2024 Black Hills, South Dakota

The Black Hills contain a staggering amount of sport climbing. And if you are reading this please don’t tell too many climbers. We keep returning to Spearfish and Victoria Canyons because they are so perfect for a summer road trip. This past summer was no exception - for 9 days we had the crags to ourselves, cool temps, and plenty of sunshine. This camp was August 11-20, 2024.

This was one of my favorite trips ever. And considering that I’ve been doing this for almost twenty years, it’s a bold statement. The combination of an amazing group of youth, great weather, amazing help from mentor Alice, and truly joyful climbing, made this trip the end cap to a perfect summer.

Spearfish is one of those places where I could see myself climbing when I’m old. Until then, I’m going to keep enjoyiung it with as much youthful vigor as out athletes who are coming here for the first time.

I want to give a big shoutout to the Black Hills Climbers Coalition for all of their work on this area. Trail maintenance, hardware replacement, and land manager negotiations - these are the details that allow us to enjoy natural resources like the Hills. As always, I strongly encourage all climbers to donate to the local advocacy organizations of the climbing areas they visit. Climbing isn’t free, it turns out. A massive amount of work goes on behind the scenes to equip and maintain our crags. More often than not, this is initially done out of pocket and through a volunteer ethos. Local stewards need your support.

alpha climbing operates our programs in the Black Hills through a special use permit with the Black Hills National Forest.