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Carolina Christmas climbing recommendations?
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Hi Y'all Thinking of a surfing / climbing trip to south and north Carolina right around x mass and new years. I'm pretty comfortable with run out slab but I haven't been to the Carolinas to climb before. Excited. Anybody have reccomendations for warmish areas and great climbs? Thanks! |
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Rumbling Bald is a great area for bouldering and some trad/sport if you're looking to rope up. I usually do trad and sport, so i can recommend some hand cracks: Fruitloops 5.7, and Comatose 5.8. The approach is around 30 mins and you can pick up a guide book of the area for about 20 bucks if you want some really good beta. Browse around the page on here for that area and if you're really looking for some runout slab you'll find it. Some of it can be fun... at times. I'm not sure how close to the coast you're trying to stay, but there are other areas with better camping options further west from Rumbling Bald because that area doesn't have camping. Merry Christmas and happy new year! |
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I would definitely recommend looking glass rock! lots of fun stuff to do there |
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Rumbling bald is great, Stone mountain has way run out slab and nice camping! South face of looking glass can be nice, but they close the road in inclement weather! Have fun! |
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cant say I would agree with rumbling bald being "runout slab" or really much slab at all, but sure there is some slab there. And this is my opinion here, but rumbling bald would not be the cool place I would send you for your first time in the south if you are an experienced climber. Partly cause I hate having to be out of the park by dark and other silly rules in the woods. What you are really looking for are the granite plutons a lil further south. (yes I know rumbly bumbly is technically a pluton) if you want true slab: looking glass (probably the most iconic in south) - titties and beer 5.10, the nose 5.8+, sundial crack 5.8-(only 15ft of crack) as back up for when you get to the base of the nose and it is a shit show... or peregrine 5.9 if you are feeling spicy, hyperbola 5.10a around the corner and lots of great options for slab at the south side and sun wall. North side for hard cracks. laurel knob - fathom 5.10 or groover 5.8 or seconds 5.9+ if you wanna climb a groove for 900ft all are fantastic full day climbs (please do your research on how to rap off of these) cedar rock - there is a pluthera of slab routes here and 1000 ways to get lost on the approach trail. dandy line is super fun crack/slab mix could clip some moderate multipitch sport at stone depot (really nice intro to slab, maybe not so run out) Table rock South Carolina, from the one day I spent there, is indeed true slab and truly run out big green - I know its slab no recommendations cause I haven't been yet. |
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Here's a list of some highly regarded routes up to 5.10- at warm locales. If you can climb 5.10- trad, all of these routes are either well protected or their runouts are on easy terrain Shortoff (generally steep, well protected trad jug hauls) https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105969252/dopey-duck https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106025962/straight-and-narrow https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106174053/built-to-tilt https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106174037/paradise-alley Looking Glass South (generally slabbier routes, but plenty of crack features) https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105900752/titties-beer-aka-worlds-hardest-58 https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105939175/gemini-crack https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105939182/rats-ass https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106045504/dinkus-dog https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105874396/the-nose Laurel Knob (sorta like Looking Glass, but bigger) https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105951288/groover-gaskin-finish https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105899475/seconds https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106014851/fathom Rumbling Bald (cracks and edging routes plus truly world class bouldering) https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105899306/frosted-flake https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105937346/gunboat-diplomacy |
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I can speak to some of the other NC options: Sauratown is in season now as well, it's a smaller area with mostly sport climbing (lots of the routes have cool overhangs!) and is closer to central NC. See here for a guide (it's not on Mountain Project): http://carolinaclimbers.org/climbing-areas/sauratown.html You can find Pilot mountain in that part of NC as well, which is nice for a day of easy sport and TR cragging. These two can get a bit crowded (although not usually as bad as Crowders Mountain near Charlotte) but are good sunny day options if you are looking for a moderate day versus the areas mentioned in previous posts which are more adventurous. On the plus side you'll likely run into folks at the crag who can point you at good climbs or just help orient you. Just based on a quick look at your profile climb ticks those areas might be good matches as there are a lot of options in the 7-12 range with a good number of 10ish routes. If you haven't had enough of that sort of climbing by then and that doesn't sound convenient enough we also have Rocky Face, which is just about an outdoor sport climbing gym with zero approach, although you have to navigate some choss - it's not really a destination but can be a fun day out if you are taking newbies or non-climbing family. Several bouldering areas are in season now as well. Asheboro and Moore's are closer to where I am so I'm most familiar with those but there are lots of others as well further West in NC. Linville Gorge is pretty but is maybe getting a bit cold this time of year - although you are from Up North :) The shorter days can make it a bit less worthwhile as the hikes in there can eat into your climbing day a bit. I love both Ship Rock and Moore's Wall as well but would avoid them now they are generally quite cold and shady at this point. Stone is a good option for covering a lot of ground and getting up multipitch but prepare to be on runout slab and choose your routes carefully. Explore mountain project, as there's quite a variety of types of climbing in the area. |
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If you are going to be climbing AND surfing you will probably want to consider drive times to these places. The closest cliffs to the coast are still 3-5 hours away. NC in particular is a deceptively long state. For this reason I wouldn't suggest looking near Cashiers, unless you have tons of time. If I only had a few days to climb in NC, I would want to get on some quartzite. The steep quartzite we have here is more uncommon, and with really high rock quality. I would put Shortoff on your list as a nice warm spot, with stellar routes, that is one of the closer cliffs to the coast. AND its in a wilderness area so there are minimal rules about access (just general LNT stuff). If you happen to pass through Winston-Salem/Greensboro, you could spend a nice day of sport climbing at Sauratown and/or Pilot Mountain. I wouldn't put those at top destinations, although they are closer to the coast than most other crags. |
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If you want to come surf too, you should probably just hit up Pilot Mountain or Crowder's Mountain and then take 40 or 74/76 down to Wilmington. Stone Mountain might be good if you're comfortable with runout slabs, it's about 30minutes west of Pilot Mountain. I live in Wilmington and it's just under 4hrs to get to either of those places, those are pretty much the closest places for us to get to from the beach... If you aren't familiar with Linville Gorge, or are going with someone who is, I wouldn't recommend that as your first stop. I would focus more on the climbing for your trip though.. You're probably going to be sorely disappointed with our surfing conditions in December; that's why we all climb in the winter... Unless we get a nasty winter Nor'Easter, then it can get good down here... |
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Don't bother with slab; you can find that anywhere. Quartzite mega-quality cliffs await you in NC. On a sunny day, with minimal wind, you should try Short Off. Easy to get there from I-40, a nice hike, and then killer routes. Dopey Duck and Construction Job would be exposed to the sun and a good choice in late December (although as said, it could easily be too cold to go there). Rumbling is cool for bouldering, and it's south-facing so it's a good winter spot, but figuring out the roped climbs is heinous. If you get super lucky and the weather is in the upper 50s or even low 60s, try Moore's Wall. It's unbelievable for its quality and style. |
Russ Keane wrote: Rumbling is cool for bouldering, and it's south-facing so it's a good winter spot, but figuring out the roped climbs is heinous. +1 |
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asheville to charleston SC is 4hrs on one rd (26) I assumed you would be taking that route, folly beach would be the surf spot there as far as I know. +1 for shortoff recommendations, that place is spectacularrrrrrrrrrrr but in no way slabby. but seriously it is the best |
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Big Rock and Rumbling will be the warmest. Rumbling suffers from a serious overcrowding issue. So arrive way before 9am to get a parking spot. Both spots dry almost immediately after a rain. |
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And if you really just want to climb and surf, you'd be better off just skipping SC and staying in NC. Both our climbing and surfing are far superior to anything in SC. |
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Stone Mountain is an excellent winter weather location. Sure, its a true slab and truly runout as well with the exception of the Great Arch and P1 of No Alternative. Those pro up nicely and offer a good preview of some of the slab classics such as Yardarm (5.8) and Mercury's Lead (5.9). The cliff faces south and can be quite pleasant in the full Sun. There is also a 4 star boulder field at the base of the routes which has some intriguing problems but can be a bit difficult to navigate. The camping is ideal and it puts you in good striking distance to the surf breaks as it boarders on the Piedmont. Have a blast!
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If you are serious about checking out multiple areas, the Lambert/Shull “Selected Climbs” is going to be your best bet. That has all the classics. MP is a pretty good resource for NC too. Except, maybe, for Looking Glass, which can be confusing to a visitor because all the climbs are out of order. |
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I'll be in Asheville, NC from xmas to new years, so I plan on hitting up Looking Glass. Any idea what the conditions are normally like this time of year? Will there be snow? |
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Snow and cold is relatively rare any time of year. Nevertheless, the forecast for the next two weeks is pretty consistently chilly:  |
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Thanks, Brian. Does anyone know what the descents are like at looking glass? Walk off vs. rappel? Would I be good with 1 60m or 1 70m rope? Trying to travel light :) |
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Almost all Looking Glass routes require two 60s to rappel. Walking off the top would require a really long hike. |
