Rock Climbing in Rock Hill area

Is there any decent climbing to be had around the Rock Hill, SC area?

Thanks...

Rock hill is close to crowders mountain....see the MP page for crowders. As for climbing in SC your far from the seasonal table rock. NC has plenty though. Your pretty central so im going to estimate 2 hours to looking glass / moores / pilot maybe 3-4 to WNC areas like whitesdies/laurel knob/ big green. 6.5 hours from the NRG

I'm down in columbia but have a few friends that climb at the charlotte gym a good bit and get out alot.

T

rock_fencer wrote:6.5 hours from the NRG

I think you might have meant Red River Gorge. Dude is closer to 3:45 - 4 hours from NRG.

Columbia, btw? Have I met you? It's not exactly a big scene here

Brian Abram wrote: I think you might have meant Red River Gorge. Dude is closer to 3:45 - 4 hours from NRG. Columbia, btw? Have I met you? It's not exactly a big scene here

I'm at stronghold most Tues/Thu nights...med student...curly hair glasses...climb with Scoff a bunch. Probably seen me a time or two!

OK, just was looking at that area as I had some job offers and such there....but doesn't seem to be any really close climbing like we have here in NY like the 'Dacks or Gunks from 1.5 hrs away to a little over 2 hrs from me.

Thanks for the info....

NYClimber wrote:OK, just was looking at that area as I had some job offers and such there....but doesn't seem to be any really close climbing like we have here in NY like the 'Dacks or Gunks from 1.5 hrs away to a little over 2 hrs from me. Thanks for the info....

Nothing like the gunks within a close range but 2 hours puts you to any number of great cliff lines (Moores Wall - gunks like, Pilot mountain, Linville gorge, Table Rock SC, Stone Mountain NC). Crowders is an hour.

3-6 hours can put you to Looking Glass/Cedar rock Pisgah area cliffs, RRG, NRG, Western NC, Chattanooga cliffs(T-wall, sunset, foster falls), Knoxville - Obed

If you have a good offer down here i'd look into it. I know a number of climbers that live in the rock hill/fort mill/south charlotte area and they get out a good bit

Sorry, NYClimber, for my thread hijack.

rock fencer, I'm in nursing school, and I work most M-W evenings as well as Saturdays, so I only make it in to Stronghold 2-4 times a month, and I've been outside just one day since August. If I make it to the gym, it's usually on a Thursday or Sunday. Sometimes I'll cram in an hour at 6pm on other days before I have to be at work. Regardless, if you ever need a partner in the gym, and I'm around, hit me up. I'm the douche climbing plastic in some beat up TC Pros.

Aside from the large sport areas (NRG and RRG), there is nothing like the Gunks to be had in the Southeast, much less the Carolinas, both in terms of size and in terms of popularity. What there is, however, is a great deal of smaller areas with very very very high quality rock. Consider it, it ain't so bad.

AField wrote:Aside from the large sport areas (NRG and RRG), there is nothing like the Gunks to be had in the Southeast, much less the Carolinas, both in terms of size and in terms of popularity. What there is, however, is a great deal of smaller areas with very very very high quality rock. Consider it, it ain't so bad.

I really wouldnt call Whitesides, Laurel Knob, Linville Gorge, small areas!!! 3-8 pitch routes are to be had in a large percentage of locations in NC. But then again i dont consider RRG or NRG a sport area. I would even venture to say that in most areas of NC you can get comparable or more vertical feet / route than at the gunks.

The variety of climbing in the NC/SC/TN area is truly unparalleled on the east coast.

rock_fencer wrote: Knoxville - Obed

Not sure if you were, but I definitely wouldn't say that Knoxville is near Obed. It's at least a 45 minute drive.

Not sure what you like to do in winter, but you'll have year round climbing options w/in 1 to 3 hours of Rock Hill. Like others have said, you'll have access to longer routes, and it would be insane not to factor in the New River Gorge, which is less than a 4 hour drive. And don't listen to anyone who says that the New is a sport area. It would be world class without a single bolt. The rock quality is unparalleled.

The biggest differences will be the lifestyle and the weather. I can't imagine you'd even ask about SC if you liked winter climbing, so I'm willing to bet that you won't mind the short, mild winters. You may or may not be able to handle the humidity though. And I don't have to tell you that anywhere south of Philly is going to be a HUGE culture shock. Totally different pace down there.

If you're making weekend trips to the Dacks, it's hard to argue that the climbing in the SE will be any better. But as a NC climber, I'd say it's hard to argue that the climbing in NY is a lot better than NC, all things considered. Like I said, the other factors are probably more important.

Thanks all,
yeah I'd def be having to give up my ice climbing that's for sure winters. Not really into that honestly.

Thanks for the good info!

NYClimber wrote:Thanks all, yeah I'd def be having to give up my ice climbing that's for sure winters. Not really into that honestly. Thanks for the good info!

It does exist down here, but not with good consistency. We get 15-20 days or so spread through the season. Maybe more, if you're stubborn.

Evan Sanders wrote: Not sure if you were, but I definitely wouldn't say that Knoxville is near Obed. It's at least a 45 minute drive.

Obed IS the local crag for K-Vegas. 45 minutes is a quick drive and I didn't mind making it almost daily when I lived there. From Rock Thrill though, its a solid 4-5 hour drive.

I live in Rock Hill, there aren't any rocks.

Crowders is 45 minutes, Rumbling Bald, Moore's, Pilot, etc, 2 hrs, Western NC 3-4 hrs, Boone 2-2.5 hrs, the New River Gorge is 3.5-4 (I do it almost every weekend), the Red is 6-7 and Obed is about 6-7 as well.

Inner Peaks isn't a bad little gym, I used to work there and climb there a good bit. Good group of people.

Our gun laws a way more lax too.

Thanks all for the good info.

Yeah out gun laws up here suck especially now.

A law abiding resident here in NY now can't even buy a Ar-15! Crazy!

I've had firearms since the age of 15 and never once even thought of hurting anyone - ever. Sad...

OK - so what IS there within say a 90 minute range?

Anything?

????

NYClimber wrote:OK - so what IS there within say a 90 minute range? Anything? ????

Sam says Crowders is 45 minutes, Rumbling Bald, Moore's, Pilot, etc, 2 hrs, Western NC 3-4 hrs, Boone 2-2.5 hrs, the New River Gorge is 3.5-4 (I do it almost every weekend), the Red is 6-7 and Obed is about 6-7 as well. - this is pretty accurate.

Crowders is nothing special, but it's a nice place to have as a local crag. There are good, hard sport routes there, and easy, soloable routes as well - exactly the two things I want in a local crag. It is an autumn, winter, spring crag with some areas climbable on cooler summer days.

Moore's Wall is one of the best crags in the southeast and is well worth a two hour drive. There is also a new(ish) campsite there, making weekend trips very easy. I'd live almost anywhere that is w/in two hours of Moore's Wall. My favorite crag in the world. It is a spring, summer, autumn crag with the possibility of climbing in winter.

Rumbling Bald (and Hickory Nut Gorge) are only going to get better with time, as more areas will become accessible. The granite there is excellent and the bouldering is world class. It's an autumn, winter, spring area.

No matter what grade you climb, those three areas alone offer a lifetime of climbing (unless you only like to on sight). Not the quantity of the Gunks or Dacks, but similar in quality, and also with year round options.

And there is really no point in living on the east coast if you are not w/in 3-4 hours of either the Adirondacks or the New River Gorge. Probably two of the most underrated climbing areas in North America.

Ryan Williams wrote: And there is really no point in living on the east coast if you are not w/in 3-4 hours of either the Adirondacks or the New River Gorge. Probably two of the most underrated climbing areas in North America.

I did a spring trip to the new and the red and was BLOWN AWAY by how empty the new was. I remember having to deal with what felt like an infinite amount of people when I went to the nrg last spring break, but this year it was all at the red.

lesson: New river gorge is god.

Rob Davis wrote: I did a spring trip to the new and the red and was BLOWN AWAY by how empty the new was. I remember having to deal with what felt like an infinite amount of people when I went to the nrg last spring break, but this year it was all at the red. lesson: New river gorge is god.

Yea, it's insane when you compare the Red to the New in terms of popularity. SO MANY more people at the Red. Strange, because Fayetteville is SO MUCH more appealing than any town near the Red. I guess it has a lot to do with the fact that there aren't many easy sport or trad routes at the New, while the Red has a lot in the lower grades and some areas that are known to be soft as well.

I spent a few seasons living at Roger's, working at bars. Seemed like nearly every climber I met was either living in Fayetteville or driving up for the weekend. Many of the trustafarians and road trippers were at Miguel's.

Mikey's guidebook may have changed all that though, as I did notice the last year I hung out there, it was beginning to be more on people's radar. Amazing that it took so long. The rock is some of the best in the world.