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Great Arch Stone Mountain

Original Post
Jon Powell · · LAWRENCEVILLE GEORGIA · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 110

I have been wanting to climb the Great Arch for some time now. The Arch looks like it protects well. My concern is accessing the climb. According to MP it looks like the best way is the Entrance Crack. Descriptions says the offwidth takes big gear which I do not have much of and is super sandbagged. One comment says to stay away if you are not comfortable leading 10b on gear. I have heard of climbs being sandbagged a grade or 2 but the climb is listed as a 5.4. Has anyone climbed the Entrance Crack before? Just do not want to get in over my head and ruin a good day of climbing. If this climb is truly sand bagged that bad is there any other ways to access tree ledge?

tomsellick · · Athens,Ga · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 5

I climbed Entrance Crack last May. It really is an awkward climb, but I never felt that I was at any risk of taking a fall. I just jammed a leg in the crack when I felt uncomfortable and made a B-line for the tree. Once you sling the tree you're golden. I wouldn't try to place any gear in - seems like you'd spend more time fumbling around with equipment and therefore adding to the time in an uncomfortable stance. It's definitely nowhere near a 10b lead. My 2c.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

Entrance crack is run-out but very easy. Don't get in the crack, treat it as a slab climb.

That said, U-slot and Block route are better options IMO.

sanz · · Pisgah Forest, NC · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 210

Jake Jones nailed it. Pretty perfect descriptions of all four routes IMO. Except for the fall on dirty crack - my friend had some pretty gnarly road rash after falling there once.

I found them all to be enjoyable in their own way,

Also lol'ed at "back ache corner."

Ernest W · · Asheville, NC · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 25

Ditto Jake Jones' comments. Done 'em all and I absolutely hate Entrance Crack. Block Route and U-Slot are much better options and by Stone Mtn standards both protect fairly well. Having said that, "well protected" at Stone still means the occasional 30-ft runout😄. But seriously the crux moves on both Block and U-Slot are well protected - just be sure to extend your runners at the crux to avoid rope drag.

wgc75 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 0

I've always taken Dirty Crack to the tree ledge, (have followed Block route twice, never touched U-Slot or Entrance Crack). I am no fan of run outs and while the two or three slab move where the crack thins to nothing are heady you've got the two small pieces and a pretty sturdy slung tree beneath you.

One think to note though is this route can be wet at the crux and it's hard to see from directly beneath the route - walk a bit climbers right to where you can see the upper corner and look for any shine. My first time on it the top was soaked right at the crux - wasn't much fun making that move.

I feel like Block Route would probably be easier but I don't remember much gear low (could be totally wrong here) and of course following and leading are different worlds.

Chris Massey · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 5

I have done all four, as well as White Way Direct to get to Tree Ledge. Entrance Crack one time, easy but if you dont like run outs dont do it. That simple. The top has no gear and a fall (though unlikely) would be ugly. Dirty Crack is not really dirty, but technically the hardest option. Well protected and short, with a couple moves at the slabby slick crux. Not a bad choice. Block Route seems to be be the most popular. Easy climbing, easy slight runout, and one committing crux move up onto the block itself. Dont wait in line for it though. If busy slide next door to U-Slot. Well protected beginning, a little runout in the middle, and an easier crux than Block Route (just be sure to go through the actual U-slot, cant miss it). The crux of the whole Great Arch experience are the other parties. I have seen all sort of s**t shows up there, including huge parties and seconds and thirds that have no business on a multipitch climb. The best beta I can give you is be there when the gate opens and be the first on the climb.

Matt Coffey · · Raleigh, NC · Joined May 2009 · Points: 10

Have you climbed easy slab before (relatively low angle, no holds)? If you aren't confident on easy slab and/or you don't like runouts you might have a problem, especially if you have a questionable lead head. I have lead Block, Uslot and WWD. I have gone both ways on uslot, to the right (where it is a 6 inch step up, directly below the rappel anchors) like 'selected climbs' says and the correct way (I think) through the U slot. If the block move is 5.8 then pulling the uslot is probably 5.7 (better holds and that nice right foot placement). Depending on how you take the blank face between the end of the dihedral and the uslot move, there may be a move or two of 5.7 slab there. It has been a while since I climbed block route, but IIRC it was tad easier from the bottom to the block move than uslot is and better protected (anchor). If you bypass the uslot and go to the right it is probably 5.6ish, but that was my first time climbing at stone 4+ years ago, so YMMV.
You will probably want to try out your slab feet on the slab simulator boulder in the field below. If you are sketched there you will be even more so on lead. The boulder is harder (5.9ish easiest route) than the slab moves on uslot, but you will be higher on uslot and closing in on ground fall territory with each step. The boulder is also a great place to practice falling on slab, aka sliding (if done right).
Also don't underestimate the 3rd pitch of the Arch. It is rated the easiest at 5.4, but it doesn't protect well as the crack closes out. There are some piton scars for small placements, but the terrain is so easy I usually just skip them. After 2 pitches of crack climbing (and tree hugging) the 3rd pitch freaks some people out. It is super low angle, just forget the crack and stick to the face.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

Block route is the easiest way to the ledge (I have rope soloed it). It has one 5.8 move right before the end but is very run out on a staircase like section that would be hard to fall on (5.1). Dirty Crack protects well if you have small gear and isn't to bad but much harder of a climb than block route. U-slot is another option and protects pretty well without a ton of run outs. I am not sure if I ever climbed it the right way but i normally traverse on the lip to the right and go up right below the anchors.

Once you get to the tree ledge the rest of the great arch is extremely fun and easy climbing that you could protect every foot of the way.

I have climbed entrance crack one time and I will never again climb it (maybe if i get really big gear but who really has that much large gear) I basically free soloed the second half of the route because there is no protection once you hit the big crack halfway up. Someone should really throw 1-2 bolts in on the side of the big crack and it would be a great climb after that.

Scott O · · Anchorage · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 70

Whoever said you need to be comfortable leading 5.10 to do Entrance Crack is just wrong.

That said, Block Route for the win.

Jon Powell · · LAWRENCEVILLE GEORGIA · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 110
Scott O wrote:Whoever said you need to be comfortable leading 5.10 to do Entrance Crack is just wrong. That said, Block Route for the win.
I thought this was a little over sandbagged.
saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221

The consensus appears to lean toward Block Route, and I agree. My first lead at Stone Mountain was U-Slot, and I found the runout (and the associated serious fall consequences) pretty scary; I was very relieved to get a piece in the overlap. I wish I'd done Block Route instead; its runout is much easier climbing, and the block move is well protected.

I've never been on Entrance Crack, so I can't speak to whether it's sandbagged or not, but from friends who have led it, it just doesn't sound like a very pleasant route.

JL

saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221

Oh, and one other thing to bear in mind -- you'll need two ropes to get down from the Tree Ledge.

JL

Scott O · · Anchorage · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 70
Jon Powell wrote: I thought this was a little over sandbagged.
I led it for the first time when my ceiling was 5.7, and I felt fine.
Matt Coffey · · Raleigh, NC · Joined May 2009 · Points: 10

I guess it is worth mentioning that you could hike to the top of stone (~30 min) and rappel down to the tree ledge if you got there and the tree ledge climbs sketch you out. What is it 2 raps to the ledge? I have never rapped stone (always walk down). This is totally unnecessary though and not recommended on busy weekends. If you are that hurt up just ask someone to tag a line for ya. As long as you keep your head about you, you will, at worse, only slip a few inches or so. Any real problems will be mental. Stone is a heady place. I always come back more worn mentally than physically when leading there (nervous system overload), although as mentioned the arch is a back ache and a half. Nothing better for learning trust in your feet and working with runouts.

As mentioned, be ready to get in line on fall/winter weekends. Much better if you can go during the week. I was there last Wednesday and we had the place to ourselves. It was also mid 30s and there was ice in lots of places. Amazing day though, started hiking down just as the sun was setting.

Mike Fisch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 40

Interesting thread on Entrance Crack. Thought I might add a bit of history. I'm not near my climbing history files, so I'll approximate the dates. Can't recall who first did the Entrance Crack, but here's what it looked like in the early 70's: at the base of the wide crack there was a substantial brushy ledge with a very large, thick mountain laurel bush. The bush ledge offered valuable, psychological protection while moving up the edges of that wide crack. We always slab climbed beside the crack. If you fell, it still would have been nasty, because the bush was a long ways down. So Gerald Laws put in a 1/4" Rawl split drive bolt about half way up on the right side of the crack, at the point where we always began traversing upwardly to the right, leaving the crack. Someone, we never found out who, chopped the bolt. Gerald replaced it. The mystery chopper chopped the newer bolt. After that, Gerald just let it go and no one ever put in a third bolt, although it sure would have made that approach better, especially since the bush ledge is now long gone. We began free soloing that pitch, partly as a rite of passage to try and be a hard man at Stone and partly a macho thing. But remember, the bush ledge was there. Mike Fischesser.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0
saxfiend wrote:Oh, and one other thing to bear in mind -- you'll need two ropes to get down from the Tree Ledge. JL
You do not need 2 ropes to get down from the tree ledge. One 60m rope will get you down from the anchors at the top of entrance crack. (probably get down with 1 rope from U-Slot anchors as well but normally we have two ropes.
csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
ViperScale wrote: You do not need 2 ropes to get down from the tree ledge. One 60m rope will get you down from the anchors at the top of entrance crack. (probably get down with 1 rope from U-Slot anchors as well but normally we have two ropes.
One 60m rope will definitely not make it from the anchors below U-slot.
nbrown · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 7,718

Thanks for the history Mike. When I started climbing there (many years later) I also remember the right of passage philosophy of soloing that thing. We didn't at the time, but a lot of people did. We also didn't have big cams back then either, but we did have some funky homemade rigs that would fit (somewhat precariously) in the widest sections. They were like a homemade version of the big bro and inspired just enough confidence.

Anyway, I wanted to mention another option to gain the tree ledge that no one seems to have brought up yet. It's not in the guidebooks though. Starting on U-slot, diagonal up and right along the ramp features to the left-facing corner. Follow it to the top of Crystal Lizard. Probably only 5.4, and well protected by Stone standards.

Ernest W · · Asheville, NC · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 25

One 60m rope will NOT get you to the bottom from the U-Slot anchors....not even close.

Mike - thanks for the history!

T Scott · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 0

Never knew who pulled the bolts. But if you need it there is a solid #8 stopper (sideways) right of where the bolts where.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern States
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