Did You See Aliens Up There?
15 June 2014:
I write this entry from the visitor center 867 feet below the summit of Devil’s Tower. When we decided to come here, we didn’t know that they weren’t dog friendly. Bummer! So, I sit here with BB in Bertha soaking up some beautiful weather and getting strange looks from the passer-byers while Dan and Charlie get to summit the Tower. I’ll get my turn tomorrow.
It’s strange to think that I met back up with Dan only a week ago. It seems like a month has gone by already. Each day is filled with adventure and something new. Nothing on the road is convenient and everything takes time. If we want food, we have to stop, unpack, set up the kitchen, cook, eat, clean then repack. This makes for long yet rewarding days. There hasn’t been a day yet that I haven’t laid down totally exhausted. Climbing 10-12 hours a day probably helps as well.
I arrived at Dan’s homestead last Sunday, met his parents, and was welcomed with a delicious rib eye. Dan, Charlie, and I discussed excitedly what the near future will hold for us. Before any adventure could be had, Bertha must be tended to. It was time for her 10K service so Monday was spent changing oils and making sure everything was good to go as well as playing gear Tetris trying to get 3 grown men, all of our gear, and a dog to fit in the van. There was a debate as to whether we should just spend another night at Dan’s or try to make the trip to Custer State Park as it was already past 6 PM and we were looking at a couple hour drive when it hit us: camp at the Badlands which was about halfway to Custer. Group decision was made instantaneously and we were on our way. We rolled into the Badlands well past midnight and with a ¾ moon and scrambled some of the formations by moon light. We were pretty exhausted so bedtime came shortly thereafter. Next morning involved making coffee while watching the sunrise then hitting up the famous Wall Drug. After some goofing around and almost being eaten by a T-rex, we were finally on our way to some climbing…
Good Morning America!
Who’s a good jack-a-lope?
We rolled into Custer mid-afternoon and were promptly greeted by Dan’s pre-school friend Kyle who got us out on the rock right away. Kyle turned out to be basically a walking guidebook as well as extremely knowledgeable of the local climbing lore which is a good kind of guy to know in a new area. The rest of the week would be spent bouncing around Needles Highway and climbing different spires, the most impressive of which would be spire 3 of the Cathedral Spires. Climbing in the Needles is humbling and unlike climbing anywhere else. First off, the climbers who put up these routes have balls made of steel and put up routes that have little to no protection or very long run outs without protection. Because of this, the area is less trafficked by the everyday climber which means we had the place basically to ourselves but it also means that I almost shit a brick on every route I got on. The local term for the scarier run out climbing is “spicy”. I’m pretty sure every route there has a certain Needles spiciness to it. The rock here is granite with lots of quartz and mica in it so you literally end up standing and holding on to crystals. All the rock is covered in an almost neon colored lichen which makes route finding a little difficult. We concluded our stay by “Threading the Needle” before taking off for the Hippie Hole. The Hippie Hole is a nice little swimming hole hidden deep in the Black Forrest that we were able to snag a shower in before continuing on to the Tower…
Cathedral Spires on Needles Highway in Custer State Park SD
Standing on top of the Spire you see directly above Dan’s head in the previous pic
Why do people look at me so weird?
Threading the Needle
Friday the 13th with a full moon and we are on a mission: get to Devil’s Tower! We arrive just before midnight while blasting The Misfits. Could there be anything more fitting? We pull into the lot and we are the only vehicle here; we have the place to ourselves! Well let’s go check it out…not a cloud in the sky and the lichen covered tower is glowing in the moonlight. BB leads the way as we take a lap around the monolith. I have to stop every 100 feet or so to bask in the tower’s glory. We set up camp under the clear sky and Dan decides to sleep under the stars. Around 4 in the morning thunder erupts that shakes Bertha down to the frame rails as the sky opens up in a downpour. Dan is now soaking wet and trying to find a way to fit in the van. We survive the night and in the morning hear stories of tornadoes ripping through town. We take the day to hang out around the park as the weather wasn’t conducive to climbing. That night we camp in the Black Hills and get an early start to get on the tower.
Weathering the storm
Charlie and Dan just returned from their summit of El Cracko. They are super stoked but toasted. My turn will be tomorrow and I have my eye on Soler… It’s time for dinner.
16 June 2014:
Dan leading the 150 foot pitch of “Soler”
Team Spice likes it on top