Hoot Bluff
- 18 routes
- 5.7 – 5.12d
- Sport · Trad
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Hoot Bluff is a climbing area in the Ozark Wildlife Area on county land in Iowa. The closest neighbor is 187 Crag, about a third of a mile away, and the place is managed by the county. The climbing here is sport climbing, with one trad route. There are 18 routes in total, ranging from 5.7 to 5.12d. The hardest of them is Back in the Groove, a 5.12d sport climb. Sword in the Stone, the one trad route, is a 5.7. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Cascade, Iowa weather station put May highs around 70°F and September highs around 75°F, with lows near 50°F. July and August run hotter, in the low 80s. Other climbing areas within about 10 miles include the Upper and Lower Boulders and the Quantum Chromodynamics Area, both roughly 10 miles out.
Best time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Hoot Bluff
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.
Jan
27° / 11°
8 wet
Feb
32° / 15°
8 wet
Mar
45° / 26°
9 wet
Apr
59° / 37°
10 wet
May
70° / 49°
12 wet
Jun
80° / 60°
11 wet
Jul
83° / 63°
10 wet
Aug
81° / 60°
9 wet
Sep
75° / 51°
9 wet
Oct
62° / 38°
9 wet
Nov
46° / 28°
8 wet
Dec
33° / 18°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cascade, IA, 10.3 mi away at 814 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Routes (18)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)C: Sun Buttress
~1h 3m drive
C: Sun Buttress in Illinois has 12 traditional climbing routes across 7 grades.
Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)E: Twin Sisters
~1h 3m drive
E: Twin Sisters in Illinois has 17 climbing routes across 7 grades, featuring top-rope and trad options.
Photo: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)D: Open Bible
~1h 3m drive
D: Open Bible in Illinois has 9 traditional climbing routes across 6 grades.
CLIMB
187 Crag
Next door
187 Crag in Iowa has 13 climbing routes across 11 grades, featuring bouldering and sport styles.
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Upper and Lower Boulders
~17 min drive
Upper and Lower Boulders is a bouldering area in Iowa with 5 routes.
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Quantum Chromodynamics Area
~17 min drive
Quantum Chromodynamics Area in Iowa has 6 bouldering routes spanning 6 difficulty grades.
CLIMB
Dip Boulder
~17 min drive
Dip Boulder in Iowa has 7 bouldering routes across 6 grades.
CLIMB
Joinerville (bouldering only)
~17 min drive
29 bouldering routes in Iowa ranging from 5.1 to 5.12.
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Alcove boulder
~17 min drive
Alcove boulder is a bouldering area in Iowa with 6 routes.
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Project boulder
~17 min drive
Project boulder in Iowa has 5 bouldering routes with 4 difficulty grades.
