Needles South Dakota, Needles Eye and Ten Pins

Lat/Lon: 43 .82472 °N / 103.53083 °W - CLICK FOR TOPO MAP

The quality of climbing in the Black Hills National Forest (1.2 million acres!) and
particularly Custer State Park, is nothing short of exceptional. By way of research
prior to my own visit, I ran into several on-line blogs reflecting that sentiment from
climbers as far away as Boulder and Denver, CO, who were more than willing to
make the long drive across Colorado and Wyoming to take advantage of the great
climbing terrain and sparse amount of people to compete with for sport (Rushmore)
and/or trad routes (Needles).

The Needles of South Dakota, one of the last strongholds of traditional face climbing
in the U.S., are located in Custer State Park south of the Mount Rushmore National
Monument (southern portion of the Black Hills National Forest). Custer State Park is
considered one of the largest state parks (71,000 acres plus) in the country. There
are still many undeveloped limestone canyons with steep rock and numerous
granite formations with no developed routes throughout the southern Black Hills.
However, since the Needles straddle Highway 87 (Needles Highway), most of the
aesthetic routes along the road have in fact been established. I had the pleasure of
climbing with one of the climbing pioneers of the area during the 1970’s, Bob
Archbold (who’s comments regarding the area were featured recently in Alpinist
Magazine). Herb and Jan Conn, the ultimate climbing pioneers of the Needles,
summarized the area well in their published guide book: “Being a climber in the
Needles is like being a cat in a fish store”.

The rock is a coarse igneous granite called pegmatite, that is characterized by
well-formed crystals. These crystals make for an amazing number of holds,
albeit, not all strong ones. The cracks, when found, are well-suited to nuts and
cams. The frequent blank areas are sparingly protected, if at all, throughout the
Needles area. In the Needles, there is a historical emphasis on free climbing with
limited fixed protection. The locals still abide by this ethic: Black Hills Climbing
Coalition.

Below is just a sampling of some classic Needles routes, there are many to be had:
o Conn Diagonal, 5.7, 2 ½ pitches, Outer Outlet (Herb and Jan Conn, 1953)
o Classic Crack, 5.8, 1 long pitch, Inner Outlet (Bob Kamps and Mark and Beverly
Powell, 1965)
o Conn Route on Aquariam Rock, 5.4, 2 pitches (Herb and Jan Conn, 1949)
o Needles Eye, 5.9, 1 long pitch (Rich Goldstone, 1964)
o Tee-the-Ball, 5.9 Ten Pins, 1 long pitch (Renn Fenton)
o Tricouni Nail, 5.9, Ten Pins, half-rope pitch (Royal Robbins, 1964)
o God’s Own Drunk, 5.8, Khayyam Spire, 2 pitches (Jim Kanzler, 1971)
o International Chimney, 5.7, Cathedral Spires, 2 pitches (Bill Briggs,1954, Bob
Archbold, 1980)
o South Tower, 5.7+, 2 ½ pitches, Cathedral Spires (Herb and Jan Conn, 1953)
o East Gruesome, 5.8, Cathedral Spires 3 pitches (Herb and Jan Conn, 1959)
o Spire Four, 5.4, 3 Pitches, Cathedral Spires (Herb and Jan Conn, 1948)
o Spire Five, 5.3, 2 ½ pitches, Cathedral Spires (Herb and Jan Conn, 1949)

Getting There
Proceed past the Mount Rushmore National Monument south of Rapid City, SD on
Highway 16 and turn left on Highway 87. Highway 87 (Needles Highway) is a 14-mile
long road through tunnels and granite outcroppings referred to as the Needles area,
between Highway 16 and Alt 16. It has several 180 degree switchbacks and is
closed in the winter.

Red Tape
There are no permit requirements to climb in Custer State Park. However, permits
are required to enter and/or park. From May 1 through October 31 the fees are $5 per
person or $12 per vehicle. Off season they are reduced to half that amount. These
permits are valid up to 7 days. An annual park entrance pass is $23. These are 2006
rates.

Fires are only allowed at designated sites, picnic areas, and established
campgrounds in approved fire pits. Firewood must be cut-to-size to fit within the
confines of the pits (chainsaws are not allowed). Open fires are strictly prohibited in
the French Creek Natural Area or outside the confines of established campground
and picnic areas in the park. You will see evidence of serious out of control fires in
the past therefore various other restrictions might be in place when you visit.

When to Climb
We climbed the Needles and Rushmore areas in April. The Needles Highway is not
open year around and was not fully open in April. I consider this area more of a late
spring, late fall or summer destination.

Camping
There is a free climbers campsite complete with pit toilet. As you pass Mount
Rushmore on your right, look for a pullout on the right hand side. There should be a
camping sign posted. This site is exclusively reserved for climbers.

Camping permits are required year-round. Some camping fees are reduced (Basic
Camping Fee $6.00) when water systems and outhouses are winterized. Self-
registration may be required. At Custer State Park firewood is available at Custer
Resort Company stores (closed in the off-season).

You can find resorts at Sylvan Lake, Legion Lake, Blue Bell and the State Game
Lodge, all located within Custer State Park. Each resort has its own thing going,
ranging from the stately Game Lodge, which is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, to the mini dude ranch at Blue Bell.

Custer State Park campgrounds offer a variety of sites. Camping fees range from
$13-18 per unit. None have hookups. Call 1-800-710-CAMP (2267) or go online to
www.campSD.com.

Sylvan Lake, Middle Earth, the Outlets, Needles Eye Area, Ten Pins, and the
Cathedral Spires have traditional ethics. If a new route is to be bolted, this must
be done from the ground up on lead with no direct aid.

Needles Eye Area Map

Route- Needles Eye Direct- 5.10
The Needles Eye area is located along the Needles Highway next to its namesake
spire and the long one lane tunnel. Adjacent to the Needles Eye are several other
classic features including the Bell Tower, Hitching Post, and Bloody Spire. From
Sylvan Lake, head up the Needles Highway. The Needles Eye is the obvious spire
before the tunnel, which is usually easily identifiable by tourists milling around in the
summer time. We had it to ourselves for a short period in April before some folks
with a real southern accent pulled off and chatted at me the whole time I was
climbing the route. I never once responded, except a laugh here or there, but they
never came up for air. I am no doubt in their photo album back home. Needles Eye is
a granite spire with a slit that is 3 to 4 feet wide and 30 to 40 feet tall.

I did the 5.10 direct face route on the Needles eye, but there are other various routes
on the feature itself, Moonlight Rib- lower 5’s, Gold Line- 5.8, White Line- 5.8 and
Doody Direct- a 5.8 trad route.

For the 5.10 direct face, there is a bolt 20’ off the ground directly on the face. You can
place some small gear early, but not much and in fact one of our pieces did come
out. The first 20 feet is the most difficult section. Once you get past the half way
point, you have a significant run out section that moves left up the corner of the
spire, but the climbing is the easiest through this blank section. Towards the top, you
want to traverse back right. There are some pitons to your far left, but you are better
served (rope drag) to ignore them and place gear as you traverse over right. You
will reach a grove of sorts that makes for some challenging climbing again and that
is your path to the summit. There is a rap station on top. You need two 60 meter
ropes to rap this route.

Essential Gear/Guide Books
2- 60 meter ropes, set of nuts and small cams, helmet, harness, etc.
• Recommended Climbing Routes in the Needles of Custer State Park in the Black
Hills of South Dakota by John Page and Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Climber's Guide by Vernon R. Phinney, both available at Granite Sports, Hill City, SD,
605 574-2425
• Touch the Sky by Paul Piana (Out of print, try to find it used on the internet)

Ten Pins Map

Route(s)- Ten Pins
The Ten Pins area is located further east on the Needles Highway from its name
sake, the Needles Eye. Travel through the tunnel by the Needles Eye and park on the
right at an extreme notch in the road that goes back left just before the Cathedral
Spires parking lot. From the hard 180 degree turn in the road (which will face your
vehicle towards the Cathedral Spires {photo}, the Ten Pins will be on your right), park
and walk down a gully. You'll pass End Pin (on your left) and Split pin (on your left up
against a larger body of rock).

This is the most popular set of spires in Needles. King Pin and Tent Peg- 5.7’s, and
Tricouni Nail- 5.8-9 are well protected, while Hairy Pin and Super Pin are considered
two of the most exposed 5.10’s around.

The Ten Pins
End Pin - 1 route
Fin - 1 route
Hairy Pin - 1 route
King Pin - 1 route
Moby Dick - 1 route
Not the Pawn - 1 route
Podunk Pinnacle - 1 route
Queen Pin - 2 routes
Reunion Rock - 2 routes
Safety Pin - 1 route
Sandberg Peak - 2 routes
Split Pin - 1 route
Superpin - 1 route
Tent Peg - 1 route
The Pawn - 2 routes
Totem Pole - 1 route
Tracks Rock - 1 route
Tricouni Nail- 1 route

By most accounts the most classic of the Ten Pin climbs is Tricouni Nail which I
climbed on a trip in April, 2006. This is a sustained 5.8-5.9 route with good pro
except for a little run out at the top. The summit barely holds two people and allows
for the unique simul-rap I had heard so much about. We tied the ropes together and
one climber goes off one end of the spire while the other goes off the other end, no
gear or station in place. Just make damn sure when you come off rappel that your
partner is down on deck.

For a good start to your day, walk back up the road to the next pullout west (past
Cleopatra) and take a trail to your left into the woods a short distance to find Patience
Pawn. This is a mellow 5.7 to get a feel for the rock texture and run out of the routes
you will find at Ten Pins.