 General
North Carolina Information
General Information
No other state in the Southeast offers more climbing opportunities
than those to be found within North Carolina. Home to the highest
mountains in the east, the great ranges of the Southern Appalachians
comprise the western border of the state with ancient peaks and
verdant valleys and gorges. The granite found here is some of the
oldest exposed rock on earth ranging from great rolling domes to
cliff faces more than a thousand feet in height. A few climbs extend
out into the Piedmont region to the east but most remain in the
high places of the Blue Ridge.
The majority of the climbing takes place in the Pisgah and Nantahala
National Forests. Some is found near the Blue ridge Parkway. Others
are in State Parks.
State high point: Mount
Mitchell 6,684 feet
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 Climbing
areas sorted by type of climbing available
Areas are recommended as follows:
- Bouldering - centers for bouldering include Boone and
Blowing Rock.
- Top rope climbing - Crowders
Mountain is known for top rope climbing, the South
Face of Looking Glass Rock is good, Moore's Wall is excellent,
the Chimneys at Linville Gorge
is limited, Picken's Nose has a
small area or two. Pilot Rock has
low angle friction set up for top roping.
- Sport climbing - Forget it, unless you want to count
Stone Mountain. Most of the protection
there is bolts which are rare.
- Traditional climbing - For beginning multi-pitch climbers,
Table Rock and the Amphitheater in
Linville Gorge are excellent. For those more experienced,
The Nose and North End of Looking
Glass Rock have some fine routes, The
North Carolina Wall and Shortoff Mountain in Linville Gorge are
good, and the long slab runouts at Stone
Mountain will get your heart pumping.
- Big Wall - Some of the best big wall climbing is found
at Whitesides, the North
End of Looking Glass, and Panthertown.
- Aid climbing - Whitesides,
the North End of Looking Glass
- Ice climbing - Whitesides
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Mountain State Park Travlers Companion