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Rock climbing in the Southeastern USA
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North Carolina - Panthertown Valley - Black Rock Mountain - topo of lower slab with route descriptions
Click on image to see larger, clearer version (796 x 419 pixel, 15,533 byte packed size) Notes: I still do not know who put in these routes or what their true names are. I have made up names for some of the routes we have climbed and identified, but these will be changed if the originator can be found. Grades and heights listed are a best guess. Please contact me if you have information. General information: This section of cliff offers pure friction slab climbing resembling that found at Stone Mountain, North Carolina. Hand holds are few, gear placements (mostly small to micro cams) are rare. Bolts and anchors appear to be sound and were most likely placed on lead. There are long runs between some bolts, some routes are a bit scary. The cliff is roughly 500 feet in width, with the steepest sections near the bottom. It rounds off a bit about 100 feet up, with numerous water grooves forming the tops of most climbs. The trail intersects the face about 150 feet from the left end. Not shown: There is additional cliff face at both ends. To the right, a slabby section about 100 feet wide is found of lower angle about 80 feet higher than the base of the main section. There are no bolts or anchors here. To the left, several hundred feet of lower angle slab continues about 40 feet higher than the base of the main face. No anchors or bolts are found here. Route descriptions: A: Fun City - partially climbed. Solid 5.11, we did not get past 2nd bolt. Will try again with drier weather. B: Greasy Chicken 5.8 - small ledges on the lower section lead help ease the way through the blank sections to easier climbing in a water groove. Anchors on large ledge. C-D: Potential natural lines, no bolts, not yet attempted. E: Hard 5.12, Unnamed F: Bearded Lady 5.10 - Starts just right of mossy area where the trail intersects the rock. Nice blank face climbing leads to small edge, then enters water groove to reach anchors. 5 bolts. 160 feet. G: Welcome to Panthertown 5.10 - Beautiful blank face climbing to a water groove. Shares anchors with Bearded Lady. 5 bolts. 160 feet. H: Unclimbed I: Unclimbed J: Unclimbed K: Unclimbed L: Unclimbed Routes M - P start from the Leaf Ledge. Climb the Crack Rocks to get to the ledge. M: Rufus (?) - Starts from left end of Leaf Ledge. Unclimbed. N: Bimbo's Bulge - 5.9 +. Starts from left end of Leaf Ledge. Small crescent ledges low lead onto face (about 5.7) below the bulge at the right end of the roof. Pass through the bulge, easiest on the left. Anchors are about 20 feet above. 4 bolts. 130 feet. O: Stairway to Heaven 5.7 - Starts at middle of Leaf Ledge. Climb through relatively easy ground with crescent ledges arcing to the right of the bulge (5.4). At 3rd bolt, move onto Sneaky Pete (4th bolt), then follow water groove to anchors. 5 bolts. 150 feet. P: Sneaky Pete - 5.8 - Start from the far right end of the Leaf Ledge. Clip 2 bolts, then move right to 3rd bolt. 4th bolt is found at the start of the water groove. Follow the groove to anchor. 150 feet. Can also divert left at 4th bolt onto top of Stairway to Heaven. Q: Cold Start - 5.8. This climb eases to about 5.6 after you gain the first high bolt. Move left into water groove after the 4th bolt to reach the anchor. 4 bolts. 170 feet. R: Grandma's Dirty Dishes 5.7 - Climb 35 feet to reach the first bolt, than follow the line through 3 large dishes. Work left to anchor after the cliff rounds off. 4 bolts. 170 feet. S: Slip-n-Slide 5.7 - One of the few "naturally protected" lines. Starts at the far right end of the cliff. Climb long runout section to reach ledges above (a short diversion left at 35 feet allows clipping the first bolt on Grandma's Dirty Dishes). Work to the right to use the ledges for natural protection with small - medium cams. Then work left across the face to gain the anchors above Grandma's Some loose crystals on sections of this climb give it it's name. 170+ feet. |
