Illinois · Rock climbing · Savanna

A: Sentinel

32 routes
5.4 – 5.12a
Trad · Top Rope
Apr–Oct
best months

A: Sentinel is a climbing area in Illinois, about 2 miles from the town of Savanna. It sits among a cluster of named climbing areas, with B: Forgotten Wall and C: Sun Buttress each about 0.1 mile away and D: Open Bible about 0.2 mile off. The area is part of a larger network of climbing and hiking in the Mississippi Palisades region. The climbing here is a mix of trad and top rope routes, with 21 trad routes and 11 top rope routes among the 32 listed. Grades run from 5.4 to 5.12+, with the Sentinel East Face at 5.4 and the Broken Link at 5.12+ as two of the standouts. Top rope options include the Sentinel North Face at 5.8 and Knob Off at 5.10, the latter with a first ascent by Thomas Corso and Randy Stover in September 2011. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from the nearby Mt Carroll weather station show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 77°F, with July peaking near 85°F. The Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails South lie about 0.4 mile away, and the park's trails north are about 2.5 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Plum River and Rush Creek, both about 8.5 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit A: Sentinel

    Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      31° / 11°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 14°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 26°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      61° / 36°

      11 wet

    5. May

      72° / 47°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 57°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 60°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 58°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 50°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      64° / 38°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      48° / 27°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 17°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Carroll, IL, 9.1 mi away at 640 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (32)

Knob OffFA: Thomas Corso /Randy Stover Sept 18, 20115.10Pretzel Face5.10Quadrangle Traverse5.10Face Off5.10-Demitri's Demise5.10+Turtles for PeaceFA: Mark Hedenstrom, April 1988, TR5.10+Blank Wall5.11Over and Up5.11Return Engagement5.11Son of GodzillaFA: Doug Johnson, April 1988, TR5.11Buck Naked5.12Graduation DayFA: Kevin Sweeney May 1989, TR5.12-Broken Link5.12+Next To Nothing 12.aFA: Bob Beerman and Tom Corso5.12aSentinel East Face5.4Sentinel Chimney5.5Spinal CompressionFA: W.J. Keller August 1988, TR5.5DecapitatorFA: Bill Collett and Gary Taylor, 19815.6Primak's Peril5.6Riverview Ridge5.6First Crack5.7Nosey5.7Second Crack aka Myrtle's Folly5.7Third Crack5.7+Double Overhang aka Fourth Crack5.8Monkey SwingFA: Tom Kohlmann 19865.8Sentinel North Face5.8Mud Crack5.9PretzelFA: Ron Bull 1975 or 19765.9Up and OffFA: Randy Stover5.9West Face (Squaw Face Chimney)5.9Tuxedo5.9+

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

C: Sun ButtressPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

C: Sun Buttress

Next door

C: Sun Buttress in Illinois has 12 traditional climbing routes across 7 grades.

D: Open BiblePhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

D: Open Bible

Next door

D: Open Bible in Illinois has 9 traditional climbing routes across 6 grades.

E: Twin SistersPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

E: Twin Sisters

Next door

E: Twin Sisters in Illinois has 17 climbing routes across 7 grades, featuring top-rope and trad options.

CLIMB

B: Forgotten Wall

Next door

B: Forgotten Wall in Illinois has 19 trad climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades.

CLIMB

F: Brother Buttress

Next door

11-route climbing crag in Illinois with 8 difficulty grades, offering top-rope and trad climbing.

CLIMB

H: Indian Head

Next door

H: Indian Head is a climbing area in Illinois with 5 routes.

CLIMB

I: Bee Wall

Next door

I: Bee Wall in Illinois has 15 climbing routes with 8 difficulty grades.

CLIMB

J: Amphitheater Wall

Next door

J: Amphitheater Wall in Illinois has 8 trad routes across 6 difficulty grades.

CLIMB

Mississippi Palisades

Next door

Mississippi Palisades is a climbing area in Illinois with 1 route.

CLIMB

K: Butter Walls

~1 min drive

K: Butter Walls is a climbing crag in Illinois with 6 routes.