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The Seal

5.10a/b, Trad, 400 ft (121 m), 4 pitches,  Avg: 3.4 from 186 votes
FA: Bob Mitchell, Will Fulton - 1969
N Carolina > 1. Southern Mou… > Looking Glass Rock > N Side
Warning Access Issue: Post Hurricane Helene Accessibility of Crags DetailsDrop down

Description

Pitch 1 This Pitch takes the beautiful arching crack just around the corner from Cornflake crack on the North Face. The arching crack ranges from 5.9 fingers at the bottom to an offwidth through the top of the arch over to the anchors. As I recall, the gear is excellent and there are plenty of stems on the lower part of the route. The crux is a strenous move or two through the offwidth ending in a lovely thin traverse to the anchors. The route continues as an aid climb for a couple of additional pitches.

Pitch 2 is a well protected, short and fun 5.8. Find 2 old but good bolts near the middle. Finish on a small ledge with 4 bolts. Rap with a single 70.

Pitch 3 A2+ can be extremely dirty depending on the last ascent. Bring a nut tool and brush for cleaning he crack. The green gully pitch is 130' because of the way it wanders. Follow the left dirty crack exiting up off the slab towards the corner. Clip 2 old 1/4" bolts. a few moves later and clip the 4 bolt ladder. Climb another 40' clipping 2 more bolts. take a minute to look up and left at gray matter A2(lots of heads). Continue up the corner looking for 2 bomber bolts 15' above the large horizontal .75-1 seam. Rap here with a single 70 or continue higher and build a belay on the ledge if continuing. Bring lots of beaks, RP's, nuts, cam hooks, and triples .1-.5 nothing larger than a 2. A single 70 barly gets you to the top of P2.

Pitch 4 5.10 120' Sorry i have not climbed this pitch.

Location

North Face of Looking Glass. Obvious arching crack to the right of Cornflake

Protection

Wide range of cams and passive gear. Save a #4 or #5 camalot for the crux. Fixed anchors at the top. For aid bring triple .1-.5, brasies, 3 of each size beak, cam hooks.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Seal, Looking Glass, NC.
[Hide Photo] The Seal, Looking Glass, NC.
Mike Reardon cleaning the Green Gully pitch on the Seal
[Hide Photo] Mike Reardon cleaning the Green Gully pitch on the Seal
MJ returns on the Seal.  Adjusting helmet after hitting the roof too many times at the 9+ wide section.  Photo by Phil Hoffmann.
[Hide Photo] MJ returns on the Seal. Adjusting helmet after hitting the roof too many times at the 9+ wide section. Photo by Phil Hoffmann.
Diff Ritchie on the seal in 1970's
[Hide Photo] Diff Ritchie on the seal in 1970's
The beautiful arching line of the Seal.
[Hide Photo] The beautiful arching line of the Seal.
Charles nearing the anchors.
[Hide Photo] Charles nearing the anchors.
Grant starting up The Seal
[Hide Photo] Grant starting up The Seal
Diff Ritchie on the Seal in 1974
[Hide Photo] Diff Ritchie on the Seal in 1974
Happy to be at the anchors
[Hide Photo] Happy to be at the anchors
Hook on a flexing flake of P3
[Hide Photo] Hook on a flexing flake of P3
Charles cleans a piece on pitch 1
[Hide Photo] Charles cleans a piece on pitch 1
D.J. Shalvey leading The Seal with another climber at the shared anchors for Killer Whales
[Hide Photo] D.J. Shalvey leading The Seal with another climber at the shared anchors for Killer Whales

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] This is one of the sexiest routes I have ever seen! I am heading out to North Carolina for just for this! Mar 6, 2009
[Hide Comment] Never saw a spot for a #4 or #5, but I would bring doubles of #1, #2, and 0.75 camalots, plus several small camming units. Not PG-13, in fact this route will take just about as much gear as you can feed it. Warning possible beta spoiler will procede!

I would say that the crux was not the offwidth undercling at the top (all though placing gear is pretty strenuous through that section) but the thin section about 1/3 of the way up the route. You will know it when you get there. It is marked by the finger section getting to thin to use (at least for bigger fingered people) and your feet slowly dwindle to smears. Aug 24, 2009
camhead
Vandalia, Appalachia
[Hide Comment] I used a 4 camalot right before the wide section, which was definitely the crux for me. Sep 7, 2010
Joe V
NC
 
[Hide Comment] Great route, amazing moves. Didn't need doubles of anything really. Takes nuts (I used a lot of nuts and tricams so I didn't need doubles) and cams well the whole way. May 25, 2011
Bruce Burgess
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] It's not necessary, but you can get a big piece in the right end of the big slot if you want a more directly overhead piece during the crux. It's also a good directional for the second especially if you think they may whip on that move. That undercling always feel super slick and somewhat desperate to me. Fortunately my wife can walk the dog that pitch, so I rarely have to lead it :) Nov 18, 2012
Dave Millar
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] Great route, and stout for the grade. The thin fingers was the crux for me since I'm short, but that made the upper crux easier. You win some and you lose some. I didn't use any underclinging at the wide section, just some crimping and a side pull. No need for large gear, but it would be helpful for your follower. Mar 17, 2013
[Hide Comment] I noticed the FFA was not noted. It was by Mark James in early summer 1976. All these north side routes were pretty sporty in eb's and swamis. Mar 26, 2013
Jonathan Dull
Blowing Rock, NC
 
[Hide Comment] The Seal! What a fantastic climb with great gear all the way through. The fixed stopper is still in place (7-20-13) before you start the wide section - if not something in the .5 range would probably suffice. You can bring a 1 or 0 C3 for the thin section that is bomber as well. Do yourself a favor and rack up for this gem! Definitely one of my favorite climbs at the glass..

  • This is beta for the first pitch only.
Jul 24, 2013
Bob M
Alpharetta, GA
[Hide Comment] The fixed stopper is still in place, looks to be in good condition, and is still bomber. Tested 8/30/2014. Aug 31, 2014
[Hide Comment] Hmm, I think I might have placed that fixed stopper. One rainy day a few years ago I took a friend to LG for the first time. The rain was supposed to stop and we had hoped a breeze might dry off the Nose area, but instead it settled in. So I told her about this "great climb that always stays dry" thinking that we could do the first pitch of the Seal. Everything was fine until I got to the top crux. The rain had blown in and area near the undercling was damp. I was able to place the stopper but could get no further. Glad that it is being put to good use, especially since it sounds like it will be there for a long time.

Edit to add that if this is my stopper it is a straight-sided Chouinard (8 I think) with a strong wire and in great condition despite its age. Sep 7, 2014
Matt Westlake
Durham, NC
 
[Hide Comment] If you want gear other than that fixed nut (left side of the undercling slot) you can likely get a C4 #5 (new) on the right side. I had a #4 I decided I wanted to use and had to stuff it WAAAAY up in there and my partner wanted to huck it at me after he finally figured out how to wedge himself up in there to retrieve it. The nut is probably OK and certainly seems to get a lot of use but it's hard to inspect unless you really go caving and maybe bring a headlamp up in there. Jan 2, 2015
mattjohnson
Greenville SC
  5.10+
[Hide Comment] That fixed stopper at the undercling crux didn't seem to be there anymore, so make sure to bring something to protect it with Feb 9, 2015
Elias Jordan
Mazama, WA
[Hide Comment] .5 C4/X4 works perfect where the Nut used to be (on the Left of the slot), as for the right side a #2 to a .5 would work. May 14, 2015
Mike R
 
[Hide Comment] I've always only done the first pitch but interested in the next 3. Anyone bring this to the top lately? Apr 9, 2016
Barrett Pauer
Brevard, NC
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] Mike, I checked out the upper pitches from p-3 of invisible and they look pretty dirty and wet. The bolts I could see appeared to be stainless. If you're out there the second half of may and need a partner I would get on it. Apr 9, 2016
Ti ck
5.10b
[Hide Comment] 7.5.16 Looks like the old fixed gear was pushed further in and replaced with a number 9 BD stopper(this is in the crack just before the offwidth/lyback crux. It held my fat ass. Jul 5, 2016
[Hide Comment] Led this today and the fixed nut was still in the crack but the wire appeared to have exploded. A red #4 Mastercam/TCU works really well just to the left of the fixed nut. Nov 6, 2016
Sean M
Victor, MT
 
[Hide Comment] Fantastic climb. As others have mentioned, you don't NEED a big cam, but if you have one you can definitely plug it in to help with your head game for the crux.

Eats up gear at the start, well protected at the crux, but its easy to not place enough for your follower just after the crux due to the pump factor, so be mindful of that.

Do it!! Feb 13, 2017
Keith Wood
Elko, NV
[Hide Comment] P2 is not aid. It goes free at 5.9 to 5.10-ish (can't remember the grade of that pitch). Did it 30+ years ago. It's nice, and ends at a nice ledge. From this ledge it traverses left, but we couldn't free that part. It was a long double rope rappel to the bottom, with a lot of that free, but should be fine with 60s. Mar 14, 2020
Tim Wheatley
Chattanooga, TN
 
Danny Bell
Buford, GA
[Hide Comment] LRS Onsight, beta for P1

youtube.com/watch?v=MLMmGNo… Oct 23, 2023
Bryant Devlin
Asheville, NC
  5.8-
[Hide Comment] Pitch 2 video. Enjoyed it and recommend.
youtu.be/U9JPL9tF0mk?si=af7… Sep 3, 2024