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napoleon_in_rags
May 10, 2006, 1:58 AM
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To all you locals - If someone could only go to NC for 4 days, what climbing area would you recommend?
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bruceb
May 10, 2006, 2:11 AM
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Cragging: Hawksbill, Shiprock, Rumbling Bald (not a good summer crag), Moores Wall Multipitch: Whiteside, Laurel Knob, Looking Glass, Shortoff
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jaboyd510
May 10, 2006, 2:01 PM
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Yes, what BB said...The bouldering around Boone is HIGH class. I would spend a day checkin all that out. Otherwise, what he said.
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freeledgeledgy
May 22, 2006, 6:10 PM
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you've gotta spend at least one day in linville gorge..north carolina adventure climbing at its best
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brianinslc
May 22, 2006, 7:01 PM
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In reply to: To all you locals - If someone could only go to NC for 4 days, what climbing area would you recommend? Depends on what type of climbing you like. If it were me, and, I like me some variety, and some multi pitch, and mostly trad but some sport... Day each at Stone Mountain, Looking Glass, Moores Wall and Rumbling Bald. They're close enough together to support it, without feeling like you're doing more driving than climbing. Might swap out Rumbing Bald for Table/Linville Gorge or the like, depending on what type of climbing you want/like. -Brian in SLC
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tradmanclimbs
May 22, 2006, 7:20 PM
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Thats a LOT of driveing. Especialy if you don't knbow the areas. better to cimb several days at each area.
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joshy8200
May 22, 2006, 7:26 PM
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Well...it really just depends on what you want to do and how hard you climb. And when exactly you're going to be here in NC. I'm guessing we're talking about a summer (now-August) trip down so I'll go with that in mind. Places to avoid...unless you're into getting cooked: Pilot Mtn, Sauratown (access here is also closed during the summer because it is on a YMCA camp's property), Crowders, Rumbling Bald. Now...if you're going to get down here in the next couple of weeks you might still get away with climbing at Crowders, Rumbling Bald and maybe Stone. Stone Mtn: The epitome of friction climbing. Moderate grades with 'severe' runouts. Rumbling Bald: Lots of good single pitch and short multi-pitch classics and a variety of grades. Most of the routes are mixed protection. There's hard sport routes too. Crowders: Not really a place that you would want to hit...unless you want to get in some really hard sport routes. The Hidden Wall (search for pics on here) has some of the coolest sport routes from 5.11-5.13 in the state. It is also shady in the morning. Red Wall and David's Caslte are shady in the afternoon and also have very good sport routes in the 5.10-5.12 range. Now for the places that you probably may not want to miss: Ship Rock: elevation of around 4800ft keep this location cool all summer. The routes here are super classic, steep, and well protected trad routes. The grades are varied with classics from 5.8 to 5.12. Most of the routes are short multipitch (1-3 less than entire rope length pitches). Looking Glass: The home of the unique and (in)famous 'eyebrows.' Surely you've heard talk about looking class. The routes here are longer multipitch routes 3-6 pitches...with even longer aid routes. Lots of different grades...all just as classic. Table Rock and Linville Gorge: Full out adventure trad climbing in the gorge, but a bit more tame on Table Rock. Table Rock's elevation makes the temps here pretty bearable except for the hottest times of the summer. Table Rock is famous for easy multipitch sport routes, but there are some harder classics. Linville Gorge has a few different areas to think about: Hawksbill,Shortoff, NC Wall, Amphitheatre Hawksbill: A nice summer area, single to short multipitch routes. Some sport routes here. Most of the routes are going to be very steep and 5.10 and up. Shortoff: The southern end of the Gorge and quite remote. Very classic long moderate multipitch trad...and some class hard, steep routes. NC Wall: Very remote with long demanding routes. Classics of a variety of grades. Amphitheatre: Very remote and beautiful setting. Most known for moderate classics. THE BIG STUFF: And then there's the BIG WALLS of NC. Whitesides and Laurel Knob. Again if you haven't heard of these...you must have been under a rock for the last year. Other places that might tickle your fancy Cedar Rock, Big Green, Morphin Endorphin...just let me know what type of routes and grades your looking for and I'll start listing some route names and things of that nature.
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brianinslc
May 22, 2006, 7:58 PM
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In reply to: Thats a LOT of driveing. Especialy if you don't knbow the areas. better to cimb several days at each area. Depends on your tolerance for road warrior-ing, I suppose. According to mapquest... Lake Lure (Rumbling Bald) to Brevard (Looking Glass) is around 40 miles. The biggie would be the south to north move, or vice versa. Brevard to Elkin (Stone) 'round 162 miles. Elkin to Winston-Salem (Moores Wall) 'bout 43 miles. Probably the thing to do if you were on a road trip, is to figure out which are you'd spend the least amount of time at, and, use that for a big move drive day. Ie, I'd probably pick driving from Brevard to Moore's Wall, then stay that night near/at Stone. Anyhoo, its doable, and, not too bad. Done 'er that way a few times driving down from the DC area (and hitting Old Rag enroute, even). If you're driving from New Jersey, you'll most likely be passing by if you head down south in NC anyhoo...so...not like you won't do the mileage anyways. Just some thoughts...for the sample platter type trip... -Brian in SLC
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glyrocks
May 22, 2006, 8:45 PM
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can't narrow it down. don't bother with the piedmont if you're talking summer-time though. it's so f'ing hot and muggy here. you could spend all week in the gorge (completely lost or actually climbing). north side of looking glass would be awfully nice for a day, ship rock and the boulders near boone would be good two. Between those places you could fill a day no problem. handful or little crags around boone too. Boone to asheville isn't a long drive and you can find cheap/free camping near both.
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tradmanclimbs
May 22, 2006, 10:42 PM
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Brian, You suggested looking glass which is a long way past table rock , shiprock, boone etc, especialy if you are comeing from up north. If you only have 4 days you could spend the whole time at looking glass and still just scratch the surface. It takes me a day or two to get used to an area and find the best climbs for me. A good compromise would be to spend two days at looking Glass and then hit up another area on the way home. but hey do what you want.
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brianinslc
May 23, 2006, 2:13 PM
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In reply to: Brian, You suggested looking glass which is a long way past table rock , shiprock, boone etc, especialy if you are comeing from up north. If you only have 4 days you could spend the whole time at looking glass and still just scratch the surface. It takes me a day or two to get used to an area and find the best climbs for me. A good compromise would be to spend two days at looking Glass and then hit up another area on the way home. but hey do what you want. True. 4 days at LG would be fine with me! Ton of stuff to do there. Might depend on the weather/time of year, too. I'd think Stone would be too hot for me outside the standard fall/spring main seasons, for instance. NC has some amazing climbing... Cheers! -Brian in SLC
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nouseforaname
May 23, 2006, 4:07 PM
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I'll be roadtripping next year and I was planning on stopping in NC next spring, probably early April. Of all those places you talked about, are there any that should not bother going to at that time of year? Thanx
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tradmanclimbs
May 23, 2006, 4:17 PM
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Just check ahead for bird closures in the spring, Ship rock, Table rock, shortoff and the ampetheater seemed to all be pretty close together. Looking Glass seemed to be about 3 + hrs from there. Seneca WV is a must do if you are into trad and in the area.
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seanb
May 23, 2006, 5:01 PM
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April is usually nice temperatures, rain could be an issue. The Shull/Lambert guide has a nice feature in that it lists the cliffs aspect to the sun and each area's prime season. All of those cliffs are high quality and climbable in April.
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catmonster
May 24, 2006, 7:03 PM
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Word to the wise: If you are at all affected by poison ivy, I would strongly encourage you to avoid Rumbling Bald during the summer. It's pretty terrible from about early May until the fall. But if you're one of the lucky ones whom it does not bother, you'll have lots of fun and no waiting whatsoever.
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