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Curving Crack

5.8, Trad, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 2.8 from 25 votes
FA: L. Day, T. Seibert, 1978
Kentucky > Red River Gorge > Northern Gorge > Tower Rock
Warning Access Issue: New route development is prohibited in the Daniel Boone National Forest. DetailsDrop down

Description

One of many quality moderate trad lines at Tower Rock... the crux requires more confidence and "go for it" than it does raw skill. Climb up moderate moves to the underside of a right-leaning flake. Place good gear with a runner and undercling out and right from under the flake (crux) to the crack and continue upwards, again on easier ground to a ledge. Once can join Caver's Route to get to the top of the strangely barren top of Tower Rock.

Location

As you approach Tower Rock, stay right as the trail is split by the rock itself. Continue toward the far end of the rock to the beginning of the Caver's Route, distinguished as a squeeze chimney for 25 feet to a ledge, to another chimney...
Backtrack for perhaps 15 meters looking up above you on the wall. When you see a crack and flake system that hooks to the right 10 meters up with a 1-1.5" crack underclinging a steep flake, that is both your target climb, and the crux.

Protection

A standard light rack. Crux pro is a tricam or SLCD under the right-leaning flake as it gets steep.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Easy TR setup from top of cavers.
[Hide Photo] Easy TR setup from top of cavers.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Peter L K
Cincinnati, OH
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] I definitely thought the crux was about 50 feet up when pulling the overhang and getting into the offwidthy chimney, not the flake. Mar 1, 2008
Tom Caldwell
Clemson, S.C.
 
[Hide Comment] This is a great route despite many sections of bad rock. I thought the crux was the upper "chimney" as well. Oct 24, 2012
Derek Ehrnschwender
Cambridge, MA
[Hide Comment] Cool climb! I did a second pitch direct to the top while Caver's was busy. The rock moves were around 5.5 and protectable, but it involved wading through a significant briar patch. Not recommended. Jan 5, 2021