Iowa · Rock climbing · Dundee

Backbone East

10 routes
5.6 – 5.10b
Trad · Top Rope
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Backbone East is a climbing area in Backbone State Park in Iowa, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It sits among several other climbing spots and trails within the park, so it works well as a stop in a day of exploring the park's rock and hiking routes. The climbing here is a mix of trad and top-rope routes, with 10 routes in total. The grades run from 5.6 to 5.10b, with the hardest being And Then She Fell at 5.10b. Fat Man's Crack and Cole's Calamity are two of the easier trad options at 5.6 and 5.7. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Manchester put May highs around 70°F and September highs around 74°F, while winter brings highs in the 20s and regular snow days. Several other spots are close by. Drive In Wall and Devil's Backbone are both about 0.1 mile away, and the Backbone Trail is also within a tenth of a mile. Backbone Lake, about a mile off, offers fishing.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Backbone East

    Best months: April and June–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

      26° / 8°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    2. Feb

      31° / 12°

      8 wet · 6 snow

    3. Mar

      44° / 24°

      10 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      58° / 35°

      11 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      70° / 47°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      79° / 58°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 61°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 58°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 49°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      61° / 37°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      45° / 26°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      32° / 15°

      9 wet · 6 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Manchester #2, IA, 11.2 mi away at 990 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (10)