tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73463605057742159622011-09-24T10:20:50.315-05:00Welcome to Devils Lake Outdoors. This blog is for all things related to outdoor activities at Devils Lake State Park (and the surrounding areas like Parfrey's Glen SNA, Natural Bridge SP, Governor Dodge SP etc.) in Wisconsin. Most of my experience at the park comes in the form of climbing, but I'd like to get some folks that are interested in other outdoor aspects of the park to post their thoughts here as well.Jamesnoreply@blogger.comBlogger101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-44610418697562671622011-03-04T07:57:00.003-06:002011-03-04T08:10:23.654-06:00

The article isn't out in online format yet, but you if you pick up a copy of the March 2011 issue of Climbing #293 you can find it there. You can get a subscription here.The article was written by Devils Lake Outdoors contributor Jay Knower. You can read one of his contributions here. You can also check out Jay's blog here - he contributes about as frequently as I do, but there is a fairly

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-8830356556829489952011-03-03T14:16:00.002-06:002011-03-03T14:19:31.086-06:00

Devils Lake Sunset from atop Major MassHopefully I'll post a little more frequently following this.

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-54389591168717660692009-02-04T11:29:00.005-06:002009-02-04T12:38:41.315-06:00

We finally got some warmer weather to climb in during this snow-filled, negative degree, winter. Paul and I were gunning for Saturday, but we both got a cold during the week and felt like crap on Saturday. Sunday's weather still looked great. I woke up on Sunday and said to myself "Screw this crap, I want to climb!!!" I called Paul up at 7:30am and he was down for the climbins. We met up at the

John Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868988392321141624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-35586351657259397722009-01-26T15:22:00.003-06:002009-01-26T15:30:25.782-06:00

By GARRETT SOPERIt was 1932, and the United States was in the grips of the Great Depression. Only three years earlier, the stock market had crashed. An astonishing one in four people in the country were out of work; over-farming had ravaged the plains, causing terrifying dust storms to wreak havoc on America’s breadbasket. The country was suffering like never before.There was a bit of hope,

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-61130402093849412342009-01-21T11:04:00.003-06:002009-01-21T11:48:39.928-06:00

Well it's been a while since I've put a new post up, and that is a direct result of me not doing much lately, or hearing from anyone who has. I think the holiday's are generally a slow time in the Midwestern outdoor community. Most people are either holed up with their families or using their time off to go someplace sunny and warm -- an especially good option given the above average snowfall

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-18393797366000363552008-12-22T13:59:00.004-06:002008-12-22T14:28:42.257-06:00

Editor's Note: Jay wrote this a few years back.A November AfternoonJay KnowerNo cars were parked in the CCC parking lot. The leaves had recently fallen off the trees. I had missed the fall colors because I live in New Hampshire. Now the leaves were a slippery brown mass beneath my feet as I made my way up the trail. I had flown back home, back to Devil’s Lake, for just a few days. I had to get

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-26137276884640957542008-12-17T14:58:00.007-06:002008-12-17T15:19:34.992-06:00

Ferry Bluff State Natural Area encompasses a sandstone bluff on the banks of the Wisconsin River about fifteen minutes southwest of Devils Lake. Because it is a State Natural Area it is off limits to climbing, but it does have beautiful sunset views from its summit looking out over a wide section of the Wisconsin River. Also please note that Ferry Bluff is CLOSED from November 15th to April 1st

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-73763934546733362042008-12-17T13:42:00.004-06:002008-12-17T14:46:07.381-06:00

Pine Hollow is an amazing sandstone canyon just southwest of Devils Lake. It is a State Natural Area owned by the Wisconsin Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and as a result climbing, along with a host of other activities, is forbidden - be sure to check that whatever you are planning on doing is allowable before going.The map below should give you a decent idea of where to park and where to head

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-13599807917986940522008-12-17T13:37:00.016-06:002008-12-17T16:35:04.995-06:00

I have been following the weather pretty closely. Any weekend that looks to be 25F or higher, we head out for some climbing. This weekend, Dec. 13th, we planned to hit up the Dodge. Weather was iffy all week, and after many a person copped out, Paul, Chris and I headed out on Saturday morning. It was very windy, but as I thought, the Dodge was pretty protected from the wind. We had perfect

John Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868988392321141624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7346360505774215962.post-83574007264144039832008-12-16T09:46:00.002-06:002008-12-17T21:33:12.211-06:00

This is one of my favorite training hikes in the area, and it can give you a real sense of doing something -- it certainly gave me that sense last weekend. One of my climbing partners, Todd, and I decided to kick off our training for the summer alpine climbing season with a weekend of winter camping and a long hike with light packs from Devils Lake to Parfrey's Glen and back on the Ice Age Trail.

Jamesnoreply@blogger.com4