Home - Destinations - People - Partners - Forum - Photos - What's New
 ADVANCED
Kentucky
Show routes:
Select Area...
BSF (placeholder) 
Red River Gorge 
Western Kentucky 


Browse this area on a map

Kentucky

Submitted By: Andy Laakmann on Oct 4, 2006
Administrator: saxfiend
Latitude: 37.5794  Longitude: -85.0781 
Aerial photo/map | Weather
Views: 288,939 page views

Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event 
Discussions available in the
Southern States
Message Forum
 Printer Friendly View

Description 

Sandstone...

From a climbing standpoint, you can define the Bluegrass state with that one word.

From Morehead, through the Red River Gorge and the Rockcastle River watershed on down into Tennessee via the Big South Fork (of the Cumberland River) out to the coalfields of Western Kentucky, the dominant exposed rock is sandstone.

By far, the best quality rock overall is in the Red River Gorge. That's not to say that the rest of the state is choss, just that the greatest concentration of quality developed climbing happens to be there.

If you're not climbing sandstone in Kentucky you need your head examined. There really isn't anything else to climb except some unconsolidated limestone. The geology of Kentucky could almost be called boring. But it really isn't.

The Eastern end of the state is all Cumberland Plaeteau. What most people, locals and visitors alike, call "mountains" are actually the topmost edge of a vast plateau. The exposed cliffs and valleys are a result of aeons of erosion down into that plateau. If you don't believe me look at the horizons. Flat. There are no peaks, no high chains of summits dividing the landscape. Oh, there's local relief, but the scale is small.

The scenery is distincly different from that of the Blue Ridge, the Smokies and other chains along the Appalachians. Different in relief, but similar in ecology and climate.

Western Kentucky is unique in it's own way. It's the same general type of rock, but different consistencies and arrangements.


Getting There 

Most climbing in the state is easily accessible from major highways. I-75 funnels most visitors to the Mountain Parkway and then on to the Red River Gorge.

The Big South Fork is a little further off 75 and parallels it at a distance.

Western Kentucky access varies, but doesn't suffer as much from the crazy gravel backroads of the Eastern end of the state.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Kentucky:
Roadside Attraction   5.7     Trad, 1 pitch, 120 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Autumn   5.9-     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Red River Gorge : Long Wall
Central Scrutinizer   5.9 PG13     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Pebble Beach
AWOL   5.10a     Sport, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Andromeda Strain   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
To Defy The Laws Of Tradition   5.10a     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Red River Gorge : Left Flank
Rock Wars   5.10a     Trad, 2 pitches, 120 feet   Red River Gorge : Long Wall
Brontosaurus   5.10b     Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Red River Gorge : Pebble Beach
Crazy Fingers   5.10c     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Dragonslayer   5.10d     Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Pulling Pockets   5.10d     Sport, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Synchronicity   5.11a     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Fuzzy Undercling   5.11-     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Red River Gorge : Military Wall
The Return of Chris Snyder   5.11d     Sport, 1 pitch, 100 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Twinkie   5.12a     Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet   Red River Gorge : Phantasia
Too Many Puppies   5.12a     Sport, 60 feet   Red River Gorge : Left Flank
Ro Shampo   5.12a     Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Stay the Hand   5.12a     Sport, 50 feet   Red River Gorge : Roadside Crag
Mercy the Huff   5.12b     Sport, 80 feet   Red River Gorge : Left Flank
Tissue Tiger   5.12b     Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet   Red River Gorge : Military Wall
Browse More Classics in Kentucky


Featured Route For Kentucky
fighting the pump

Windy corner 5.11b  KY : Red River Gorge : Torrent Falls
This awesome splitter is located on the left side of the wall (left of 5.10 wall). If this climb doesn't make you drool, you should sell all your trad gear immediately and become a bolt clipper. Start by climbing thin-hands dihedral to roof. plug some gear and pull roof to overhanging crack. Make long reaches to good jams that vary in size from thin hands to fists. Pumpy, fun route not to be missed if you are in the area....[more]   Browse More Classics in KY