The Peaks at Poverty Gulch

Available soon

Poverty Peaks                 Photo McQ

The Peaks at Poverty Gulch are located three miles south of the park entrance at Sylvan Lake.  Take highway # 89 south to the white fenced ranch on the west side of the road.  Across from the white fence is Forest Service road # 794, follow this uphill and to the left staying on the main "road" for about 1/2  mile.  Turn right on # 794-1A, then keep left for approximately 2/10 mile, park you're there.  Hike uphill rolling around to the left.  Follow directions in the guide to some very enjoyable routes, see our route list page. 

The Needle's Moonlight Ridge

Available at this time only as an abridged hardcopy version.  The guide describes 57 new routes with topos and a few photos to help you find them.  $8.95 plus $3.85 shipping (U.S.Mail priority envelope).  info@blackhillsclimbingclub.com for ordering instructions.

                                                                                     Moonlight  Ridge   Photo McQ   

Moonlight Ridge is the area described in Paul Piana's classic guide to Needle's climbing, Touch the Sky on pages 113 and 114.  This area was originally explored by Herb and Jan Conn climbing Stumbling Block in1949, then Point and Beside the Point in 1951.  Also in 1951 Jack Schwabland and Dayrell Bates climbed Run-amuck Pinnacle.  Then in 1963 and 1967 two more routes on Stumbling Block by John Gill.  The area then seems to have remained untouched for over thirty years.

Today there are many new routes on all of the rock formations that make up this area.  There are bolted routes, mixed routes, and trad routes ranging from 5.0 to 5.13d.  See a list of known routes here on our route list page.

BHCC - Black Hills Climbing Club