Upper Peninsula Climbing

Yooper country. The UP has an excellent assortment of both rock climbing and ice climbing. The majority of the rock climbing is from Marquette and to the West. The predominate rock types are Basalt, Quartzite, and Granite/Gneiss. For ice climbing, the destination spot is Munising, MI, which is home to the oldest ice climbing festival in the Country (Michigan Ice Fest). There are 100s of ice routes, many of which are 150’+ in length. Also, given our latitude, we tend to have climbable ice from late November until late April.

The Upper Peninsula has two excellent guidebooks, both of which can be purchased from Down Wind Sports. There is an ice climbing guidebook and a rock climbing guidebook. 

As with any area, we have unique access issues. Consider donating to the Upper Peninsula Climbers’ Coalition, which is the regional affiliate of the Access Fund. The UPCC presently works with more than 20 landowners to secure sustainable and accessible crags. 

Classic UP Crags Include:

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Silver Mountain

Presque Isle

Slugg's Bluff

Carney Crag

AAA

Railroad to Nowhere

Sugarloaf