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Elevation: 100 ft
GPS: 38.9923, -77.249
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
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Shared By: franciscov Valenzuela on May 15, 2008 · Updates
Admins: Shawn Heath, Aaron Parlier

Description Suggest change

A beautiful area in the Potomac River Gorge. The cliffs are about 60 feet high and made of hard, solid rock. The area is sunny and has lots of climbers and hikers. This is a major top rope climbing area with trees being the anchor norm. If you want a guidebook for great falls check out the PATC website and pick up a copy of A Climber's Guide to the Great Falls of the Potomac. If all else fails the VA/WV/MD Climbers guide by Horst is also a great guidebook for the area. A number of climbers that know this area well have mentioned that the rock is very suspect in some places. Others swear that it is completely bomber. There have been a number of incidents here regarding broken holds and gear pulling. This is a reminder that it is up to each individual climber to assess the quality of rock and to accept a level of risk that is appropriate for the person, and for the place. If you are preparing to belay from the bottom of a climb, before going check the water levels (on this government website designed a long time ago in a galaxy far far away) as many of the belay spots can get washed out as the river rises. The National Park Service suggests 4.5 feet and above may cover belay areas and down climbing access, but depends on the area. water.weather.gov/ahps2/hyd… 

Getting There Suggest change

It's about 20 minutes up stream, and west of Washington DC in Great Falls Park.

260 Total Climbs

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Location: Great Falls Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Great Falls

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 52
Sand Box Corner
TR
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 47
Snowflake
Trad, TR
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 106
Romeo's Ladder
Trad, TR
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 48
Cornice
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 53
Romeo's Left
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 4
B-52
Trad, TR
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 15
Strong Finish
TR
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 11
Crank Up
Trad, TR
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 80
Lost Arrow
Trad, TR
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 6
M-80
Trad, TR
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 16
Entropy
Trad, TR
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 27
Terrapin Station
Trad, TR
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 13
Ender
Trad, TR
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 12
P.V.O (Potomac Valley Overhang)
TR
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 9
Monkey Fingers
TR
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Sand Box Corner Sandbox
 52
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c TR
Snowflake Seclusion
 47
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, TR
Romeo's Ladder Romeo's Ladder
 106
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR
Cornice Cornice
 48
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR
Romeo's Left Romeo's Ladder
 53
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
B-52 Microdome
 4
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, TR
Strong Finish Seclusion
 15
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b TR
Crank Up Cornice
 11
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, TR
Lost Arrow Aid Box
 80
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, TR
M-80 Microdome
 6
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad, TR
Entropy Romeo's Ladder
 16
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad, TR
Terrapin Station Aid Box
 27
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Trad, TR
Ender Dihedrals
 13
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, TR
P.V.O (Potomac Valley Overh… Aid Box
 12
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a TR
Monkey Fingers Aid Box
 9
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b TR
More Classic Climbs in Great Falls »

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