Devils Tower - West Face

Though it doesn't have the most classic route on the tower (Durrance, line 6 on the Southeast Face), the West Face is home to some of the best basalt climbing anywhere, with photos of climbing bridging El Matador (line 70), Mr. Clean (line 60) or Fractal (line 29) having graced the cover of magazines for decades.

In the spirit of adventure, this photo was shot while a tornado watch was in effect!

Download: Medium resolution, personal use only

Route List

1: Everlasting, 5.11b, D. Horning, D. Larsen, 08/1983
2: Sympathy for the Devil, 5.9 A2, F. Sanders, C. Engle, 09/1981
3: Back to Montana, 5.10d, F. Sanders, C. Engle, 09/1981/D. Horning, M. Cooper, 06/1982
4: Hollow Men, 5.12c, F. Sanders, C. Engle, 09/1981/T. Skinner, B. Wald
5: Mccarthy North Face, 5.11a, J. McCarthy, J. Rupley, 08/1957/D. Horning, F. Sanders, 05/1978
6: Mccarthy's Brother, 5.10a, D. Horning, J. Schlinkmann, 06/1985
7: Emotional Rescue, 5.7 A3+, F. Sanders, C. Engle, 05/1981
8: Gimme Shelter, 5.7 A3, F. Sanders, 05/1981
9: Two Moons over Hulett, 5.11b, D. Horning, D. Larsen, 07/1983
10: Klondike, 5.10a, D. Larsen, D. Horning, 08/1983
11: Dr. Zen, 5.11c, D. Lunn, J. Luz, B. Morris, 07/1969/S. Mankenberg, D. Larsen, 09/1983
12: No Kiss for Dog Lips, 5.9, M. Pee Pee, D. Ek, B. Fisher, 07/1986
13: Psychic Turbulence, 5.11b, T. Skinner, D. Rosen, B. Wald, 08/1984
14: Friend of the Devil, 5.8 A3-, T. Kingsbury, P. Kingsbury, T. Williams, 10/2006
15: Four Play, 5.11c, S. Hong, K. Budding, M. Smedley, B. Feiges, 05/1980
16: Whine and Bruises, 5.12b, L. Kor, H. Swedlund, 07/1961/C. Coy, R. Hays, 08/1989
17: Spiney Norman, 5.11c, T. Skinner, B. Wald, 07/1985
18: Doldrums, C2+, T. Bowman, P. Kingsbury, 07/2008
19: Carol's Crack, 5.11a, B. Yoho, C. Black, C. Holtkamp, J. Baird, 08/1978
20: Raindance, 5.10b, C. Coy, B. Wald, 07/1985
21: Carl's Face, 5.10c, D. Rosen, D. Horning, 1990
22: Approaching Lavender, 5.11c, P. Piana, B. Cowan, T. Skinner, B. Wald, 07/1984
23: Buster Cattlefield, 5.11d, T. Kalakay, M. Ham, B. Dockins, K. Drumheller, 09/1985
24: California Dreaming, 5.11b, F. Sanders, L. Kirk, 06/1989
25: Livin' the Dream, 5.11b, N. Kutcher, R. Lewis
26: One Way Sunset, 5.10c, D. Horning, J. Slichter, 06/1977
27: Astro-Glide, 5.12a/b, E. Fazio-Rhicard, D. Horning
28: Synchronicity, 5.11d, T. Skinner, J. Rosholt, 07/1983
29: Fractal, 5.10a, T. Malzbender, R. Malzbender, 07/1986
30: Refractal, 5.12a, D. Horning, 1991
31: Phase Locking with Strange Attractors, 5.11, D. Horning, 1991
32: The Chipmunk, 5.10a A2, J. Humar, E. Kozorog, 09/1986
33: Deli Express, 5.11c, M. Sonnenfeld, S. Hong, 09/1986
34: Man Without a Planet, 5.9+, B. Kertzman, D. Horning, S. Babbits, S. Musel, 09/1991
35: Loss of Enthusiasm, 5.11a, 1992
36: Good Holds for Godzilla, 5.12d, K .Copeland, J. Gill, 07/1985
37: Verrouiller Letoit Pendant la Marche, 5.7 A3, K. Copeland, J. Gill, 07/1985
38: Risque, 5.12b, T. Skinner, B. Wald, J. Schlinkmann, B. Hatcher, 08/1985
39: No Holds for Bonzo, 5.11a, R. Guilmete, B. Adams, 07/1985
40: Alien Fry Basket, 5.10, B. Metza, B. Newby, 07/2022
41: Ponzo's Botatoes, 5.10, B. Metza, C. Higginson, 07/2022
42: Potatoes Alien, 5.10d, M. Pee Pee, S. Fisher, J. Schlinkmann, 07/1985
43: High Nam, 5.12b A0, B. Dockins, K. Drumheller, 06/1987
44: Spank the Monkey, 5.10d, L. Kor, T. Bossier, 04/1964/J. Schlinkmann, M. Pee Pee, C. Coy, 08/1985
45: Saber, 5.6 A3, L. Kor, T. Bossier, 04/1964
46: Bloodguard, 5.11c, C. Ballinger, J. Lynch, F. Sanders, 10/1977/T. Skinner, B. Wald, B. Cowan, P. Piana, 07/1984
47: Non-Dairy Creamer, 5.12a A3, C. Ballinger, J. Lynch, F. Sanders, 10/1977
48: Avalon, 5.11d, T. Skinner, B. Wald, 07/1984
49: Brokedown Palace, 5.12a, B. Price, M. LaLone, 08/1973/S. Hong, M. Sonnenfeld, 10/1981
50: Up in Smoke, 5.10b, K. Hjelle, A. Petefish, 10/1988
51: Jerry's Kids, 5.10b, J. Schlinkmann, M. Pee Pee, S. Fisher, 07/1985
52: Double Feature, 5.11d, A. Petefish, M. Robinson, 07/1987
53: Captain Video, 5.12b, A. Petefish, M. Robinson, 07/1987
54: Scottfree, 5.11b, C. Coy, J. Plotke, 10/1992
55: Pee Pee's Plunge, 5.12a, C. Coy, M. Pee Pee, S. Ritchie, R. Adair, D. Hutchens, 10/1986
56: Vulture, 5.12a, L. Kor, B. LaGrange, 05/1961/S. Hong, K. Budding, 07/1985
57: One O'Clock Demo, 5.9-, M. Sammis, B. Gaines, 10/1988
58: Some Like it Hot, 5.12b, P. van Betten, B. Gaines, J. Smith, R. Finlay, 10/1988
59: The Howling, 5.11d, J. Smith, P. van Betten, 10/1988
60: Mr. Clean, 5.11a, C. Haire, D. Horning, 10/1976/H. Barber, C. Lee, 08/1977
61: Dead Point, 5.11b, S. Gardiner, F. Sanders, M. Brackin, 06/1980/J. Smith, J. Bentley
62: Misty Morning Melody, 5.8 A2, S. Gardiner, F. Sanders, M. Brackin, 06/1980
63: Independence, 5.8 A3, F. Sanders, 07/1980
64: A Bridge Too Far, 5.11d, T. Skinner, M. Sonnenfeld, S. Hong, 06/1983
65: Adventurous Daze, 5.10a A2, F. Sanders, C. Engle, 06/1983
66: Tulgey Wood, 5.10a, M. Hesse, D. McClure, 06/1972
67: Mystery Express, 5.13a, A. Petefish, K. Hjelle, 09/1988
68: Way Layed, 5.11a, E. Fazio-Rhicard, M. Smedley, 06/1981
69: Mccarthy's West Face, 5.11c, J. McCarthy, J. Rupley, 07/1955
70: El Matador, 5.10d, F. Beckey, E. Bjornstad, 09/1967/B. Yoho, C. Holtkamp, 08/1976
71: The Thin Dagger, A2, D. Grady, R. Johnson, 09/1980
72: Conquistador, 5.7 A3, T. Bossier, S. Komito, 05/1964
73: Abject Cathexis, A3, E. Breitenberger, W. Trull, 05/1983
74: Billie Bear Cranks the Rad, 5.12c, B. Hatcher, T. Skinner, R. Erker, 08/1985

Sources

• “Devils Tower,” Zach Orenczak, Rachael Lynn, Extreme Angles Publishing, 2019

• “Devils Tower National Monument Climbing Handbook,”

• Richard Guilmette, Renée Carrier, Steve Gardiner, Devils Tower Natural History Association, 1995

• Mountain Project

• Barrett Metza

Updates

Dec 9, 2025: First version published

Dec 16, 2025: Fixed grade for Buster Cattlefield and grade/line for Spiney Norman, thanks to Barrett Metza.