Mountain Project Logo

East of The Mississippi River????

Original Post
Jacob Cioffoletti · · Jonas Ridge, NC · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 60

Well This summer I was planning to go to Yosemite But that fell through. Now I am trying the find the next best thing East of The Mississippi River for a good road trip from North Carolina.

I want an abundance of:
quality rock
exposure
tall climbs

Tyler Gagne · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 5

Cannon Cliff Franconia, NH
Cathedral Ledge, NH
White Horse, NH

RyanJames · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 505

The New River Gorge and The Red River Gorge - nothing terribly tall though.

Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781

If you go to NH, stop off for a day or so in the Gunks. High quality rock, plenty of exposure, but not likely the long routes you want, more in the 300 feet range.

Also, virtually no approach so day trips are simple.

Evan Sanders · · Westminster, CO · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 140

Isn't NC about as tall as it gets in the east?

JohnWesely Wesely · · Lander · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 585
Evan Sanders wrote:Isn't NC about as tall as it gets in the east?
Just about.
cjdrover · · Watertown, MA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 355

New Hampshire.

Stop at Seneca and the Gunks on the way to/from.

Edit to add: How long is this trip?

Nathan Stokes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 440

Wallface, Poke-O, Chapel Pond Slabs are all good amusements in the Adirondacks too.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Nathan Stokes wrote:Wallface, Poke-O, Chapel Pond Slabs are all good amusements in the Adirondacks too.
Freeride, on Wallface in the Adirondacks, is one of the best long routes in the Northeast. Went up less than ten years ago, but is excellent. 9 pitches, 8 of which are between 5.9+ and 5.11a. A fair number of bolts, and a nice rap descent, but the 2+ hour hike in keeps it feeling pretty backcountry. Just be ready for blackflies, especially in early summer. They can eat you alive.

Also check out the South Face of Gothics, a 3-pitch bolted slab route in an incredible, exposed alpine setting.

Cannon, Cathedral, Whitehorse, the Gunks, and Seneca are also all deserving choices.

If you ask me though, if you want quality rock, long routes, and good summer temps, skip the East (or Yosemite for that matter) and buy a plane ticket to Vancouver. Squamish is the place to be in the summer. You can get by really easily without a car.
Ryan Williams · · London (sort of) · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,245

Umm... dude... North Carolina IS the closest thing to Yosemite this side of the River. We have more granite than all other eastern states combined.

Go spend a few days on the north face of LG, do a trip to LK, Whitesides, etc.

Other than that, check out either the Dacks/NH stuff or the New and the Red.

Edited to add that Linville is probably a better option that LK during summer, but it's not nearly as big. Summer time... try and find a partner to go out west w/ (maybe PM me about it as I'll be out there somewhere).

Tim Zander · · Breckenridge, CO · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 30

+1 for wallface and poke-o

Lots of fun long climbs to be had

PS, I did not like the R rated climb I did on gothics... dirty/wet rock, one of my belays was sitting on a slab with a sling girth hitched around a bunch of short scrubby shrubs after a 80ft runout

BirminghamBen · · Birmingham, AL · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 1,620

Seeing that you are from Morgantown, but having no knowledge of how well traveled in the sE you are, I'd suggest you take a couple weeks and familiarize yourself with the abundance of variety in the SE and Carolinas...if you have to ask about 'East of the MS River' and are overlooking your home-turf, this suggests the need to get inundated with our granite, sandstone, quartzite.

I'd start in North Central, NC (Stone Mtn (hot), Linville (coolish)), mosey SW to extreme WNC (LK (hot), BG (warm), Looking Glass (hot/cool), others), then take 64 over to Chattanooga (The Tennessee Wall (hot), Sunset (cool), etc.), then head down to the deep South and sample some of Alabama's wares (Steele (super hot), Jamestown (almost super hot), Sandrock (don't go here) more), then head over to ATL and back North past Tallulah (smoldering hot), and finish it all up revisiting your favorite NC destination from the first leg or one that you missed....extra points for North Faces and high elevations in the coming Summer months.

You could go to the NE...NH, Gunks, etc....or the RRG or NRG but instead of getting acquainted over years, get you a big dose of the SE in one shot. I'm already jealous. Just my opinion.

P.S. Take lots of water, some sunscreen, and your favorite pair of sunglasses....it's gettin' hot out there.

Jacob Cioffoletti · · Jonas Ridge, NC · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 60

Thanks for all of the Suggestions and the Itinerary from BirminghamBen (Sounds Rad)!

Yes, I am completely aware I have the Linville Gorge in my backyard; living here has spoiled me and my buds. We are pretty farmiliar with the Gorge and the surrounding areas. I do not get to exited about slab so Stone, and LG are not our favorite places but LK and WS have yet to be expored by us.

We Have been thinking about Adirondacks/Gunks, Seneca, RRG, NRG, LK, WS, But were not sure if there was something else hiding out there we did not know of. Ummm we dont know when we would leave but probably late summer for 2 or 3 weeks.

NH is definatly on the list now

Ryan Williams · · London (sort of) · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,245

The Adirondack Mountains are one of the most special places I've ever been. Much like Laurel Knob and Whitesides, you aren't an east coast climber until you've climbed some of the big stuff in the Dacks.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
Post a Reply to "East of The Mississippi River????"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.