High atop Cleo’s Needle

This is, I believe, a rock formation called Cleo’s Needle at Devil’s Lake in Wisconsin. It is apparently a popular site with rock climbers, as our Clermont and Payton are demonstrating here. Other photos I’ve found online indicate that the trees are not masking solid ground; it’s a sheer drop on all sides. This photo just takes my breath away, both for the beauty of the setting and for the derring-do of the climbers. (By the way, I’m assuming that the numbers written on the back are the date March 19, 1950, written in a format I’m not used to seeing, but please let me know if you think it’s something else.)

6 comments on “High atop Cleo’s Needle”

18 Jan 2012 at 6:42 am Julienne
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great photo, love the perspective on it!
- 18 Jan 2012 at 7:02 am usermattw
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  Thanks, Julienne! Yes, I find it a bit vertiginous, but fun. I also wonder what the photographer is standing on.
18 Jan 2012 at 8:53 am gingkochris
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Wow, impressive climb! I am not disagreeing with your interpretation of the date, since I do not have a better suggestion. However, I am surprised at how fully developed the deciduous leaves are in the middle of March – in Wisconsin.
- 18 Jan 2012 at 9:00 am usermattw
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  Good point! It was the best interpretation I had for the numbers, but I could be completely wrong. Perhaps they are statistics related to the climb, or something like that?
19 Jan 2012 at 1:12 pm Jenna
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Wow, what a great image! Out of curiosity, I looked up Cleo’s Needle and was amazed at the tall point. I certainly wouldn’t have the courage to climb that! Great photo. Thanks for sharing.
- 19 Jan 2012 at 1:59 pm usermattw
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  Thanks, Jenna! I agree, this is a fun photo with an interesting perspective, but it kind of makes it looks like they are sitting on a rocky outcropping of a cliff, but other photos online show that it is a narrow spire of rock with a sheer drop in all directions. That would definitely be a scary challenge.