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unbreakablesoul
Mar 1, 2008, 5:47 PM
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I'm going to be spending about four months out on the east coast this spring/summer and am wondering if anyone has any great recommendations for places to check out.
I'm looking for a wide variety of difficulty, 5.6 to aspiring 5.11 climbs. I like cracks and dihedrals if you happen to know any great places or routes with those.
Recommended to me already are:
Red River Gorge
New River Gorge
North Conway
Gunks
And I will be in NC a lot.
Thanks for your help/suggestions.
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bobruef
Mar 1, 2008, 6:12 PM
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Don't forget Seneca Rocks, WV.
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naitch
Mar 1, 2008, 6:36 PM
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If you are as far south as NC, there's some awesome climbing areas down there. The only place I've climbed at personally though, is Moore's Wall (and Stone Mt. but that's run out slab)
(This post was edited by naitch on Mar 1, 2008, 6:37 PM)
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cracklover
Mar 1, 2008, 6:52 PM
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unbreakablesoul wrote: I'm going to be spending about four months out on the east coast this spring/summer and am wondering if anyone has any great recommendations for places to check out. I'm looking for a wide variety of difficulty, 5.6 to aspiring 5.11 climbs. I like cracks and dihedrals if you happen to know any great places or routes with those. Recommended to me already are: Red River Gorge New River Gorge North Conway Gunks And I will be in NC a lot. Thanks for your help/suggestions.
Hmm... cracks and dihedrals, 5.6 to 5.11. That covers a lot of ground! I'll stick to the areas on your list that I know fairly well:
Gunks:
The Gunks is famous for having cracks that run the wrong way - that is it's full of horizontal rather than vertical cracks. But that said, there are still a few excellent climbs that follow cracks. Here a few...
5.5 - Finger Locks or Cedar Box. For fun, try leading this on all passive gear (bring your hexes for the top where it gets wide).
5.6 - Rhododendron. Short and sweet.
5.7 - Laurel. Similar, but a touch harder, especially the start.
5.7+ - Something Interesting. The name says it all!
5.8 - Son of Easy O. Pitch 1 follows a sweet thin crack. Pitch 2 is superb overhanging jugs.
5.9 - Ants Line. This thin crack is in a dihedral. Bonus!
5.10 - Retribution
5.10 - Nosedive
This pair of climbs follows parallel cracks. They don't exactly climb like a crack climb, but nothing at the Gunks does.
5.10 - Criss Cross Direct. Some folks say the crux is the overhanging crack at the start.
As for dihedrals, there are tons at every grade. I'd go so far as to say that the majority of climbs have a dihedral somewhere in them. If I had to pick one, I'd say Roseland (5.9).
Phew, that took me longer than I'd thought. I'll reply about North Conway some other time if no-one else does.
GO
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sungam
Mar 1, 2008, 8:11 PM
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I'm about to spend a couple of months in NC myself, advice I've had is NRG, looking glass, and moores.
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LineoFire
Mar 1, 2008, 9:13 PM
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my man....hows life treating you in the frozen tundra on minnesota? at any rate, rumbling bald and white sides and two quality crags. the latter being a much more commiting day out. dont forget about ship rock and shortoff, both of these crags are within 40 mins of base and offer some of the best climbing in the western nc area in my opinion. additionally T-Wall and Foster Falls just over the Tenn. border are amazing places.
im looking foward to hitting up some quality routes this spring/summer aswell so we will have to make plans to get out inbetween courses.
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a.frosch
Mar 1, 2008, 9:26 PM
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Recompense w/ the beast flake variation on Cathedral is a tremendous route, not to be missed. Two all-time classic pitches, one a giant layback flake, the other a brilliant dihedral with good gear.
(This post was edited by a.frosch on Mar 1, 2008, 9:27 PM)
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aclimbinfool
Mar 1, 2008, 11:21 PM
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shortoff mt is a must
moore's wall at hanging rock state park is a must.
seneca is awesome
the nrg is great
old rag mt has some of the best cracks in VA
send me a line if you need a partner
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wallmonkey35
Mar 1, 2008, 11:31 PM
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SENECA!!!
If you want moderate cracks, Seneca Rocks is the place to be!
The also have some decent dihedrals (Green Wall)
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onceahardman
Mar 2, 2008, 2:59 AM
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Do yourself a big favor, go to the Adirondacks, pok-o-moonshine if you have a couple days.
If you have one day, go to the spiders web.
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bobruef
Mar 2, 2008, 4:42 AM
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wallmonkey35 wrote: SENECA!!! If you want moderate cracks, Seneca Rocks is the place to be! The also have some decent dihedrals (Green Wall)
Other great Seneca Climbs that fit your criteria:
Tripple S is ultra classic, 5.8+, and a dihedral crack.
West Pole (5.7) has a nice crack section leading into the roof.
Crack of Dawn (5.10 something) is out of my range, but reputably and absolutely incredible crack.
Castor and Pollux are also 5.10 something and supposedly pretty good.
Marshall's Madness is excellent, 5.9, w/ twin cracks on the 1st pitch and some mixed in quasi-offwidth block action on the rest of the climb. Did it in gym shorts one day... bad idea to say the least.
Critter Crack is an excellent 5.6 hand crack, Crispy Critter is an excellent 5.7 finger crack and Traffic Jam is an AWESOME 5.7 fist/hand/finger crack.
Others may have more advice for good Seneca routes that fit your criteria.
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granite_grrl
Mar 2, 2008, 7:31 PM
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Not too many dihedrals at the Gunks, but certainly not a reason to avoid the area! Off the top of my head I'm thinking of Ant's Line, Roseland and Bird cage for dihedrals.
Even the "crack" climbs that Cracklover mentioned are more like face climbs than crack climbs.
There are a fair number of climbs at the Red that go up a dihedral, but they might be more suited for laybacking than stemming all the way up. There are also real crack climbs in the area too.
I would think the New would have crack and dihedrals too, sim to the Red, but I haven't climbed there enough to give a good commentary.
Cracks and dihedrals.....sounds like a Devils Tower climber? If not you should make an effort to head there, I can't imagine how happy that place would make you.
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winkwinklambonini
Mar 2, 2008, 8:09 PM
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Adirondacks
Spider's Web-stout overhanging 5.11 splitters
Haven't been to the New yet but hear it rules.....
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c4c
Mar 3, 2008, 2:13 PM
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onceahardman wrote: Do yourself a big favor, go to the Adirondacks, pok-o-moonshine if you have a couple days. If you have one day, go to the spiders web.
gamemanship @ poko-- 5.9 crack all sizes/varieties classsic!
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onceahardman
Mar 3, 2008, 4:56 PM
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In reply to: gamemanship @ poko-- 5.9 crack all sizes/varieties classsic!
WOW! when i started, gamesmanship was considered 5.7...later 5.8. Is it really 5.9 now?
If you ever get back to pok-o...Fastest Gun 4 long pitches (.9, 10.a, .9, 10a)...really high quality. Handcrack/flake, twin fingercracks, some runout face but not too scary, and then another corner to an undercling hand traverse left to slab finish...really a dacks classic!
Somebody else said spidersweb, 5.11 splitters. true, but also it has Mr rogers neighborhood 5.8, On the loose (among the hardest 9+s in the world, but has great pro and clean falls) TR, (easy 10a definitely easier than on the loose), and others at a similar standard.
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c4c
Mar 3, 2008, 11:58 PM
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onceahardman wrote: In reply to: gamemanship @ poko-- 5.9 crack all sizes/varieties classsic! WOW! when i started, gamesmanship was considered 5.7...later 5.8. Is it really 5.9 now? If you ever get back to pok-o...Fastest Gun 4 long pitches (.9, 10.a, .9, 10a)...really high quality. Handcrack/flake, twin fingercracks, some runout face but not too scary, and then another corner to an undercling hand traverse left to slab finish...really a dacks classic! Somebody else said spidersweb, 5.11 splitters. true, but also it has Mr rogers neighborhood 5.8, On the loose (among the hardest 9+s in the world, but has great pro and clean falls) TR, (easy 10a definitely easier than on the loose), and others at a similar standard.
The guide book (mellor) lists it as a 5.8.-OS ADK 5.8 (5.9 IMO)
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linvillelover
Mar 4, 2008, 12:50 AM
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everything in NC is trad. even pilot the most TR'd and sport climbed place here, has a few trade routes. Most Sport climbing in nc, is going to be mixed or runout.
look into "the daddy" at the linville gorge ampitheatre area. this is easy multi-pitch trad with good belay ledges, 5 pitches? and the best wilderness climbing setting you could ever imagine.
if you want "easy" accessed beautiful rock with is scary and fun. some of the nicest rock in the state is rumbling bald. i was there this weekend. its gots some sport and bolts in a few areas, most 5.12 an 13s are bolted. most other is 5.9-11 trad.
two-3 maybe 4 pitches available, most 1-2.
both places are in western NC
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deltav
Mar 4, 2008, 1:51 AM
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Defiantly got to hit up the Glass in NC. Rat's Ass, Gemini Crack & Bloody Crack if that's what your into.
Stone Mnt has some nice easy cracks - No Alternative & The Great Arch.
The Mummy & the Daddy at Linville Gorge
Other great climbs EVERYWHERE in NC
Get a guide book, it's well worth the $25
Let me know when you are coming, I might be available for a climb or three
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sizzlechest
Mar 4, 2008, 2:33 AM
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the prow, cathedral ledge NH, buck wild awesome!!
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blueeyedclimber
Mar 4, 2008, 3:27 AM
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cracklover wrote: Phew, that took me longer than I'd thought. I'll reply about North Conway some other time if no-one else does. GO
I take it from here. North Conway, you say? How about this tick list.
Cathedral Ledge
Funhouse, 5.7 - starts in a dihedral, second pitch climbs a crack
Bombardment, 5.8 - pure climbing fun
Pine Tree Eliminate, 5.8 - stiff for the grade, but well worth it.
Recompense, 5.9 - Do the Beast Flake variation.
They died Laughing, 5.9 - Very fun single pitch route
Diedre, 5.10a - Variety of climbing, a lot of fun
Intimidation, 5.10c - Don't get intimitdated by the crux. Read the guidebook if you want a tip. I didn't.
Airation, 5.11a Sweet fingerlocks
Whitehorse Ledge
Atlantis, 5.9. varied climbing to a huge corner, then traverse under a roof.
Sundown Ledge
Vultures, 5.10d - Sweet finger crack. Harder than it looks.
This is just a quick list. I am sure there is great climbing down south, but we have it pretty good up here too.
Have fun!
Josh
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cracklover
Mar 4, 2008, 1:53 PM
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Great list, BEC! Here's one I'd add: Seventh Seal5.10a single pitch finger crack.
GO
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cfnubbler
Mar 4, 2008, 2:25 PM
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Gamesmanship at Poko is soft 5.8, and that for only a single move at the bottom. The first pitch is a gem, the rest is not really worth the effort. I would however highly recommend many other Poko routes:
Freedom Flight (5.10)- Nice exposed traverse to sweet J-Tree-esque water groove / finger crack.
Cirhosis (5.9)- Sweet and delicate layback flake.
Firing Line (5.11)- Spooky 5.8 approach to stellar corner.
The Snatch (5.10)- One brief section of heads up loose rock leads to fine corner.
Fastest Gun (5.10)- Nice corners and cracks, some face as well. Sweet.
Great Dihedral (5.9)- Eponymous.
Bloody Mary (5.9)- All-time John Turner classic corner. Steep and intimidating. Superb.
The Gathering (.11a)- First and 4th pitches have a bit of dihedral climbing (sort of), the rest is typical poko mixed gear and bolts climbing following incipient features up a sweet wall. A great route, and very manageable for Adirondack 5.11.
Psalm 32 (.11a, first pitch only). Short but sweet face pitch which you may as well do while you're in the Bloody Mary / Fastest Gun area.
Thunderhead (.10+)- thoroughly intimidating first pitch (climbs much easier than it looks) leads to splitter hands through a roof with nice position.
That's just a start. Poko is one of the North East's great under-appreciated cliffs. Not to be missed, IMO. There could be some peregrine closures, depending on when you go, though...
(This post was edited by cfnubbler on Mar 4, 2008, 3:19 PM)
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s6141a
Mar 5, 2008, 12:48 PM
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If you like dihedrals; I would add two classic pitches:
Duet Direct and the 3rd pitch of the Direct Direct- both on Cannon. Both 5.10+. Duet Direct is one of the best corners in N.H.- much like a Yosemite climb and quite sustained. I also liked the climbs at Poko., especially Gamemanship! Thought it was easy 5.8 as well.
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linvillelover
Mar 5, 2008, 1:31 PM
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you want cracks?
we got cracks. stop by NC and you wont regret it, nor will you if you stop in many other places too. any trip out here east will be well worth it.
look up shredded wheat for a nice looking finger crack (5.11?) rumbling bald, nc
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rgold
Mar 5, 2008, 1:41 PM
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A hearty second (or third or fourth...) to Pokomoonshine, a world-class cliff, and there are lots of other fantastic cliffs in the Daks as well. The new guidebook is just out and it looks fantastic, see http://www.adirondackrock.com/.
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