Trip Reports - 7/4/99 - Table Rock  / Linville Gorge, North Carolina July 4th Trip Report - Wet and Wild!

By Wayne Busch

Show bigger photo of Jackie

Friday,  July 2nd -- Dirty clouds were dragging curtains of rain across the mountains all afternoon and a light but steady shower ticked down on the windshield as we drove up the last switchbacks to the parking lot at Table Rock, North Carolina. It had cooled little from the high 80's of the afternoon despite the rain, no breeze refreshed us. We still had a good chunk of daylight left at 5 PM, and Jason Hale and I couldn't resist the pull of the rock. We threw on our gear and hit the trail for the east face. Jackie urged us to be careful, choosing to remain in the dry interior of the caravan for a rest after our long drive.

Enlarge image of Jackie

Rivulets of water streamed down the face of the rock. We chose Peek-a-boo as a worthy route, with my eye on doing the second pitch to complete Peek-a-boo Direct 5.10. It looked dry enough under the big overhangs where the crux moves would be. But what lay above that was unknown, except that it would be very wet once we came out from under the roofs. Jason zipped up the first pitch, and found the area well sheltered from rain. I came up and joined him, studying the next section of the route above. Satisfied with what I saw, I led the next section out from under the roofs onto easier ground leading to a large ledge. I tried to take shelter from the rain under the ledge while I belayed Jason, but there was too little overhang for it to be of much use. We rappelled to the ground from the ledge, very pleased with our effort.

Chris Braund and Karen Van Sickler arrived later that evening. The rain visited through the night, tapering off by morning.

Saturday, July 3rd. -- Red sunrise. A welcome cool breeze blows. Stoves hiss as breakfast cooks in the parking lot. We debate our options, and decide to head for the Amphitheater in Linville Gorge. We hope to climb the Daddy 5.6, 5 pitches of great vertical granite. The trail is overgrown, the foliage wets us as we make our way towards the path accessing the top of the gorge. It's already hot, and sweat soaks the areas missed by the leaves.

See larger view of Jackie

The gully descending to the floor of the Amphitheater was wet and muddy, but erosion has exposed roots and worn a series of steps making it easier to negotiate. We emerged at the floor, and followed the "trail" down towards the Mummy Buttress. It's rough going, slippery, steamy, steep and wet. Arriving at the base of The Daddy, we were pleased to find the route unoccupied. That's pretty surprising on any weekend, let alone a holiday weekend. We broke into two teams. Jason Hale, Jackie Busch, and I made up the first team. Chris Braund and Karen VanSickler would follow.

Jason took the first pitch. He gave me the second and third. I insisted he take the last two. It is a superb climb. Good rock, solid holds, well protected, comfortable belay ledges, superb exposure and views of the gorge. Chris and Karen did not have quite as good an experience. Chris struggled with too much pack, and some diversions off the standard route. Karen did not enjoy the exposure at all. They crested the final edge just as a strong lightning storm moved in. We rode out the fireworks in the shelter of a small but dry cave until the majority of the electrical activity had passed. Or at least I'd thought. It picked up again and started pouring as we made our way back to the main trail. It was a wet hike back that afternoon. Chris and Karen packed up and returned to South Carolina. Andy Mitchell, and Beth Birmingham, Jeanette Hrubes, and Adam (forgot last name), drove into the parking lot in succession through the evening. It sprinkled again through the night.

Sunday, July 4th --Red sun. Low clouds. Blue sky. New players. We chose to go to Table Rock this morning, looking for some comfortable routes that everyone would enjoy. We found them in Rip Van Winkle 5.7 and The Wasp 5.8. I led up Rip Van Winkle to the first belay ledge. Jackie came up next, then rappelled to the ground. Adam followed, and rappelled. Jeanette came up next. The two of us decided to explore the second pitch, and continued to a large ledge. The 60 meter rope just reached the big pine tree with the slings. Jeanette joined me at the second ledge. Meanwhile, Jason had led the first and second pitches of The Wasp. Andy and Beth had followed him, and now voices above told they had gone further up. They scrambled and bushwhacked their way to the top of the mountain, then returned to the base of the East Face via a trail from the top. Jeanette and I rappelled first to the belay ledge, then to the ground.

See larger photo of Chris

It was getting hot by now, so I suggested we head for the North Face to seek some climbs in the shade. I was hot to get on True Grit 5.8+, a beautiful challenge ascending a corner crack and face on the first pitch, then traversing below some huge roofs arching up and to the right on the second. Jason led the first team, though he missed the belay bolts on the first pitch, building an anchor below the first roof instead. Beth went up next, and Jeanette followed. All said it was a fine challenge, sustained and intense. The weather intervened. Thunder cracked, and plans changed in a flash. Rain was not far behind. The three climbers rappelled, leave the anchor behind. We would have to return tomorrow to retrieve it. Again, we hiked back to our cars in the rain.

Monday, July 5th -- Red sun. Hot already. Gray skies. Adam is sick. It had been a rough night for him. He and Jeanette departed for home after we left to retrieve our anchors from True Grit. It would be my turn to lead it today, and I was anxious to give it a go. I was not disappointed. Superb climb. A must do climb if you are very solid leading 5.8. I spied the bolts Jason had missed on the way up off to the left, but traversed across to his anchor on the right. Jackie was next. The climb proved a bit stiff for her liking, very sustained, nice exposure, enough to rattle her nerves a bit. She chose to bail from the anchor. Jason followed my lead, and we enjoyed the second pitch. In the mean time, Andy and Beth had started up The North Ridge 5.6, another North end classic. Jackie jumped on it and followed them up. Both climbs ended at the same ledge, and we all found ourselves hanging together at the anchor slings.

View larger photo of Beth

I was sure there was another pitch to the North Ridge, but I was proved wrong. The pitch above leads to the top, not the second belay ledge I'd imagined I'd once climbed to. Jason took off, only to find the way up led into the underbrush and topped out at the summit. It started to rain again. More thunder. Time to go. I followed Jason up to clean the gear he'd placed while the rest of the crew retreated to the ground via rappel. Jason and I crossed the top of the mountain, then down-climbed the east face to the top of the Block Route. There is a convenient set of bolts here that make for an easy drop to the large Lunch Ledge. From here, we could scramble down to the trail and rejoin the others. We hiked back to the cars in the rain. It was time to head for home and dry out.

Enlarge photo of Beth and Jackie

Linville Gorge climbing area page
Linville Gorge Gallery

How to send your Trip Report

Top of Page

`