By Tigerbeat
From mpls, mn
Jun 7, 2009
| Hey,
Due, to how off the beaten path Devil's Lake is, I thought posting on here might be most appropriate.
I'm looking to meet a few friends at Devil's Lake for some camping/climbing from Friday 6/12 through Sunday 6/14. If anyone from the Twin Cities area is headed there (or just along I-94 East), please let me know! It'd help me out a lot.
Thank you
Alex Oenes | 
FLAG |
By Jordan Hotzel
From Watertown, WI
Jun 10, 2009
| Devils Lake is a large park and very well known throughout the midwest. Baraboo is a little north of Madison - our capitol and so is not off the beaten path at all.
The park has a no-chalk policy - so no white stuff people.
From the northwest on I-90/94, go right (south) at exit 92. Take US Highway 12-East about 10 miles to State Highway 159. Turn left (east) on Highway 159 and go about 2 miles to the park.
The DNR's website lists a lot of info: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/devilslake/ |
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By Ron L Long
From Out yonder in Wisco.
Jun 10, 2009
| "The park is not maintained for rock climbing; do it at your own risk. Loose rocks may be encountered."
This is about all the park has ever said about climbing. No chalk? Since when? That's crazy talk............. |
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By Jay Knower
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
Jun 10, 2009
| Jordan, maybe you're thinking about the alleged "no chalk policy" of Palisade Head and Shovel Point in Minnesota?
My policy at DL is to chalk early and often. |
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By Kris Peterson
From rockford,il
Jun 10, 2009
| a nice warm, humid day at the lake. no chalk. i don't think anybody would be climbing(at least not well). |
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By Peter Arndt
From Baraboo, WI
Jun 10, 2009
| I agree with Jay. In fact, you are penalized if you DON'T USE CHALK at Devils Lake. |
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By Tigerbeat
From mpls, mn
Jun 10, 2009
| Jordan ... Whaaaa ? You're No help at all.
What provoked such a random response? Either way, I do enjoy that me looking for a ride turned into a chalk debate. Haha.
... ride, anybody? |
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By Jay Knower
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
Jun 10, 2009
| It's fun to talk about chalk.
Maybe Greyhound to Madison for the ride? |
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By K Ice
From Saint Paul, MN
Jun 10, 2009
| The Megabus goes from Minneapolis to Madison. But then you would need a ride to DL from Madison.
I'm pretty sure I PMed you earlier. If not...PM me with the times you're looking to leave and your plans. |
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By Chad Miller
From Duluth
Jun 23, 2009
| Tom Woods wrote: Most "no chalk policy" climbers understand and abide by the fact that such a policy is personal to them alone, and not enforceable beyond their own fingertips. The alleged "no chalk policy" at Palisade Head is primarily a delusion entertained by a few self-appointed No Chalk Grand Viziers and Poo Bahs of the North Shore, who have come to imagine their Grand No Chalk Jurisdiction extends between Duluth, Thunder Bay and Ely. Fortunately, most people have enough common sense to ignore their bloated self-proclaimed decrees. Let's hope Devils Lake does not attract the attention of the No Chalk Grand Viziers and Poo Bahs of the North Shore, who may seek to expand their jurisdiction south and east.
Actually the no chalk policy on the North Shore was established because the majority of the climbing areas are located within state parks. When these climbing areas where first being developed the state parks asked the FA’s to not use chalk to keep from marking up the dark colored basalt rock. The FA’s abided by the request and thought that it would be nice to maintain the nature of the FA and not have chalk marking holds on the rock. State parks continue to allow climbing development but ask that we don't use chalk. Now for Mystical Mountain that particular crag is on a private nature preserve and they outright ban the use of chalk.
Oh and just so you know the climbing areas that are affected by the no chalk policy are Ely's Peak (south of Duluth), Shovel Point, Palisade Head, Carlton Peak, Section 13, Sawmill Dome, and Mystical Mountain. All of these areas with the exception of Ely's Peak (city park land) and Mystical Mountain (private nature preserve) on state park land.
Personally I really don't see the need to use chalk too often on the North Shore as winds from the lake keep everything dry. It's also nice to climb on rock not marked up with chalk marks, it makes it more exciting. |
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By Garrett Soper
From Duluth, Minnesota
Jun 23, 2009
| Without all the chalk I wouldn't know where the holds are on birch tree crack. |
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By Jay Knower
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
Jun 24, 2009
| Garrett Soper wrote: Without all the chalk I wouldn't know where the holds are on birch tree crack.
There are holds on Birch Tree? |
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By Chris treggE
Administrator
From Madison, WI
Jun 24, 2009
| Jay Knower wrote: There are holds on Birch Tree?
My thoughts exactly. I got sandbagged by SteveZ on this one. Pulled it off but it was not pretty. I would have yelled "take" multiple times if it had been 5.11, but who yells "take" on a 5.8 LOL. |
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By Chad Miller
From Duluth
Jun 24, 2009
| Oh come on all those flaring hand jambs are solid, and the friction is great! :) |
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By Jay Knower
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
Jun 25, 2009
| Chad Miller wrote: State parks continue to allow climbing development but ask that we don't use chalk.
So they "ask" climbers not to use chalk, but they don't ban it?
BTW, I am heading out to Devil's Lake on this steamy, hot day. I plan to use about a block's worth of chalk. By the end of the session, my hands, my shorts, and all of my climbing gear will be covered with chalk. So will the holds that I tried to pull on.
|
FLAG |
By Chad Miller
From Duluth
Jun 25, 2009
| Correct, the state parks on the North Shore ask that you don't use chalk.
The stance is that the parks don't want to ban the use of chalk as this will require them to submit a report the state that says that chalk is marking up the rock. If this is done then their is a good chance that the state (not the local parks) would close climbing access on the North Shore. As the local state parks want to keep climbing open they simply ask that you don't use chalk. In addition the parks on the North Shore don't see a need to ban the use of chalk as people tend to respect the no chalk policy that they ask climbers to abide by.
Mystical Mountain located within the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center bans the use of chalk as they privately own the land and have the legal right to do so.
Now Devils Lake State Park in Wisconsin has no ban, or policy against the use of chalk. The second post in this thread that stated that they have a ban on the use of chalk is simply incorrect. |
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By Garrett Soper
From Duluth, Minnesota
Jun 26, 2009
| Jay Knower wrote: There are holds on Birch Tree?
Only when there is chalk. Otherwise they disappear. |
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