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LGJ
Aug 4, 2007, 4:33 AM
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Registered: Aug 4, 2007
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I'm an Australian climber that has just been informed about a job opportunity over in Knoxville, TN.
I'm wondering what kind of climbing is within a reasonable driving distance from Knoxville? Ie - with the perspective of - if I was to be working monday-friday, how many different crags are close enough to get to for the weekend or just the day? Enough to keep a climber happy for a year, or is it not 'ideally' located?
Any help would be great. Are there any maps available showing US crags? Eg a google earth file or google maps thing?
Thanks,
Liam
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throb
Aug 4, 2007, 6:29 AM
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Registered: May 28, 2005
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There is a lot of climbing near Knoxville. The Obed system is a high quality steep sandstone sport area 45 miles to the NW. It has 200-300 routes and a moderate boulder field. There is also a small limestone crag downtown. In the Chattanooga area a couple of hours to the SW there are hundreds of single pitch crack trad routes. The Tennessee Wall is the best crag there. In the same general area there is also Foster Falls, a multi-hundred route sport area, and an hour past Chatt there is Little River Canyon with hundreds more hard steep sport lines.
If multi-pitch is your game, your will have to drive 2.5-3 hours across the state line to western North Carolina where you sill find several granite or gniessic walls with routes from 2 to 10 pitches. The top three would be Looking Glass Mtn, Linville Gorge, and Whitesides Mtn.
For road trips, the Red River Gorge is 3.5 hrs away and the Easts top crag (The New River) is a 4.5 hr drive.
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LGJ
Aug 6, 2007, 1:00 AM
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Registered: Aug 4, 2007
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Thanks for that - that sums it up nicely!
I also had a bit of a look at the dixie guide website - they provide a bit of a topo showing all the crags around TN.
I'm pretty sure I won't go for the job - but if I was (can always daydream right) my only other query would be - what's the climbing scene like in Knoxville? Ie are there any local climbing clubs etc? If I did happen to move over there it would be nice to have a place to start for partners etc...
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noell
Aug 19, 2007, 7:18 AM
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Registered: Apr 17, 2003
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I live in Knoxville and moved here b/c it put me in the middle of southeastern rockclimbing. Our drive is only 2.5 hours to the Red, and only a little over 4 to the Red. I can hit up the Obed during the summer after work, since it stays light so late.
There are a ton of climbers here, you would never hurt for partners.
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dingus
Aug 19, 2007, 7:23 AM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2002
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I grew up in TN and even a lot of the climbers who live there fail to realize the enormous potential for new routing on the Cumberland Plateau.
If you fly over that part of TN on a winter's afternoon as the sun starts to go down, you will see ridge after ridge capped by a sandstone crag, blazing a brilliant golden brown in the waning light. Dozens upon dozens I shit you not. Your jaw will drop when you realize the sheer (haha) expanse of the exposures.
Now some of them, a lot of them, will end up 20 feet tall in main, others much taller. Most of them will be on one form of private property or another.
But there are literally MILES of unclimbed cliffs remaining. Miles, 10s of miles. The FA potential is enormous, probably the greatest untapped resource east of the Mississippi.
In the summer? Can't see em for the most part, invisible beneath the canopy.
DMT
(This post was edited by dingus on Aug 19, 2007, 7:25 AM)
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