettegouche.statepark@state.mn.us), or by phone (218-353-8800), or on the state park website.

  • The north shore has a no chalk ethic. 

  • At Shovel Point, please use the giant bolt anchors installed by the state park to help save the trees. When setting an anchor for a climb not served by one of the 3 sets of bolt anchors, please mitigate impact on vegetation as much as possible.

  • At Palisade Head, the Baptism Wall is now part of the White Tail Ridge Subdivision; climbing is not permitted. There is a house right at the top of the crag; do not drive or park on their road.

  • Bolting is not allowed in these areas. 

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace! There are currently no bathrooms available at Palisade Head; always pack out your waste.

Robinson Park & Banning State Park (Sandstone)

Robinson Park in Sandstone, MN is a unique place to climb. Practically every discipline of short duration contemporary climbing is represented: traditional, sport, bouldering, ice, and mixed climbing routes. Robinson is home to a seasonal farmed ice park.

Every Minnesotan climber should visit Sandstone at least once. It has decent easy routes, one of the best 5.12s in the state (Sigma), and has a large number of ice and mixed routes in the winter. What's more, it is an easy hour and a half from the Twin Cities. Most of the walls have been quarried, so don't expect a natural look, but there are sections of beautiful, un-quarried rock. Two festivals, a rock and an ice fest, are held here every year by the MCA.

Rock Type: Sandstone
Location: Sandstone, Minnesota

Local Ethics:

  • At Banning, only certain boulders are open to climb; check the map on the state park website for information. This is due to conservation efforts by the park.

  • Sandstone becomes fragile when it’s wet; please refrain from climbing for 24-48 hours or until the rock thoroughly dries out not only to preserve the climbs, but for your safety. 

  • Do not clear brush, trees (dead or alive), rocks, etc. from the boulders at Banning. Cleaning is ok but should be minimal—for example, leave overgrown moss and other vegetation as is. If cleaning a line, use a soft nylon or boars hair brush to prevent scarring the soft sandstone.

  • Top rope off of your own gear, but it is ok to lower off the fixed gear to avoid rappelling.

  • Inspect all fixed equipment on the cliff for rust, excessive wear, damage, and other circumstances that may reduce the strength of the equipment. Report all suspect fixed equipment to the Minnesota Climbers Association. Replace worn carabiners with your own when possible. 

  • If you decide to dry tool, do so with caution as the sandstone is fragile, please wear rock shoes instead of crampons, and use webbing for anchors instead of gear.

  • The top of the cliffs at Robinson are near private land. Please keep a low, respectful profile and stay away from the train tracks.

  • The parking lot at the Eldon area of Banning has a gate that may be locked; the code is 0515.

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace!

He Mni Can/Barn Bluff (Red Wing)

He Mni Can/Barn Bluff in Red Wing is a short hour's drive from the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Rising up approximately 350 feet, the bluff offers excellent views of the Mississippi River Valley. It also offers limestone climbing with over 100 single-pitch sport routes of varying difficulty from 5.4 to 5.14. While a few mixed and traditional routes exists, Barn Bluff is the primary sport climbing area in Minnesota. This 43-acre park was purchased by the city residents in 1910 and is managed by the city of Red Wing. With no top access to the climbs, this area is lead only.

Rock Type: Dolomite
Location: Red Wing, Minnesota

Local Ethics:

  • Top rope off of your own gear, but it is ok to lower off the fixed gear to avoid rappelling. 

  • Inspect all fixed equipment on the cliff for rust, excessive wear, damage, and other circumstances that may reduce the strength of the equipment. Report all suspect fixed equipment to the Minnesota Climbers Association. Replace worn carabiners with your own when possible. 

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace!

  • There are currently no bathrooms available at the park; always pack out your waste.

Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)

Rock climbing is mostly located in the Interstate State Park. This 300-acre area is managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and is one of the four state parks specifically designated for rock climbing activities. Interstate Park sees a lot of traffic; upwards of 370,000 annual visitors come out to check out the geologic wonders at the park. It's not unusual to be applauded by a large crowd when one finishes a climb in the Tourist Area. 

Interstate Park is a traditional climbing and bouldering area; there are no bolted sport routes. Knowledge of setting anchors with gear is required.

Rock type: Basalt
Location: Interstate State Park, Taylors Falls, Minnesota

Local Ethics:

  • As this is a state park, please make sure to fill out a climbing permit at the self registration station! 

  • Bolting is not allowed in this area.

  • Be extra cognizant of rocks being thrown from above by discourteous or unknowing hikers.

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace.

Willow River

Though technically in Wisconsin, the MCA cares for this crag! The steepest climbing in a 600 mile radius, Willow features pumpy endurance-based sport climbing, big moves to big holds, and the best natural splashpad around. Climbs range from 5.11 to 5.13 and harder. This area is best for the 5.12 and up climber, although there are a few 5.11's. Approximately 25 routes total. Do NOT top rope or rappel from the overlook above the climbs. Climbing is allowed only on the north face of Willow Falls Gorge on existing bolted lines. This area is lead only.

Rock type: Dolomite
Location: Willow River State Park, Hudson, Wisconsin 

Local Ethics:

  • Due to the sheer volume of other day-hikers using the park on weekends in the summer, the following compromise of climbing hours has been reached with the park:

    • Monday—Thursday: 6am—11pm

    • Saturday: CLOSED

    • Friday & Sunday (May 15th—Sep 15th): 6am—noon

    • Friday & Sunday (Sept 16th—May 14th): 6am—11pm

  • Certain combinations of humidity, precipitation, snowmelt, and/or river levels can leave the cliff wet and unclimbable due to seep. The rock becomes breakable when wet, so please do not climb if the rock is damp.

  • Inspect all fixed equipment on the cliff for rust, excessive wear, damage, and other circumstances that may reduce the strength of the equipment. Report all suspect fixed equipment to the Minnesota Climbers Association. Replace worn carabiners with your own when possible.

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace.

Sugarloaf (Winona)

Sugarloaf is a rock climbing park in the City of Winona. Currently there are approximately 35 bolted routes ranging from 5.3-5.11. All anchors are equipped with stainless steel glue-in anchors and all top anchors have stainless steel biners appropriate for lowering and top-roping. The Recreation Alliance of Winona along with the MCA have worked with the city of Winona to develop climbing here. The Sugarloaf is one of the better beginner/intermediate sport climbing locations in the Midwest as all of the routes have been bolted recently and with safety as the top priority. Don’t expect to find many runouts here!

On the wall below the Sugarloaf is a seasonal ice park! Farmed ice cascades hundreds of feet down the bluffs to create one of the country’s premiere climbing opportunities. The wall was created through collaboration between climbing enthusiasts, the Winona State University Outdoor Recreation Center, and the City of Winona.

Rock type: Dolomite
Location: Winona, Minnesota

Local Ethics: 

  • Top rope off of your own gear, but it is ok to lower off the fixed gear to avoid rappelling.

  • Inspect all fixed equipment on the cliff for rust, excessive wear, damage, and other circumstances that may reduce the strength of the equipment. Report all suspect fixed equipment to the Minnesota Climbers Association. Replace worn carabiners with your own when possible. 

  • As always, stay on the trails and leave no trace!

  • There are currently no bathrooms available at the park; always pack out your waste.