Hidden Buttress
- 7 routes
- 5.7 – 5.10a
- Top Rope · Trad
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Hidden Buttress is a rock climbing area in Blue Mounds State Park in Minnesota, managed by State Park and Recreation. It sits among a cluster of climbing areas, with Red Rock Buttress, Lover's Fortress and Trump Boulders all about 0.1 mile away, and First Fortress about 0.2 mile off. The climbing here is a mix of top rope and trad routes, with seven routes listed. The grades run from 5.7 to 5.10a, and the hardest is Clingon at 5.10a. Elm Tree Pinch and Park Bench are both 5.7 trad routes, and Hidden Direct is a 5.9 top rope. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the Rock Rapids, IA weather station, about 19 miles away, put July highs around 85°F with lows near 62°F, while January highs sit around 25°F. The cluster of nearby buttresses and towers makes it easy to link several climbs in a single visit.
- Red Rock ButtressRock climbing0.1 mi
- Quarry Corner ButtressRock climbing0.1 mi
- Sun Drop II TowerRock climbing0.1 mi
- Trump BouldersRock climbing0.1 mi
- Lover's FortressRock climbing0.1 mi
- Mini FortressRock climbing0.1 mi
- L-ButtressRock climbing0.1 mi
- First FortressRock climbing0.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Hidden Buttress
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
25° / 6°
5 wet
Feb
30° / 10°
5 wet
Mar
43° / 22°
6 wet
Apr
58° / 34°
9 wet
May
70° / 47°
12 wet
Jun
81° / 58°
10 wet
Jul
85° / 62°
8 wet
Aug
82° / 59°
8 wet
Sep
75° / 50°
7 wet
Oct
61° / 36°
6 wet
Nov
44° / 23°
5 wet
Dec
30° / 12°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rock Rapids, IA, 18.8 mi away at 1,350 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
