Devil's Lake Bouldering Climbing

Overview
Climbing, as we most commonly view it, can be traced back to Devils Lake as early as the 1920’s. However, it wasn’t until decades later when bouldering made its appearance at The Lake. Since then, it has continued to grow within the park. Climbers like John Gill, Eric Zschiesche, and members of the Devils Lake Fukness Association (DLFA) made early contributions to the scene. However, it wasn’t until the mid-2000’s that a group of Madison area locals, many that still frequent the quartzite boulders, began frequenting The Lake that the bouldering potential began to explode.

As climbing continues to grow in popularity, bouldering at Devils Lake is alive more than ever. Now, with arguably over 1,000 recognized problems, the Lake holds a lifetime of bouldering alone. Even more exciting is that new problems are regularly being added to an already seemingly long list.

An awesome short film by Louder Than 11 titled The Good Land - Bouldering At Devils Lake is just one of the many videos out there that give a sense of the amazing bouldering The Lake has to offer.

Guidebooks

1. Devils Lake Bouldering by Ian Cotter-Brown: A comprehensive guide to bouldering at Devils Lake, including over 900 problems. 
2. Midwest Bouldering Guidebook by Peter Bonamici (and others): 500+ pages including information on bouldering at The Lake, as well as other popular Wisconsin and Minnesota crags. 
3. Git On It! By Eric Zscheische:Once the only reference for bouldering at Devils Lake, now a piece a climbing lore that has been reprinted with Eric’s kind permission for all to enjoy.  A slightly different version also appeared as a Rock & Ice mini-guide.
4. Bouldering On The West Bluff At Devils Lake by Brian Runnells: A mini guide of sorts, this document written by the Climbing Narc himself holds its weight.  

Equipment
The Wisconsin Climbers Association (WCA) rents crash pads out of Madison for $10.00/day to members, or $15.00/day to non-members. For more information, email the WCA at wiscoclimber@gmail.com.

Admission
Devils Lake is part of of the Wisconsin State Park System, requiring the usual admission fees. Daily or annual vehicle stickers can be purchased at various offices or kiosks throughout the park.  

Other
For more information relevant to climbing at Devils Lake State Park, including location/directions, additional guidebooks, accommodations, etc, visit the Devils Lake Climbing page.