Trip Reports - 9/6/03 - Adopt-a-Crag Day
at Looking Glass Rock, NC
 By
Wayne Busch
I'm just home from one very productive trail day at Looking Glass
Rock, North Carolina. Each year, the Access
Fund sponsors Adopt-a-Crag days to encourage climbers to give
something back to the places they love - their local crags. Until
recently, I lived in Florida and had no local crag. I've done trail
work at Sunset Rock and Foster Falls in Tennessee, and been to a
few Sandrock Hoe-downs in Alabama. It didn't really matter where
I went to do my annual duties as a responsible climber. But now
that I live in North Carolina, I have cliffs I can call my "local"
crags, and I am lucky enough to have Looking Glass Rock practically
in my back yard. It was the obvious choice for this years Adopt-a-Crag
day.
Enlarge photo of group at trailhead
 The
event was coordinated locally by the Pisgah
Climbers Coalition. We met at the fish hatchery near the rock
at 9:00 AM. I drove over the mountain from Waynesville arriving
a few minutes early. A few folks were already there and more continued
to stream in. The group included young and old as well as several
of the "big names" in North Carolina climbing. There were
gear raffles to benefit the Access Fund and we all received a bunch
of giveaway prizes like water bottles and T-shirts the sponsors
provided for participants. While I didn't get an exact head count,
nearly thirty people showed up for he event.
Show large photo of Ranger Wade
Our task was to extend the trail to the North face of Looking Glass
Rock. The original trail leading up from Sliding Rock on 276 had
been closed more than a year ago. It involved crossing the Davidson
River balancing on a log, then ascending a long steep climb to the
base of the North Face. Over the years it had become severely eroded,
parking was limited, so new way to access the climbs was developed.
 The
new trail approached from Forest Road 475B just a short distance
from the Sun Wall trailhead at The Nose area. The first half of
the trail had been attacked previously. It started at the Peregrine
Overlook then dipped down behind a forested ridge for a while. At
the halfway point it made a break for the base of the North Wall.
Our task was close off the temporary trail to the wall and establish
a new route behind the ridge that would not disturb the peregrine
falcons which nest every year at the North Face. This section of
trail runs along some of the steeper portions of the ridge and would
require a good deal of excavating to cut into the steep slope. The
route had been flagged with fluorescent tape a week before just
waiting for the elbow grease to establish the route.
See large view of trail workers
 After
a quick safety lecture by Wade Carpenter, USFS Ranger, the group
set upon the trail and hiked to the midpoint. A small group of people
broke off here to go close down the old trail. The rest of the afternoon
found us cutting through some of the steepest portions of the ridge
line moving tons of soil in the process. It was gratifying to watch
the crew work so quickly, leapfrogging each other as the sections
were completed. By the time I left, we were in sight of the wall
and the momentum was not flagging.
Show larger view of new trail
I returned home missing out on the pizza celebration in Asheville.
Needless to say the Looking Glass Adopt-a-Crag day was a great success.
Thanks to all who worked alongside me and made the difference this
year.
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Glass Climbing Area Page
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