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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Aug 16, 2006 - 10:18am PT
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Nice Aya.
Guess how long it took to do the OR once upon a time?
Um, it follows what's there, the weakest way up. That's usually what original routes do.
Honestly, I would bet that in the very beginning the 5.5ish bit to the far right was how people went, but that is a guess. People still do it that way today in fact.
The guy who got lost for a minute did so because there was running water all over the pitch.
NO exposure on the OR? not even when you swing your butt out and around on the crescent pitch not once but twice? Hmm, did you lead that pitch?
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 16, 2006 - 11:04am PT
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How many routes on the 'Sides follow any kind of (non-horizontal) natural feature, anyhow? It's just not the nature of the beast. There's a few corner systems on a few pitches, and that's about it. When you look at the older, more 'natural' lines, they all feature huge traverses (ever been on New D? How about Stegg's no-bolt odyssey?) It seems like the most direct lines have the most bolts- forced, in a way. If the obvious natural line is your primary aesthetic criterion, you're probably on the wrong crag.
You know what I like about Whitesides? Rock that will go just about anywhere you choose to climb, pulling bulges way off the deck, the arcing sweep or the cliff off towards Raven Rock, the smell of galax in low pressure, damp air, a palpable sense of bold history moldering in the rhodies. Acres of climbable rock. Peregrines. The frisson of commitment upon looking down at the rope, clipped to nothing, disappearing down over the curve of a bulge. Someday I'll boulder really hard for a few months, get solid on mindbending runouts, and go back to climb some of the real routes there.
Full Disclosure: my experience is limited to four routes over on the easy side.
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 16, 2006 - 11:17am PT
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Arno in Dollywood (big jugs, wild rides).
red=Arm and Hammer; blue =Last of the Dixie Trads. To the L is the Vol Wall; to R, New D. Photo by Shull.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Aug 16, 2006 - 12:47pm PT
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Hey sketch, I see you are still a wretch!
How about you go fvck yourself, like you usually do?
Ask Corbett if I've done the route, that is, if he will talk to a jerkoff like you.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Aug 16, 2006 - 12:47pm PT
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Hi sketch, I see you are still a wretch!
Had your head out of your ass lately?
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KEK
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 16, 2006 - 12:53pm PT
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Awesome info thanks so much!
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Aug 16, 2006 - 01:12pm PT
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Hit a nerve? Haha you stupid cow, you'be been nothing but a snide, nasty buttplug ever since you started posting in the SCC.
Tell me, MR Wretch, what exactly have you ever done for climbing besides be a turd in the punchbowl?
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 16, 2006 - 01:28pm PT
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RE: 2.) Also what are some moderate routes to start on?
OK, in Linville Gorge, which isn't too terribly far away--
You should climb the North Ridge of Table Rock, 5.5 or so, and probably the best line on the whole formation. Left of this is White Lightning, 5.8, another classic. Both of these are on the shady side and are nice for the next few months. My Route (5.6) is a nice line on the E. Face that should not be missed. I'd round out the TR day with Second Stanza, 5.8, also in the neighborhood.
The trick with all of these is getting back to the start, as the walk-off via the regular trail takes forever, and doing it 4 times could eat up your whole day. You should investigate coming back around the NW side via the Devil's Cellar, which will bring you back to the N Ridge in about half the time once you get it sussed out. A right turn at one of the many switchbacks on the way down will get you there, but don't count on nailng it the first time. I also like to downclimb Two Pitch, a 5.4 chimney on the S end of the formation, which cuts off a bunch of trail and feels more like climbing than hiking along with the tourons. Hard to find as well but worth the effort.
If you arrive late in the day, or have time for one more pitch, locate Stella By Starlight, 5.8+, on Little Table Rock. Good climbing, great views, no traffic. Also good: Slippin'/Helmet, Blood Sweat & Tears, Cracker Jack.
The Ampitheater has a few moderates that I love: the Daddy tops the list; the Mummy is good as well; the Prow, 5.4, is a longish alpine-style affair that most find worth doing once.
Down on the NC Wall I would catch the Bumblebee Buttress, possibly the best 5.8 in the state?
If you have time to get out to Shortoff (45 min approach+longish dirt road), there's a bunch of good stuff in the 5.8-5.9 range. There's a spring on top (!) where you camp that runs when it's been wet out; I hear this summer has been dry so maybe ask around about this one before you commit to a weekend there. Anyhow it's lovely and remote, you camp on top of the 400' wall where some good routes top out so it's easy to climb a route, eat lunch in camp, climb another, etc. 1 rope.
Not to be missed at Shortoff: Dopey Duck, the most exhilarating 5.9 climb east of T&B at the Glass; Maginot Line, the best 5.7 (+) in the state; Paradise Alley.8+. Consider Lichen Express if 5.10 fingers is in the game plan, and look for a steep white corner to the right for a great topout pitch. Built to Tilt (10+) in the Tilted World has a pretty intimidating opening move which pretty much succumbs to brute thuggery once you decide to go for it.
So that's the Gorge. Oh yeah, some good stuff on the Hawksbill if you like the steep stuff. The Traverse is amazing, and you want a lot of 3-4" pro for it.
Shiprock is nice in the summer; it's at 5000' so it's cooler, and subject to thunderstorms. Just about everything there is good. KB Capers 5.9, Boardwalk, Edge of a Dream .7 stick out.
Moore's is closer, day-trip range. You'll get that figured out quick. Zoo View is the other best 5.7 in NC, don't miss it. Best to have your endurance game on for these things, it's steep!
Stone Mountain is not a summer crag. S-facing slab forever.
Have fun and enjoy the magic out there!
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 16, 2006 - 01:28pm PT
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PS
maybe you two should take this elsewhere.
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 16, 2006 - 01:40pm PT
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chil-DREN...!
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The Mad Irishman
Trad climber
VA alpine capital of the world
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Aug 21, 2006 - 09:16pm PT
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Anyone intersted in climbing at Looking Glass on Labor day weekend? Glass Menagerie or Rowins route would be fun. Any aid would be great. I've climbed a few of the routes on the north side but it's been a while.
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DixieGal
Trad climber
NC
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Aug 21, 2006 - 10:15pm PT
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North Carolina has perhaps the best rock climbing in the Eastern
United States, though a few climbers from New Hampshire may put
up some objections. Basically there is a great variety of climbing, different types of rock (mostly granite and quartzite),
different types of climbing (from slabs at Stone Mountain and
Big Green Mountain to really steep overhangs at Moore's Wall and
parts of the Linville Gorge). Looking Glass is one of the finest
crags in the Eastern US, with all kinds of different climbing
(eyebrows, slabs, faces, cracks, and a variety of aid lines).
However, Looking Glass is only one crag among many.
The closest good crag from Chapel Hill is Moore's Wall. Avoid
Pilot Mountain and Crowder's Mountain (both pieces of sh#t,
relative to the good stuff). Stone Mountain has excellent
friction. In the Linville Gorge, the places to go are Shortoff,
the NC Wall and Hawksbill (avoid Table Rock). Whitesides is
definitely great, most routes here are "serious". Big Green is
a scary crag (to be visited after getting really good at friction
climbing). There are a couple of good smaller crags scattered
here and there (e.g. Cedar Rock near Looking Glass, Ship Rock
on the Blue Ridge Parkway). Really good winter climbing on
impeccable granite is to be had at Rumbling Bald. All these
crags are described in Harrison Shull/Yon Lambert's guidebook.
Check out the CCC website as well.
If you are willing to cross the NC border there is excellent
sandstone in neighbouring Tennessee (Tennessee Wall in winter).
The best places in West Virginia are Seneca Rocks and the New
River Gorge. North of this, the closest good stuff is at the
Gunks in New York. So basically, it's pretty good in NC, and
less than 2 hours to the excellent quartzite overhangs of
Moore's Wall, which should be your first pilgrimage.
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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Aug 22, 2006 - 12:30am PT
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from Chapel Hill, you got your summer crag - Moore's Wall - and your winter crags - Sauratown and Pilot Mt. I would agree with whoever said Pilot is darn fine for being so reachable - not the greatest crag in the world, but some fine topropes and a big handful of good leads as well. In the winter sun, Pilot is great, but cold days are....brrrrr.
Good moderate routes at Moore's abound - Zoo View, Air Show (5.8+, so at the far end of moderate), Washboard, Golden Earring and Wailing Wall (5.6 but steep and exposed). Routfinding on all of those is....worthy of attention. Quartzite is great stone, but takes some getting used to. Finding a partner with some local experience would be a good idea if you don't feel up to getting out on the sharp end and learning as you go.
Sauratown has the benefit of a steep uphill hike, so you are warm when you get to the crag, but if the wind is blowing, watch out. However, I enjoyed many winter cragging days in short sleeves there when I lived in Durham. Dunno where topos are available these days, I had an old one pulled off the web but it is probably buried someplace now.
There used to be a fair number of climbers who hit the Chapel Hill Community Center on the climbing nights, but I have no idea of the current scene.
All the mountain stuff...you'll get there, and you'll love it. Shiprock, Looking Glass, Stone, the Boone bouldering, Rumbling Bald, Linville Gorge, lots of quality and a variety of experiences available at each. You should get psyched and get strong now, because after you enjoy the fall weather and colors, the other three seasons are going to pale in comparison.
Maybe I would still live in NC if my last spring there had not consisted of three months of rehab from knee surgery, followed by three months of rain when I was finally able to climb. And I mean three months of rain every stinking weekend, so it was impossible to get out.
Also, the New is only 4 hours away - perfect for weekend trips.
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Ultrabiker
Ice climber
Eastside
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Aug 22, 2006 - 08:45am PT
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I sure do miss NC!!! Miss the 5.10+ 120' "Run Outs" of Stone and the A4 "Eyebrow's" of LG. Oh, and the quietness (and thin Ice when it forms) of Cedar Rock!
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TIM SHEA
Trad climber
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA
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Aug 22, 2006 - 09:43am PT
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Living in Florida I appreciate North Carolina climbing very much. In my opinion it offers the best quanity and quality of trad climbing E of the Mississippi. The OR on whitsides is an excellent adventure, and mind you hard climbers this is the easiest climb on Whiteside (and now laurel knob), Looking Glass, Linville gorge, Stone Mt (you like slab?), Moores Wall, and all the smaller places. It's like a mini California on the East coast. My favorite climbing destination will always be California. But on he east coast N Carolina is hard to beat.
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 22, 2006 - 11:01am PT
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The thrill of stealth ascents is possibly the one area where southeastern climbers have an edge on the Californians...
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Aug 22, 2006 - 03:12pm PT
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North Carolina has perhaps the best rock climbing in the Eastern United States...from slabs at Stone Mountain...
...really steep overhangs at Moore's Wall...
and parts of the Linville Gorge...
Looking Glass is one of the finest...
A North Carolina appreciation thread!
-Brian in SLC
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The Alpine
Big Wall climber
Tampa, FL
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Oct 17, 2008 - 04:34pm PT
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Sooo good.
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