Durrance Route (Devils Tower)

Durrance Route
The route begins below and to the right of the two trees. It then ascends the left side of the leaning pillar and continues up the most inset dihedral. There are two possible finishes a direct vertical finish or a "classic" traverse to the right involving leaping a gap.
Location	Wyoming, USA
Climbing Area	Devils Tower, Durrance Approach
Route Type	Trad climb
Vertical Gain	500'
Pitches	6
Rating	5.7
Grade	III
First ascent	Jack Durrance & Harrison Butterworth (1938, FFA).

The Durrance Route is a climbing route on Devils Tower in the U.S. state of Wyoming. First pioneered by Jack Durrance and Harrison Butterworth in September of 1938, it was the second free ascent of Devils Tower, following the first ascent led by Fritz Wiessner in 1937. The Weissner Route lies a few hundred feet to the right of the Durrance Route and has a comparable difficulty. Today the Durrance Route is the most popular route on Devils Tower. It is considered a more interesting and enjoyable route than the Wessiner Route due to variable terrain and better belay stances. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America^[1] and other guide books.^[2][3][4][5]

Significant Features

Leaning Column

An 8 meter volcanic column which has been slightly tipped from vertical. Reports that it was too unstable prompted a U.S. Geological Survey inspection in 2006. The inspection found that it was unlikely that a climber's weight would dislodge the pillar.

References

1. ^ Roper, Steve; Allen Steck (1979). Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. pp. 141–146. ISBN 0-87156-292-8. 
2. ^ Fifty Favorite Climbs: The Ultimate North American Tick List; By Mark Kroese; Published by The Mountaineers Books, 2001; ISBN 0898867282, 9780898867282
3. ^ Free Climbs of Devils Tower, Fourteenth edition, by Dingus McGee and the Last Pioneer Woman, A Poorperson's Guidebook, Laramie, WY, 1996.
4. ^ Devils Tower Wyoming and The Black Hills, South Dakota, by John Harlin III, Chockstone, Falcon, Helena, MO, 1996; ISBN 1-57540-028-6.
5. ^ Devils Tower Climbing, by Zach Orenczak and Rachael Lynn, Extreme Angles Publishing, Laramie , WY, 2006; ISBN 978-0-9746532-7-3.