Illinois · Rock climbing · Savanna

D: Open Bible

D: Open BiblePhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
9 routes
5.0 – 5.11+
Trad
Apr–Oct
best months

D: Open Bible is a climbing area in Illinois, about 2 miles from the town of Savanna. It sits among a cluster of named climbing areas, including E: Twin Sisters, F: Brother Buttress and H: Indian Head, all within about a tenth of a mile. The area is part of the Mississippi Palisades, and the Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails South lie just 0.2 miles away. The climbing here is all trad, with nine routes spread across a range from 5.0 to 5.11+. The Access Route is the easiest at 5.0, and Revelations is the hardest at 5.11+. Devious and Grisly, both 5.6, were first led by Demetri Kolokotronis in 1967. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Mt Carroll weather station show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 77°F, with July the warmest month at about 85°F. Winter is cold, with January highs near 31°F. The Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails North are about 2.7 miles away, and the Plum River and Rush Creek paddling routes are each roughly 9 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit D: Open Bible

    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 mi away at 640 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (9)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

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

E: Twin Sisters

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

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

C: Sun Buttress

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

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F: Brother Buttress

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

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H: Indian Head

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

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B: Forgotten Wall

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

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I: Bee Wall

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

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A: Sentinel

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A: Sentinel in Illinois has 32 climbing routes with 16 distinct difficulty grades.

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J: Amphitheater Wall

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

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K: Butter Walls

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

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Mississippi Palisades

~1 min drive

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