Illinois · Rock climbing · Savanna

K: Butter Walls

6 routes
5.5 – 5.9
Trad
Apr–Oct
best months

K: Butter Walls is a climbing area in Illinois, about 1.5 miles from the town of Savanna. It sits among a cluster of named climbing areas, with J: Amphitheater Wall just 0.1 mile away and I: Bee Wall at 0.2 mile. The routes here are all traditional, and the grade range runs from 5.5 to 5.9 on the YDS scale, with the median at 5.8. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically May and September. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Mt Carroll show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 77°F, with lows near 47°F and 50°F. July is the warmest month, with highs averaging about 85°F. The Butter Walls routes include Butter Knife at 5.5, Surprise Crack at 5.7, and Butter Fingers, Inch Worm and Roundabout at 5.8. Way-Back Layback is the hardest at 5.9. All were first ascended in 1982 by Gary Taylor and others. The Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails South are about half a mile away, and the park's trails North are about 3 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Plum River, roughly 9 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit K: Butter Walls

    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 (6)

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.

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

D: Open Bible

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

C: Sun Buttress

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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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I: Bee Wall

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

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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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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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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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L: Dihedrals Area

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7 trad routes on sandstone in Illinois.

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A: Sentinel

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