Looking Glass Rock

Looking up the first pitch of Sundial Crack over a...

Description 

Located near Brevard, Looking Glass has a huge range of climbing opportunities. Aid climbers will find grade IV and V lines reminiscent of Yosemite on the North Side; free trad climbers flock to the famous "eyebrows" of the Nose Area and Sun Wall.

Route development on Looking Glass granite began in the mid-60s, with signature routes like The Nose. The area was little-known except among the locals in the early days; pioneers of the day included Steve Longenecker, Jim McEver and especially Bob Mitchell. The mid-70s brought another wave of first ascents and more notice from outside the area; over the next decade or so, routes were put up by climbers like Jeep Gaskin, Bob Rotert, Monty Reagan, Whitney Heuermann, Diff Ritchie and Chis Caldwell.

Climbing at Looking Glass is best during the fall and winter months. The North Side and Hidden Wall sections are shady enough for summer climbing. Because it's located in the Pisgah National Forest, camping is plentiful in the area.

Getting There 

Looking Glass is located near Brevard, NC. Take US 276 northeast from Brevard into Pisgah National Forest, then continue about five miles to the intersection with FR 475; take a left here. After a few miles on 475, the road turns to gravel and splits. Take the right fork and look for a parking lot with the sign for Slickrock Falls Trail. This is parking for the South Side area of Looking Glass; for the Nose Area and Sun Wall, continue almost two miles further to the Sunwall Trail parking lot. Parking for the North Side and Hidden Wall is in a pullout roughly a quarter-mile past the Sunwall Trail.

The Classics

Featured Route For Looking Glass Rock

Invisible Airways 5.10c A2  NC : Looking Glass Rock : North Side

Great free climbing followed by some classic nailing. The free crux is the thin traverse under the detached block. Careful with your pro here!Start up the shallow blocky dihedral to the left of "Waste Not Want Not." There is a 5.12a direct start that goes up the obvious dehidral. Traverse right on thin horizontal (crux) to good ledge. Rest, then blast the lay back to a great ledge. Start nailing from here....[more]   Browse More Classics in NC

Photos of Looking Glass Rock Slideshow

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A view of the "Glass" from John's Rock.	BETA PHOTO: The length of looking glass rock (Dec 06)	Nice and green in the winter. Pisgah has some rea...
Your best friend at the Glass	Starting out on the 2nd pitch of Brain Dead... mid...	A ladder to the sky on Carolina Hog Farm... mid 90...
A shady look at LG from miles away on the parkway.	Looking Glass in "Scottish Conditions"	rest day at nearby Sliding Rock with my pooch Magg...
Invisible Airwaves	Scott McCook soloing Fat Dog 5.7 in the early 80s.	On the first pitch of Nick Danger 5.10, on the Sun...
The western edge of the North Face of Looking Glas...