Dry-Tool Cliff
- 5 routes
- 5.7 – 5.11a
- Top Rope · Trad
- May–Oct
- best months
Dry-Tool Cliff is a climbing area in Crystal Falls State Forest Area in Michigan, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Picnic Wall Right and Picnic Area both about 0.2 miles away and Section 18 about 0.9 miles off. The area has five routes, four of which are top rope and one is trad. The grades range from 5.7 to 5.11a, with Through the Roof at 5.11a being the hardest. Scapularis and Ixodes are top rope routes at 5.7 and 5.8. Gem is the trad route at 5.7, and Bypass is a top rope at 5.9-. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 80°F with lows near 57°F, while January highs average about 24°F. Norway Mountain Ski Resort is about 5 miles away, and the Sturgeon River offers canoeing about 8 miles out.
- Picnic Wall RightRock climbing0.2 mi
- Picnic AreaRock climbing0.2 mi
- Section 18Rock climbing0.9 mi
- North BouldersRock climbing4 mi
- Norway Mountain Ski ResortDownhill skiing5 mi
- Merriman East PathwayHiking5.1 mi
- Pine Mountain Ski HillDownhill skiing7.6 mi
- Sturgeon RiverCanoeing8.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Dry-Tool Cliff
Best months: May–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
24° / 4°
10 wet
Feb
28° / 6°
7 wet
Mar
39° / 17°
8 wet
Apr
52° / 29°
10 wet
May
66° / 42°
12 wet
Jun
76° / 52°
12 wet
Jul
80° / 57°
11 wet
Aug
78° / 55°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 47°
11 wet
Oct
56° / 35°
11 wet
Nov
41° / 24°
9 wet
Dec
29° / 13°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Iron Mtn-Kingsford Wwtp, MI, 9 mi away at 1,071 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
