Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Elevation: 907 ft
GPS: 37.81596, -83.58104
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 74,241 total · 349/month
Shared By: Chris Chaney on Oct 4, 2006 · Updates
Admins: Shirtless Mike, DrRockso RRG, Luke Cornejo, Billy Simek
Warning Access Issue: New route development is prohibited in the Daniel Boone National Forest. DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

Eastern Sky Bridge Ridge has an interesting mix of older classic trad routes and early sport climbing testpieces. While there aren't many easy routes in the area, some of the moderate ones have attracted intermediate climbers over the years.

Inhibitor is a trad classic and a 5.11 masterpiece involving some wide, some really wide, and steep hand jams. The classic 5.11 sport route King Me was featured on the cover of the seminal "How to Climb 5.12" manual from a few years ago.

Hard core traddies or sportos that visit the area will miss out on some classics if they don't dabble in their weaker discipline. The Underling (5.9, trad) is a must do, as is Jack in the Pulpit (10d, sport). And just to make things interesting one of the best and most well-known problems in the Red is located on the boulder that fell out of the Inhibitor dihedral. You can get by without a crashpad, but make sure you have a spotter for the mantel crux of The Pearl V5.

Easter Sky Bridge Ridge also boast the current hardest trad line in the Red and perhaps in Kentucky: Silently Does the Sun Shine, a 5.14- put up by Andrew Gearing.

Getting There Suggest change

From the concrete bridge on KY 715 (parking area for Eagle's Nest and Wall of Denial) drive a little further back toward Pine Ridge and look for a wide pulloff on the left before the Swift Camp trailhead parking on the right. Walk back down the road toward the bridge and look for a trail on the left (as you walk, uphill) side of the road.

36 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Eastern Sky Bridge Ridge Change
Type:  to 
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:   then:
 

Classic Climbing Routes at Eastern Sky Bridge Ridge

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 108
Good Times
Trad
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 101
Drop the Anchor
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 200
The Underling
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 87
No Return
Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 80
Doppler Effect
Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 181
Jack in the Pulpit
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 57
Inhibitor
Trad
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 236
Super Dario
Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 257
King Me
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 56
Commencement
Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 114
Dave the Dude
Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 42
Martin Rides Again
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 11
The Learning Curve
Trad
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 32
What's Right with the Underling?
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 34
Soul Ram
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Good Times
 108
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Drop the Anchor
 101
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Sport
The Underling
 200
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
No Return
 87
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad
Doppler Effect
 80
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad
Jack in the Pulpit
 181
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Inhibitor
 57
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
Super Dario
 236
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
King Me
 257
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
Commencement
 56
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Dave the Dude
 114
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport
Martin Rides Again
 42
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport
The Learning Curve
 11
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad
What's Right with the Under…
 32
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Soul Ram
 34
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
More Classic Climbs in Eastern Sky Bridge Ridge »

Sun & Shade Suggest change

Weather Averages

High
 
Low
 
Precip
 
Days w Precip
 
Prime Climbing Season
J F M A M J J A S O N D
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Photos

loading