View source for Needles (Black Hills)

{{Short description|Towers of eroded granite in the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox climbing area
| name           = The Needles
| range          = [[Black Hills]]
| photo          = Black Hills -Needles-31.jpg
| photo_width    = 220
| photo_caption  = The Needles, South Dakota, United States
| map            = South Dakota
| map_width      = 
| map_caption    = 
| location       = 
| nearest_city   = [[Custer, South Dakota]]
| coordinates = {{coord|43|50|28|N|103|32|40|W|region:US-SD_type:landmark}}
| climbing_type  = [[traditional climbing|traditional]] [[Face climbing|face]] and [[Crack climbing|crack]] climbing and [[bouldering]]<ref name=Toula>{{Cite Toula}}</ref>
| height         = {{convert|500|ft}}
| pitches        = 1 to 4
| ratings        = 
| grades         = 5.0-5.13
| rock_type      = [[granite]], [[pegmatite]]
| quantity       = years worth ( 2,000 summits) 
| development    = well developed
| aspect         = mixed mainly traditional climbing
| season         = spring to fall
| ownership      = [[State park]]
| camping        = none
| stars = 5
}}
[[File:A climber ascends Spire Nine.jpg|thumb|upright|left|A climber ascends spire nine in The Needles]]
[[File:Needles Highway, Black Hills of SD, 1988.jpeg|thumb|left|upright|A roadside needle]]
'''The Needles''' of the [[Black Hills]] of [[South Dakota]] are a region of [[erosion|eroded]] [[granite]] pillars, towers, and spires within [[Custer State Park]].  Popular with [[climbing|rock climbers]] and [[tourism|tourists]] alike, the Needles are accessed from the [[Needles Highway]], which is a part of [[Sylvan Lake Road]] (SD 87/89).  The '''Cathedral Spires and Limber Pine Natural Area''', a {{convert|637|acre|ha|adj=on}} portion of the Needles containing six ridges of pillars as well as a disjunct stand of [[Limber Pine|limber pine]], was designated a [[National Natural Landmark]] in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nnlandmarks/site.htm?Site=CASP-SD|title=National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)|website=www.nps.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-03-25|quote="Year designated: 1976"}}</ref>

The Needles were the original site proposed for the [[Mount Rushmore]] carvings. The location was rejected by the sculptor [[Gutzon Borglum]] owing to the poor quality of the granite and the fact that they were too thin to support the sculptures. The Needles attract approximately 300,000 people annually.

== Climbing==
{{Black Hills and Badlands}}
In 1936 [[Fritz Wiessner]] climbed the ''Totem Pole''<ref name=MP>{{cite web|title=Custer State Park Rock Climbing |url=https://www.mountainproject.com/v/custer-state-park/106058091|website=Mountain Project|access-date=31 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="Alpinist">{{cite journal|last1=deLannoy|first1=Pete|title=The Needles|journal=Alpinist|date=March 1, 2006|issue=15|access-date=10 February 2016|url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP15/crag-profile-needles}}</ref> and in 1937 ''Khayyam Spire'' with Bill House and Lawrence Coveney. In 1947 [[Jan and Herb Conn]] moved to the area and over the next couple decades put up over 220 first ascents.<ref name=Lindsay>{{cite book|last=Stephens|first=Lindsay|title=The Adventure Climbs of Herb and Jan Conn|year=2008|publisher=Sharp End Pub., LLC.|location=Boulder, CO|isbn=9781892540560|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xQsJSQAACAAJ}}</ref> In 1952 [[Fred Beckey]] and John Dudra climbed ''Rubaiyat Spire'' and ''Khayyam Spire''. In the 1960s climbers such as [[Royal Robbins]], and [[Henry Barber (rock climber)|Henry Barber]] put up many bold routes. In 1961 [[John Gill (climber)|John Gill]] made a [[Free solo climbing|free solo]] ascent of {{YDS|5.12a|}} route on ''The Thimble'' which is considered one of the first climbs at that grade and still is a formidable challenge.<ref>{{YouTube | id=JUi3CuUL9n0 | title=Gill Route on the Thimble }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Thimble Rock Climbing  |url=https://www.mountainproject.com/v/the-thimble/105714549|website=Mountain Project|access-date=31 January 2016}}</ref> In 1991 [[John Sherman (climber)|John Sherman]] also made a [[Free solo climbing|free solo]] ascent of Gill's Route.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sherman|first1=John|title=Stone crusade : a historical guide to bouldering in America|date=1994|publisher=AAC Press|location=Golden, Colo.|isbn=9780930410629|edition=1st|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5PW1XYtfRQ0C}}</ref>

=== Classic climbs ===
{{Div col|colwidth=10em|rules=yes|gap=2em|small=yes}}
*Spire Two, {{YDS|5.3|}} 
*Innercourse, {{YDS|5.5|}} 
*Rum Room, {{YDS|5.7|}} 
*Tent Peg, {{YDS|5.7|}} 
*Tricuni Nail, {{YDS|5.8|}} 
*Trojan Determination, {{YDS|5.8|}} 
*Behind The Door, {{YDS|5.9|}} 
*Four Little Fishes, {{YDS|5.9|}} 
*Hardrocker, {{YDS|5.9|}} 
*Needle's Eye, {{YDS|5.10-|}} 
*Nentucket Sleigh Ride, {{YDS|5.10|}} 
*Superpin, {{YDS|5.10b R|}} 
*Farewell to Arms, {{YDS|5.10+|}} 
*For Whom the Bell Tolls, {{YDS|5.11a|}} 
*Limited Immunity, {{YDS|5.11b|}} 
*Vertigo, {{YDS|5.11|}} 
*Leaning Jowler, {{YDS|5.12a|}} 
*Walking the Plankton, {{YDS|5.12b|}} 
*Thimble, {{YDS|5.12a|}} 
*Outlet CG Boulders
{{Div col end}}
[[File:Herb Conn - The Needles in Review - Needles Map.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.75|Map of the Needles by climbing and caving pioneers [[Jan and Herb Conn]].]]
{{clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Black Hills, South Dakota}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Black Hills]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of South Dakota]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Custer County, South Dakota]]
[[Category:National Natural Landmarks in South Dakota]]
[[Category:Rock formations of South Dakota]]
[[Category:Black Hills National Forest]]
[[Category:Landforms of Custer County, South Dakota]]


{{SouthDakota-geo-stub}}