Michigan · Rock climbing · Marquette · Near Ishpeming

Lower Pile

8 routes
5.7 – 5.11a/b
Sport · Trad
May–Aug
best months

Lower Pile is a climbing area in Michigan, about 0.8 miles from the community of Pioneer Estates. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Glenda's Pile just 0.1 mile away and Shawshank and Phil's Hill each about 0.8 mile off. The area has eight routes, seven of which are sport climbs and one a trad route. Grades run from 5.7 up to 5.11a/b, with the median around 5.10b. Among the named routes are Too Many Drugs at 5.10a, Tweener at 5.10b and The Chicks And The Money at 5.11a/b. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Marquette weather station put July highs around 75°F with lows near 58°F, while winter brings highs in the 20s and regular snow days from December through February.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Rippling River Resort

    Campground

    Campground · 0.5 mi from the trail
  • Eat afterThe ed17, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Blackrocks Brewery

    Brewery

    Open after 6

    Craft brewery in Michigan

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: The ed17, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Ishpeming
  • Best time to go · May–Aug

    Best time to visit Lower Pile

    Best months: May–August. 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

      25° / 12°

      17 wet · 17 snow

    2. Feb

      27° / 12°

      13 wet · 13 snow

    3. Mar

      35° / 21°

      11 wet · 9 snow

    4. Apr

      46° / 31°

      10 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      59° / 41°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      68° / 50°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      75° / 58°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 58°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 52°

      13 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 40°

      14 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      41° / 29°

      14 wet · 7 snow

    12. Dec

      30° / 19°

      15 wet · 13 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Marquette, MI, 2.5 mi away at 665 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (8)