Iowa · Rock climbing · Monticello

Chicago Wall

5 routes
5.11a – 5.12a
Sport
Apr–Oct
best months

Chicago Wall is a sport climbing area in Iowa's Pictured Rocks Wildlife Management Area, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Gumby Wall about 0.1 mile away and Wild Iowa Wall about 0.2 mile away, so it works well as one stop in a day of exploring the surrounding crags. The climbing here is all sport, and the routes run from about 5.11a to 5.12a. Five routes are listed, including Chicago Business Trip (5.11a), Kneel Before Zod (5.11a) and Kum and Go (5.12a). The grades are typical for the area, with most of the routes falling in the 5.11a/b range. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Cascade weather station show July highs around 83°F with lows near 63°F, while January highs average about 27°F. Pictured Rocks and Comic Gallery are both about 0.3 mile away, and Shiprock is about 0.4 mile away, so climbers can easily string several areas together in one visit.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Chicago Wall

    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

      27° / 11°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      32° / 15°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      45° / 26°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      59° / 37°

      10 wet

    5. May

      70° / 49°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 63°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 60°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 51°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 38°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      46° / 28°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      33° / 18°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cascade, IA, 7.9 mi away at 814 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (5)