NC CLIMBERS: Best Guidebook for Stone Mountain?
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Entrance crack is a crazy route for the grade sure, but, its not all that bad. I actually recommend everyone do it at least once. But given the short time there I would recommend "Block Route" to access the ledge. Its much better protected (at crux) and the flop is quite a mind boggler until you just commit and... flop. |
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The Block Route or, if it is dry, Dirty Crack are both great ways to gain the tree ledge. If you plan to do the Pulpit (recommended), you will be starting just to the right of Dirty Crack and can easily scope it out. There is something to be said for doing the Entrance Crack at least once. It is probably the best known 5.4 in NC. |
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I'm gonna write a free guide book to stone mountain one day. It will be filled with rants, but it will be the best guide book for stone. |
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Use Block Route, U Slot, or Dirty Crack to access the tree ledge. Block Route is my favorite. Also the block move is a step up and not a flop. From the tree ledge do the Great Arch and/or No Alternative, and then if you're in the mood for a bit of runout fun, jump on Yardarm. Or skip the tree ledge and do the Pulpit. |
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I've got to say, the NC climbing community is awesome, you guys are super helpful and I really appreciate it. The Selected Climbs guidebook came yesterday and I spent about three hours flipping through it. Now there's a half-dozen more places in North Carolina I have to visit! |
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That sounds like a great first outing at Stone for sure. You got the right idea on trying to get on the Great Arch early, however there are no guarantees. I'd just get up to the tree ledge and see which climb is open of the two (No Alternative or The Great Arch), and just hop on the open climb. |
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Hey bob I may be around that weekend if the weathers nice. I'll give you a shout if I end up in stone. |
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I would recommend rapping after the great arch as you'll be on the tree ledge faster and be ready to climb no alternative w/out re-climbing a tree-ledge approach pitch. Enjoy! |
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Hey Bob, |
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Did you end up making the trip? I saw that the park was closed last night and this morning saw they opened the gate up and only the upper parking lot was open. Next weekend looks killer though. |
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We didn't make it, unfortunately. We had the car all packed up and logistics down solid (thanks in large part to this forum) when our hotel called to ask if we were still coming. They said eight inches of snow fell and Stone was closed. (We checked the weather but missed this storm, we only saw the 60 degrees for the weekend.) |
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Which hotel were you going to stay at? |
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High Meadow Inn. They were awesome. It's right next to the park (way closer than staying in Elkin) and just $50 a night. They were fine with three people staying and were going to have a cot set up for us when we arrived. Plus you get a discount at their restaurant. And they were cool enough to call us to let us know about the storm.
I was planning to email the Stone admins to have them add this as an option to the main page, but of course I have to stay there first before I make the suggestion. Have you stayed there? What do you think? |
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Bob Ewing wrote:High Meadow Inn. They were awesome. It's right next to the park (way closer than staying in Elkin) and just $50 a night. They were fine with three people staying and were going to have a cot set up for us when we arrived. Plus you get a discount at their restaurant. And they were cool enough to call us to let us know about the storm. I was planning to email the Stone admins to have them add this as an option to the main page, but of course I have to stay there first before I make the suggestion. Have you stayed there? What do you think?I live about 2 minutes away from there. The people who run the place are really good people, family owned. I've never been in the inn, but I shared a drink with Zach Galifianakis in Nikolas. Shit you not. He has a house up near there. But roaring gap is much closer to stone than Elkin, really easy coast down Oklahoma road and you're at the park entrance. |
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Bob Ewing wrote:High Meadow Inn. They were awesome. It's right next to the park (way closer than staying in Elkin) and just $50 a night. They were fine with three people staying and were going to have a cot set up for us when we arrived. Plus you get a discount at their restaurant. And they were cool enough to call us to let us know about the storm. I was planning to email the Stone admins to have them add this as an option to the main page, but of course I have to stay there first before I make the suggestion. Have you stayed there? What do you think?Ok just found this out today, I'm told Hotel Impossible came to the high meadow inn and redid the lobby and a few rooms. I had heard that Restaurant Impossible was going to come to nikolas, and thought to myself HAHAHA no way are they coming to Roaring Gap, NC. I'll be at Stone today pulling pebbles if anyone else is there. Saw a few groups out yesterday, including a couple with an obscene amount of gear for Stone. Parking lot was pretty empty yesterday, only one out of stater (indiana) I imagine there will be a few more people out today. |