Beautiful! This route finds the best position on the entire wall. Just unbelievable.   Start with a brutal sequence of long reaches between pockets and edges, coming out of the first steep roof. It doesn't let up until you traverse left at the third bolt, but persevere! Next you have 3 bolts worth of huge jugs, which feels more like the routes below than the others on the Mez.    Rest as best you can in the largest, highest hueco, using a (potentially) awesome kneebar (rt.). Then bust out of there for a 30 foot section of long moves between mostly jugs. Look for a final heart breaker red point crux very high.   Because the Mez can be a little confusing, start on a good left hand pocket and a decent right hand sidepull/undercling. Finish using holds on the left of the dihedral, and finally working into the dihedral to clip the New Beginnings anchors.  

Fox Confessor

Natural Daydreams

Business Time

White Noise

Midsummer Selection

Unknown

High Road to China

Doppler Effect

Jar of Flies

Couch Time

Drop Test

Radioactive Man

Mermaid

Hurtful Pleasures

Requiem

Natural Selection

Low Road

Link Up

Leftovers

Mono Mercy

Cain

Guess and Check

Genesis Effect

Mono Route

Cypher 2

Double Trouble

Surf Selection

Speedy Delivery

Pride and Prejudice

Play Time Is Over

Sunday Sermon

Bolt Ladder to Upper Deck

No Crack for Old Men

Brass Monkey

New Beginnings

Midsummer Daydreams

Sudden Shock

Getting Slightly Higher

Middle Cyclone

Dry Lightning

Living Slightly Larger

Daily Grind

Water Music

Able

Sudden Daydreams

Rejection and Mercy

Quit Your Day Job

Tsunami

If you ever need to get to the upper deck (one or two more climbs up there) and you are scared to cross the water falls or the area above the water falls I put in a bolt ladder. 

  The bolt ladder is about 20 feet to the left of the water fall. Look for a U bolt about knee high. Above that about head high is a bolt and hanger. Clip in and pull up. I put a third bolt/hanger up and over the edge, you can't see it but you will have to feel for it. 

  THis bolt ladder is usually wet and muddy so be prepared to get your hands dirty. But it sure beats getting swept over the falls like some of my friends (Roland and Kelly, broken foot and toes) 

  I put in full 1/2" bolts, so they won't rust out for a couple hundred years...or I won't be around to find out.

Another variation connecting the beginning of Natural Selection into the top portion of Midsummer Daydreams. 

  Begin on Natural until you flop over the second roof. Head left into Midsummer Daydreams when you arrive at the 8th bolt of Natural Selection. A couple tenuous moves involving a crimp and an undercling deliver you just past the redpoint crux of Midsummer Daydreams. Finish on the top of Midsummer.

Longest route at Willow with roughly about 70 hand moves and 17 bolts, give or take. Nothing too super cruxy just continuous movement with a couple rests, that will all leave you with a dry throat in the end. Begin on 'Dry Lightning' and climb it across the roof lip to where it meets 'Cain'. Continue traversing left just above 'Cain' on a couple pockets that will bring you into 'Couch Time'/'Genesis Effect'. Keep going left into the 5th bolt on 'Natural Selection'. Climb 'Natural' just over the roof to a decent rest then finish off the forearm burning on 'Midsummer Daydreams'.

Just before the rock goes crazy overhanging, look for an arete that's to the left of another arete with cheater blocks beneath. Typical Willow climbing. Big moves to big holds. Can be a bit tricky, as all Willow climbs are, since holds are often hiding. Two roofs, the second being the crux. Pull the crux and it's easy to the anchors. Anchors = two chains w/ biners.

This might be a good intermediate link up to try if you have your eye on doing Radioactive Man. Begin the same as Midsummer Daydreams until you reach the giant dirty hueco just past the first roof at the 5th bolt. From here a couple big reaches with sick heel hooks brings you into Natural Selection. Finish on Natural.

This is the bolted route furthest right on the upper deck/mezzanine. The crux is the roof pull. The route is well-protect and actually pretty fun, though very dirty and chossy. May clean up with more traffic. Good warm-up if starting on a 10c or harder isn't your thing.

The new enduro line here at Willow. Comparable to "Rejection and Mercy" and "Business Time". Pull through the crux in the first large roof. Then traverse right at the huge hueco (6th bolt) on great solid rock. Then head straight up at the break in the second tier. Climb with caution from here to the anchors, this is a new route, stuff is still breaking off.

This is the only finished route up river from "Leftovers." The route starts with a crux right off the ground. A couple moves yields more moderate pocket pulling on less than bomber rock (at times in the summer watch for bees) to a higher tiered roof section and finishes on hard moves for clipping the anchors. 

   Carefully cross upper falls from shady side of river. Stick clip the first bolt.

This route had a bolt added to the crux and hours of work put into removing loose and dangerous rock in 2011. Well worth the time.

  This climb is located on the left (not so steep) part of the wall. There's a small corner slightly off the ground; start to its right.    The proper sequence through the slight overhang will allow for 5.9 climbing.    Because of the crux section, it is not recommended for beginning leaders to learn on this route. Top rope it first a few times before giving it a lead burn. Get that crux dialed.    Gets some of the earliest sun of the day.  

Start on Genesis then head up to the chains of Cain.  The first half is like hanging on the couch  big comfy holds.  Then you have to step off the couch to pull the crux once you reach Cain.  Think of it as having to get off the couch to get a beer or something.  Then its back to the couch  big comfy holds to the chains.  Dont fall getting back on the couch though its a little tricky here, but its still pretty couch.

Starts 8 feet left of Jar of Flies. Goes straight up. Good holds for all clips.  8 draws. If you want to toprope bring additional draws and use them rather than the anchor biners. It gets a lot of warm up activity so check the top biners and replace if worn.  Less overhanging than most at Willow.

Start on Midsummer move right to link with Tsunami before the second roof.   Pros: This route gets all the hard parts from the low crux of Midsummer, through a fun right traverse then up into the business section of Tsunami. Another option for the bored locals.   Cons: Only 3 new moves on another linkup. Not a super obvious line.

An excellent route that is unique for the crag, similar in style to Brass Monkey and Requiem, ie, an actual boulder problem and committing dynamic crux above the waterfall high on the route. The rock quality is perhaps the best at willow and has been newly cleaned after seeing little action for several years (that 10 foot ladder sure can keep climbers away). 

  Most folks, especially those with less than a 6 foot reach, will likely find this stiff for the grade.

Bolted 10 years ago, finally went and turned out to be another hard classic by Engel. Starts on 'Rejection and Mercy' through the one hand jam crux then fades up and left after the lip. Very fun movement through bulges on a steep wall with many pockets to choose from. Eventually ends at the same anchors as 'Cain', but there is an extension past this point that adds two more bolts.

Follow the same start as Fox Confessor till the third bolt.  At this point head straight up into an amazing kneebar (rt).  Rest up to be prepared for  two high cruxs on the climb with a decent recovery in between.   

  While lowering clip into the bolt by the kneebar or below.  Failure to do so will result in a bath in the falls.  There are multiple leaver-biners on the climb to assist with cleaning.  Recommend cleaning entirely from the top.

Start 6' right of Midsummer Daydreams, right of a shallow corner. Climb up the vertical section then hit large (and I mean LARGE) pockets and hueco features on the 45-degree or so overhang. Climb up and slightly off to your left, follow the bolts and you should be fine.

Low Road starts with 3 bolts of nice vertical climbing to get to the start of the roof. Climb the horizontal roof on fun jugs and edges to the crux lip encounter. There are 2-3 ways to get around the lip. The easiest, “left” variation is ~5.12b/c and involves matching a large juggy sloper pocket using tension and/or toe hooks to move left into a flake before pulling over the lip on super jugs(feet first helps here)to get to the low anchor.The harder “right” variation is ~5.12c/12d and climbs out the roof with giant moves on pockets. Getting your hands over the lip isn’t too hard, but trying to get your feet to follow can prove challenging. Which ever variation you take, for a longer and mega route, keep going straight up above the low anchor and finish on the High Road anchors to send the Low Road to China ~5.13a/b.

Start on White Noise, traverse right on the large shelf and finish on Daily Grind. Popular warm up for the regulars, proud redpoint for the 5.10 leader.

Start with same first bolt on Water Music which is just left of the wet spot way over by the falls.  Then continue up into the dihedral and follow it and arête to the top.  The top of this route was originally bolted in the late 90's.

By the mid 2000s, darkness had besieged the chossy steeps of the river Willow.  Like Gandalf the Grey in the Two Towers, Chris Hirsch, another gangly wizard, shone light into the abyss.  Equipped only with a grigri and some Sobe iced tea, young Hirsch had the foresight -- nay, vision! -- to unearth (literally, this rig was dirty) -- another link-up at Willow, the Mono Mercy link.   

  Hence that fateful day, the skies at Willow have been bright (however the choss remains, the crowds are bigger, Hudson is still WT...you get the idea).  And, in honor of this great achievement, no one has since -- to this author's knowledge -- had the gall to climb this visionary piece of climbing history.  So, take up your staff (aka stick clips), grab some magic potions (aka a Sobe), and ride in and send.   

  Once attired in Gandalf robe and staff, begin on the Mono Route.  At the roof that guards the chains for this route, move left and directly tackle the crux of Rejection and Mercy.  Finish on Rejection and Mercy, clipping the lower chains (the top are unequalized, which is bad for your rope and for the higher anchor, which receives much more wear and tear than the lower).

Formerly "the project," this finaly got sent. Look for two anchor hooks on a large roof towards the "back" (waterfall side). Follow the line of bolts down through big roofs to find the start. First ascent done by Andy Raether.

Powerful moves at the start lead to a stand-up or sit-down camper ledge at 20 feet. De-pump completely, because the final moves to the anchor are kinda pumpy.   Not the best rock, but we've been making an effort to brush and knock off the really dangerous stuff. The movement is good, and it makes for a great warm up if you want to work the 12s on the Mez.

Look for the small black cave at the base of the formation. Just a meter or so to the left, climb the slabbish section to a 45-degree overhang. Follow the bolts up and to the right.

The real name is actually unknown, Matt forgot what he called it. So we just refer to it as the 'Mono Route' because of the mono finger thread that you have to get on the horizontal roof...pretty cool. Shortly followed by a dyno into a huge hueco right after the large roof. Beware of the hard redpoint crux below the chains.

Cypher 2 packs Couch Time's fluid moves with big moves reminiscent of Genesis Effect or the Mono Route.   

  Begin on Couch Time.  Once over the roof (use a double-draw/runner at the roof), climb past three bolts to a large and (often) dirty hueco that is shaped like a shallow V on the bottom.  At the next bolt past the hueco (use a double-draw/runner), head straight up through big, fun moves on big pockets and edges until you meet up with Genesis Effect.  Finish on the last few moves (read: massive jugs) of Genesis Effect.

On the right side of the black amphitheater. There is a hanging belay off the ledge. Stick clip the first bolt and climb up loose rock.

Yes, yes, another link up.. Begin the same as Tsunami following it over the second roof to the 8th clip. Instead of clipping the bolt out right from the giant hueco on Tsunami, clip out left a connection bolt and head straight up into the top section of Natural Selection.  

  This route isn't done very much to my knowledge, but is well worth a burn. It combines some of the funnest parts of both routes, what's not to love?

Start at the white pedestal just right of Pride and Prejudice.

Start about 30 feet right of the pipe, behind two blocks. Stick clip the second bolt and climb loose rock to good rock above. 

  Routes are on the south side of the river and are "always changing, but nice when dry."

Follow Business Time til it links with Natural Selection. Instead of heading out left with Natural into Midsummer Daydreams, head straight up Tsunami.

Start under a deep roof and make powerful moves between pockets and edges through the first 2 bolts. Work through vertical, or slightly overhanging rock for 20 feet, and get ready to go big at the last roof. Huge reach! Shorter people can do it, but you get more points for the ascent. 

  Please message me if I have some details about this, or other routes on the Mez, incorrect.

Yes, another link up.  Start on Dry Lightning, which goes out the roof crack then left along the lip of the roof.  Then cross Cain and turn and climb up to the Genesis anchors via Cypher 2.

This new route is an extension to the already est. route 'Water Music'. Previously an aid line done by Mike Dahlberg, has now been bolted and freed. Crux is for sure the huge roof pull, with one enormous reach, a toss to the lip, and then some technique to finish the roof pull. The start has some rad moves as well but the rock below the first roof is not the best. Some clips are hard to make. Anchors are right above the monkey face, below a small roof. This is the first route that I have bolted (with the help of Jeff Engel and Mike Dahlberg's aid bolts). Enjoy!

The link between Water Music and Leftovers.  A bit easier than Leftovers, as you avoid the crux.  Fun climbing, especially the upper portion.

begins to the right of sudden shock and about 10ft left of natural selection. start is located just in front of a large (think dresser size) boulder that is about 5 ft from the wall. 

  once past the slightly vertical section and at the first/main roof, climb up a shallow, narrow corner. the sides of the corner are only a few feet wide, and the corner itself only about 10ft tall. the holds in the corner are crimps and two-finger pockets, with the occasional jug. after the corner, go left to a big hueco. from there, just follow the chalk and big holds and aim for the top. ends on two long chains set 3-4 feet apart. these chains are visible from the bridge. 

  if clipping all the bolts, takes around 13 draws. take a few longer draws or a few runners to eliminate drag at the start and underneath some of the other smaller roofs. lastly, thick pants and/or kneepads help for this route. :) 

  WHEN TOPROPING PLEASE USE USE YOUR QUICKDRAWS INSTEAD OF THE FIXED DRAWS.  because the link-up sudden daydream (12a) shares the same ending as midsummer, these anchors take a lot of abuse.  help us preserve the fixed anchors for as long as possible!

Just to the right of White Noise and Daily Grind, on the black (and possibly damp) dark streak in the rock. Climb up the streak to a 30-degree overhang on pockets, and follow bolts to the top.

This new route is an extension of the Living Slightly Larger roof, allowing it to continue into High Road to China via a harder than it looks 2 bolt traverse.Strap on your knee pads, pull the improbable and wild moves on Living Slightly Larger, dive into a double knee bar rest then recompose for the final two large roofs and redpoint cruxes of High Road to China. A massive, daunting line that will leave you exhausted and smiling.

This is the latest link-up route with a new two bolt section between 'Genesis Effect' and 'Tsunami'. Climb 'Genesis' through the huge huck move then make a slightly awkward transition to the left. Pull the roof for a tricky move to join and finish 'Tsunami'. Another amazing link-up route!

A long link-up route with some of the largest moves at Willow, starts on the 'Rejection and Mercy' crack then takes a hard left at the lip of the roof, bringing you to an exposed traverse across slopey ledges on the lip of this 12' horizontal roof. Then you join up with 'Cain', just in time for the bouldery redpoint crux of this route. Keep pushing through the remainder of 'Cain' to reach a perfect rest right below a set of anchors on another large roof. Either clip the anchors here or traverse left around the roof for two more bolts of climbing.

This route forces some of the biggest reachs I have ever done. Starting below a two-tiered roof on tan rock, climb up to the roof and prepare to be dumbfounded. Figure out some kind of sequence with many of these partial holds and hold on long enough to reach the bomber jug. From here the next move is a huge deadpoint through the tan scar into another good pocket. Then climb out the lip for two more bolts. And there is some loose flakes on this face, so be cautious.

Start on a corner to the right of White Noise, above cheater blocks (use em if you gotta, nobody will blame you). Climb up a slight overhang that passes to the right of a large roof.

Start just left of where the rock gets wet from the falls, just right of an 8-foot shallow black inset. Go up and left to chains halfway up the main ampitheater, just below a large horizontal roof. Apparently this baby is dirty and chossy.

This route is a great way to avoid the crux of 'Cain'. Starts the same as 'Cain' for the first four bolts which brings you to the lip of the 8' roof, though it still ain't easy escaping the roof. Can be a V9 or V10 boulder problem depending on height. Then go straight up into 'Couch Time' for a little shake out before attempting the redpoint crux with a tight two-finger pocket. Clip the 'Cain' anchors on the large roof for the finish.

Start on Sudden Shock, climb four bolts, then traverse right on the jugs past another bolt, under a small dark roof, and finish on Midsummer's Daydreams. A stellar route.

Find a corner with two large blocks at the base. Climb the crack through a 12-foot horizontal roof. At the lip follow bolts up and right to the top.

Leftmost route in Spring 2017. Starts on arete of left facing dihedral. Two bolts to dirty ledge above (belayer beware). Move slightly left to third bolt where you work up into a mini roof. Find a shelf and some great pockets on the face above to gain the fourth bolt. This is your crux section. A couple more bolts through easier terrain lead to fixed anchors. 

  This is a new route. Beware loose rock (climbers and belayers). More traffic will help clean it up!

Another pumpy jug haul with a well/over protected sequency crux. Just before the crux is a no hands knee bar which is awkward to get into. This route is soft for it's orginal rating, 13b. Probably more like 12d/13a.

Steep sport climbing in the large amphitheater near Willow Falls. Some of the steepest stone in the Midwest. Most climbs tend to be endurance fests on large holds. Climbs range from 5.11 to 5.13 and harder. This area is best for the 5.12 and up climber, although there are a few 5.11's. Approximately 25 routes total. Do NOT rappel from the overlook above the climbs. Across the river from the huge roof area is another cliff face that has bolts, rangers are not pleased that these bolts exist so don't climb there. Access is somewhat tenuous, so don't give the rangers any reason to close Willow to climbing.  

  There is also a big river that is right next to the climbing so you can pack your day of climbing and also a little whitewater.  All and all it will be fun.  

PLEASE DO NOT TOPROPE OFF OF THE FIXED ANCHORS AT WILLOW RIVER!   

  If you plan to TR after leading something, use your own draws for this.  The anchors are showing signs of the increased traffic.  If you see biners at the top of a climb that are worn or do not open and close properly, please replace them!

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Willow River State Park