Cooks Wall Rock Climbing

My friend, Nathan Brown, originally posted the Cooks Wall main page on MP, as he was one of the main developers for the area. Climbers asked him for info so he created the basic layout and has since turned the page over to me.
Here's part of his original post:

'This cliff is a good alternative to Pilot Mountain for wintertime cragging. The rock is generally better and the crowds are essentially non-existent. It is a large broken up cliff line on the south end of Hanging Rock State Park that requires a long hike in but for a good amount of climbing. The left side (west) of the mountain is generally referred to as The West Walls (aka Cooks Fin) and is subdivided into areas. The right side (east) of the mountain is large and broken but sports some very worthy routes like "Emla", a 5.13d put up by Howie F back in the 90's. Of special note: the cliff can be quite windy and as a result may be unbearably cold in the winter or reasonably pleasant in warmer weather. Pay attention to predicted wind conditions.'

This is a fun winter cliff that's broken into 4 primary sections:

1. Cookbook
2. Lower Wall
3. West Walls (aka Cooks Fin)
4. Devil's Chimney

The best concentration of hard stuff is on the east side (Cookbook) but the most popular fun area is the West Walls. The Lower Wall requires the longest hike in and the most strenuous hike out but for some quality routes. Devils Chimney is the smallest area but has the easiest access just off the main Cooks Wall trail and hosts a handful of excellent traditional routes in a unique secluded setting.

Cooks is not Moores although they are sister cliffs. They are not really even similar. The holds, the texture, even the shape of the cliff and formation of the individual walls are distinctly different from Cooks to Moores. They are each unique and have their own style and character. And although Cooks is more like Pilot and Sauratown, Cooks has not had the 20 years worth of steady traffic to clean up the routes, so always keep this in mind. A roughly 1 hour hike in has kept many at bay over the years and is largely to blame. But even to this day in 2017, Cooks has never been published or well documented so traffic has been minimal although the routes are pleasant and fun. But who can blame anyone: with Moores being world class, Pilot's access and Sauratown being the ultimate outdoor climbing gym, Cooks has not had its day. It is a very worthy endeavor though, if you want an alternative to the norm and don't mind the hike. The routes are generally 60'-100', the angle is usually steep to really steep and the rock is predominantly good to great. Cooks is known though for its typically small loose rock in certain spots, so use caution and consider a helmet for the belayer in some areas or use one in general for safety. Bring a rack if you don't want to be limited, as many routes are mixed or predominantly gear but you can still climb a good bit with just quicks. And as Nathan stated above, Cooks can get somewhat windy so prepare accordingly.