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BankHead Forest/ Thompson Creek Trail 
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bankhead forest/sipsey picnic area 
Cherokee Bluffs 
Colbert Heights 
Coosa Slabs 
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Home Crag Boulders a.k.a. Sherriff Boulders 
Horse Pens 40 
Hospital Boulders 
Hurricane Creek Park 
Jamestown 
LaGrange 
Moss Rock Preserve 
Palisades Park 
Sand Rock 
Seven Falls 
Steele 
Temp HP40 
Yellow Bluff 

Alabama 


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Lat, Long: 33.7609, -86.8799 Map
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Administrators: saxfiend, Brad "Stonyman" Killough, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: saxfiend on Jan 5, 2007

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Gene Smith working on the FA of Chandler Roof

Description 

It may not be the first place you think of as a climbing destination, but Alabama has some excellent crags to choose from, most within a two-hour drive of Atlanta or Birmingham.

Climbing in Alabama is mostly sandstone. The Cumberland Plateau, which hosts the great sandstone cliffs of Tennessee, extends into northern Alabama. Areas like Jamestown are similar to T-Wall and Sunset in Chattanooga, though the cliffs are not as tall. Other areas like Sand Rock, by contrast, tend toward sandstone with a fair amount of conglomerate mixed in.

For trad climbers, Jamestown is the top destination, with numerous excellent lines. Areas like Sand Rock and Griffin Falls have a mix of sport and trad, while Palisades Park is a great place for setting up easy to moderate topropes. Boulderers can enjoy the great problems of Horse Pens 40 and Moss Rock Preserve.

Because many of Alabama's destinations are on private land, access has been a perennial problem. While there are some areas that have been closed with little hope of ever reopening, Jamestown is a special success story. In 2005, the Southeastern Climbers Coalition purchased the land that includes the Jamestown cliffline, reopening the area to legal climbing for the first time in 12 years. With luck, other off-limits areas can be reopened with similar tactics.


Getting There 

See individual climbing areas for specific directions.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Alabama:
Bumboy   V3     Boulder, 8 feet   Horse Pens 40 : Supa Coola Area/ Millipede ...
Genesis   V3     Boulder, 10 feet   Temp HP40
Red Arrow   V4     Boulder   Temp HP40
Man With The Slow Hand   V4     Boulder   Temp HP40
Earth Wind & Fire   V4     Boulder   Horse Pens 40 : Deck Area/Front Slabs
Hammerhead   V5     Boulder   Horse Pens 40 : Deck Area/Front Slabs
Skywalker   V8-9     Boulder   Temp HP40
God Module   V11+     Boulder   Temp HP40
Yum Yum Tree   5.7+     Trad, 1 pitch, 120 feet   Jamestown : Harvest Wall
Elephant Crack   5.7+     Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Palisades Park
Kennel Club   5.8+     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Sand Rock : Holiday Block
My Dog Has Fleas   5.8+     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Sand Rock : Holiday Block
Monopoly   5.9     Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Steele
Comfortably Numb   5.9+     Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 120 feet   Sand Rock : The Pinnacle
Knife Crack   5.9+     Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Griffin Falls
Jaws   5.9+     Trad, TR, 27 feet   Sand Rock : Jaws Block/West Side Rock
Oyster   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Sand Rock : Holiday Block
Misty   5.10c/d     Sport, 1 pitch, 90 feet   Sand Rock : Sun Wall
Sleepy Hollow   5.11b/c PG13     Trad   Jamestown : Harvest Wall
Dreamscape   5.11c/d     Sport, 1 pitch, 75 feet   Sand Rock : Sun Wall
Browse More Classics in Alabama


Featured Route For Alabama
Crux reach.

Cinnamon Girl 5.10  AL : Jamestown : Winter Wall
The route starts in a crack behind the free standing pillar on the left end of the Winter Wall. Follow an arching/thinning crack, (that parallels The Arch - but slightly higher) to the same shared anchors....[more]   Browse More Classics in AL


Photos of Alabama Slideshow Add Photo
Brad Killough on Oyster 5.10 a

Brad Killough on Oyster 5.10 a

Brad Killough, doing what he does at most comps. Judge & spot.

Brad Killough, doing what he does at most comps. J...

Denmark Blount maintains intense focus on his footwork as he leads Wild Iris.

Denmark Blount maintains intense focus on his foot...

Liz redpointing The Wasp, V3, Horse Pens 40.

Liz redpointing The Wasp, V3, Horse Pens 40.

High Life, V5, HP40

High Life, V5, HP40

Katrenis on Millipede,  HP40

Katrenis on Millipede, HP40

T.W. on DEAD RECKONING, 5.10a

T.W. on DEAD RECKONING, 5.10a

T.W. on DEAD RECKONING, 5.10a

T.W. on DEAD RECKONING, 5.10a

hope that gri gri checks out

hope that gri gri checks out

The crew at Sand Rock!

The crew at Sand Rock!

Nice trad, past Fiath.

Nice trad, past Fiath.

jon and john pitch two "2 pitch not 2 pac"

jon and john pitch two "2 pitch not 2 pac"

jon at the belay station on "2 pitch not 2 pac"

jon at the belay station on "2 pitch not 2 pac"

john wilson on the first pitch of "2 pitch not 2 pac"

john wilson on the first pitch of "2 pitch not 2 p...


Comments on Alabama Add Comment
Show which comments
By shannon stegg
Mar 24, 2013

how come Little River Canyon is not represented in mountain project

By Br'er Rabbit
From: The Deeper South
Mar 25, 2013

Because the locals would freak!
Shannon....you should add your knowledge to the database here, especially on the classics.
Jamestown, Sandrock, Tallulah, Laurel Knob, Whitesides...

By starboarder2001
Apr 3, 2013

I found a guide book for little river canyon. Little River Canyon Guide