Devil's Tower trip - Devil's Lake State Park

Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI

One of the premiere climbing destinations of the midwest, Devil's Lake is also a favorite for us because of it's great opportunities for scuba diving, mtn biking, and hiking. Plus, our friends Dan and Anna-Marie live in Baraboo, so that gives us extra incentive to visit the area (although we've been slacking lately, only visiting twice so far this year!). Devil's Lake is also a special place for us...that's where we got engaged (underwater, while scuba diving)!

The Baraboo Quartzite was formed 1.5 billion years ago, beneath a sea. Incredible amounts of pure quartz sand were deposited and accumulated at the bottom of this sea, until the weight began to press the sediments together into sandstone. Though identical to sandstone in chemical composition, the slow solidification without high temperature mineral growth or crystal distortion means that it is essentially sedimentary instead of metamorphic quartzite. Several times between a million years ago and the present, glaciers advanced and retreated over the face of the midwest. Devil's Lake lies between two portions of a terminal moraine, just outside the glaciated area. Runoff from the melting ice brought the sand for the swimming beaches and filled the gap between the bluffs and the moraines with the waters of Devil's Lake.

University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse - LaCrosse, WI

Dean's alma mater!

Blue Mounds State Park - Luverne, MN

This climbing area is significant to us, since it's the first place that Michele ever climbed (in 1992, thanks to Dean...). It was a popular place for us to go climbing while we lived in Sioux Falls, Sd during 1994 - 1996.

The Sioux Quartzite of Blue Mounds, unlike that of Devil's Lake, is metamorphic rock. It starts the same way from quartz sand but is further pressured and heated by being covered by miles of other deposits until the material between the individual grains of sand becomes harder than the original quartz. From a climber's perspective, though, the rock is very similar. The 'Prairie Walls' of Blue Mounds rise 70 feet above the surrounding (otherwise flat) farmland.

Camp Foster YMCA - Spirit Lake, IA

If it weren't for Camp Foster, we probably wouldn't be doing this trip! Dean, Michele, and Chris all met at Camp Foster in the early 1990's.

Sioux Falls, SD

Dean & Michele lived here from 1994 - 1996, after grad school and before moving to Wisconsin.

Devil's Tower National Monument - Devil's Tower, WY

Devil's Tower rises 1,270 feet above the Belle Fourche river, to an elevation of 5,117 feet above sea level. Base diameter is approx 800 ft, and summit measures 300' across from north to south and 180' from east to west, and is relatively flat.

The tower formed when molten rock (magma) rose up through the earth to harden either at or just beneath the surface. This occurred about 60 million years ago. The surrounding sediments were then eroded away to expose the tower as it appears today.

Many of the northern plains indian tribes consider the Tower to be "wakan", meaning holy or sacred in the Lakota language. Out of respect for these beliefs, the Climbing Management Plan, implemented in 1995, calls for a voluntary closure to climbing during the month of June.


	Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI One of the premiere climbing destinations of the midwest, Devil's Lake is also a favorite for us because of it's great opportunities for scuba diving, mtn biking, and hiking. Plus, our friends Dan and Anna-Marie live in Baraboo, so that gives us extra incentive to visit the area (although we've been slacking lately, only visiting twice so far this year!). Devil's Lake is also a special place for us...that's where we got engaged (underwater, while scuba diving)! The Baraboo Quartzite was formed 1.5 billion years ago, beneath a sea. Incredible amounts of pure quartz sand were deposited and accumulated at the bottom of this sea, until the weight began to press the sediments together into sandstone. Though identical to sandstone in chemical composition, the slow solidification without high temperature mineral growth or crystal distortion means that it is essentially sedimentary instead of metamorphic quartzite. Several times between a million years ago and the present, glaciers advanced and retreated over the face of the midwest. Devil's Lake lies between two portions of a terminal moraine, just outside the glaciated area. Runoff from the melting ice brought the sand for the swimming beaches and filled the gap between the bluffs and the moraines with the waters of Devil's Lake. University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse - LaCrosse, WI Dean's alma mater! Blue Mounds State Park - Luverne, MN This climbing area is significant to us, since it's the first place that Michele ever climbed (in 1992, thanks to Dean...). It was a popular place for us to go climbing while we lived in Sioux Falls, Sd during 1994 - 1996. The Sioux Quartzite of Blue Mounds, unlike that of Devil's Lake, is metamorphic rock. It starts the same way from quartz sand but is further pressured and heated by being covered by miles of other deposits until the material between the individual grains of sand becomes harder than the original quartz. From a climber's perspective, though, the rock is very similar. The 'Prairie Walls' of Blue Mounds rise 70 feet above the surrounding (otherwise flat) farmland. Camp Foster YMCA - Spirit Lake, IA If it weren't for Camp Foster, we probably wouldn't be doing this trip! Dean, Michele, and Chris all met at Camp Foster in the early 1990's. Sioux Falls, SD Dean & Michele lived here from 1994 - 1996, after grad school and before moving to Wisconsin. Devil's Tower National Monument - Devil's Tower, WY Devil's Tower rises 1,270 feet above the Belle Fourche river, to an elevation of 5,117 feet above sea level. Base diameter is approx 800 ft, and summit measures 300' across from north to south and 180' from east to west, and is relatively flat. The tower formed when molten rock (magma) rose up through the earth to harden either at or just beneath the surface. This occurred about 60 million years ago. The surrounding sediments were then eroded away to expose the tower as it appears today. Many of the northern plains indian tribes consider the Tower to be "wakan", meaning holy or sacred in the Lakota language. Out of respect for these beliefs, the Climbing Management Plan, implemented in 1995, calls for a voluntary closure to climbing during the month of June.