Above Anthrax
- 11 routes
- 5.6 – 5.13b
- Sport · Trad · Bouldering
- May–Oct
- best months
Above Anthrax is a climbing area in Wisconsin, about 2.5 miles from the town of Strongs Prairie. It sits among a cluster of named climbing spots, including Anthrax Wall, Hell Wall (aka Quarry Wall) and the River side of Main Massif or Quarry Wall, all within about a tenth of a mile. The area also includes Air Spire and Y-Crack Wall, so climbers can string together several routes in a single visit. The climbing here ranges from traditional to sport, with a few bouldering options. Eleven routes are listed, and the grades run from 5.6 up to 5.13b. Sport climbers will find Riverboat Gambler at 5.10a and Late Night Chalk Show at 5.13b. Traditional routes include Solo Crack at 5.6 and Guess What? Chicken Butt at 5.7. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Necedah weather station show July highs around 84°F with lows near 58°F, while January highs average about 26°F. For a change from the rock, the Whitetail Loop hike lies about 7 miles away, and the Boghaunter Tamarack Trail is roughly 9 miles off.
Best time to go · May–Oct
Best time to visit Above Anthrax
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
26° / 6°
7 wet
Feb
32° / 9°
7 wet
Mar
44° / 20°
8 wet
Apr
59° / 31°
10 wet
May
71° / 44°
11 wet
Jun
80° / 53°
11 wet
Jul
84° / 58°
10 wet
Aug
81° / 56°
9 wet
Sep
74° / 48°
9 wet
Oct
60° / 36°
9 wet
Nov
44° / 24°
8 wet
Dec
31° / 12°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Necedah, WI, 3.3 mi away at 922 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Routes (11)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Smooth Operator Area
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Smooth Operator Area is a Wisconsin bouldering crag with 26 routes across 16 grades.
Photo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)El Parasol
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El Parasol is a Wisconsin climbing crag with 15 routes across 13 grades.
Photo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Instrumentals
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13-pad bouldering routes in Wisconsin ranging across 7 grades.
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River side of Main Massif or Quarry Wall
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7 routes, 6 grades, sport and trad climbing in Wisconsin
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Hell Wall (aka Quarry Wall)
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16-route climbing area in Wisconsin with sport, top-rope, and trad options.
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Anthrax Wall
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Anthrax Wall in Wisconsin has 9 climbing routes with 6 difficulty grades.
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Necedah (Petenwell Rock)
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Necedah (Petenwell Rock) in Wisconsin has 19 climbing routes across 13 grades.
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Air Spire
Next door
Air Spire in Wisconsin has 8 traditional climbing routes across 4 grades.
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Y-Crack Wall
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Y-Crack Wall in Wisconsin has 21 climbing routes across 19 grades, offering sport and trad styles.
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Coyote Tower
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Coyote Tower in Wisconsin has 6 climbing routes with 5 difficulty grades.
