The Conn’s are also famous for rock climbing all over the east coast. Conn’s East and Conn’s West routes on Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, put up just after WWII are still classic climbs. They also did first accents of Boot Rock and the Mule Ears in Big Bend and well as lots of other places.
Amazing folks indeed. Geary From: dirt...@comcast.net [mailto:dirt...@comcast.net] Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 7:58 PM To: Cave NM; Cave Texas Subject: [Texascavers] Herb and Jan Conn added to South Dakota Hall of Fame Herb and Jan Conn added to South Dakota Hall of Fame Rapid City Journal, Sept 11, 2011 http://southdakotanews.info/south-dakota-top-stories/fourteen-south-dakotans-added-to-state-hall-of-fame.html Fourteen South Dakotans added to state hall of fame Herb and Jan Conn Herb and Jan Conn transplanted to South Dakota in 1947 from the East Coast, because in the Needles of Custer State Park they felt they had found a climbing paradise. They lived simply and sustained themselves with odd jobs so they could spend their summers on the rocks. In 1959 Dwight Deal invited them to explore Jewel Cave. For the next 22 years, they explored and mapped over 60 miles of unexplored passages. Because of their discoveries, the National Park Service has opened a new scenic tour of the cave. They have mapped both the Needles and Jewel caves. “The Conns have been legendary pioneers, working in partnership in the worlds above and below ground. They are recognized worldwide for their contributions to the sports of climbing and caving. Their athletic accomplishments have paved the way for thousands of others in the sports of climbing and caving and helped build significant elements of the tourism industry in the Hills of South Dakota,” said Sue Brown, a neighbor of the Conns in Custer. “Herb and Jan Conn are the original Needles climbers. They first visited The Needles while passing through on a road trip in 1947. Jan had seen a picture of the Cathedral Spires in a schoolbook and was curious. They climbed the Fan and the Exclamation Point that day. The hook was set,” said Lindsay Stephens, author of “Adventure Climbs.”
