Denmark Blount maintains intense focus on his foot...
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.
(If I'm wrong about any part of this, somebody please let me know!)The original problem was a slight variation of the version now, the reason being that a hold broke off. Either way, this problem is really fun. Start matched on a horizontal jug, good crimp on the ceiling, then big move out to slopers on the lip of the roof--throw a heel, hit a slopey crimp to stop the swing w/ your left hand then mantle. Crux is hitting the slopey crimp....[more]
great pictures. thanks for viewing mine and the photos. I am encouraged when I see so many lovely photographs in your albums. Jamestown is a special success story. Climbing in Alabama is mostly sandstone. The Cumberland Plateau, which hosts the great sandstone cliffs of Tennessee, extends into northern Alabama. ======================================= johnson789 Addiction Recovery Alabama
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