Mountain Project: Climbing Pilot Mountain

Submitted By: Paul Carlson on Oct 8, 2007
Administrator: saxfiend
Elevation: 2,400 feet
Latitude: 36.3402 Longitude: -80.4808
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Description

South-facing quartzite cliffs with plenty of shade. Mostly toproping with bolts/trees/rocks for anchors at the top (bring webbing/slings), but there is also sport/trad/mix available. Climbs vary from slab to overhanging with several roofs. Rock quality varies.

Can get busy on the weekends, especially around Three Bears and Middle Walls, and hot in the summer. Find the well-maintained trail in the SW corner of the parking lot and follow down through woods. Climbing area will be to your left with approach times from 2-10 minutes. Rappel down from the top or follow trail down to Three Bears gully (climber approved) to access the base of the cliff.

Getting There

Take I-40 to business I-40 in Winston Salem. From Winston Salem take Hwy. 52 north for about 20 minutes. Follow signs for Pilot Mountain State Park and follow road up to the top parking lot.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Pilot Mountain:

Grandpa's Belay 5.7 TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet Little Amphitheater

Crackin' Up 5.7 Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet Amphitheater

Body Surfin' 5.7 TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet The Beach

Howdy Dude 5.7 TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Three Bears

Turkey Shoot 5.8 Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet Amphitheater

Black Rain 5.9 Sport, 1 pitch, 80 feet Black Rain Wall

Cow Patty Bingo 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 65 feet Amphitheater

Papa Bear 5.10 TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet Three Bears

Mama Bear 5.10 TR, 1 pitch, 30 feet Three Bears

Hawaii 5-O 5.11a/b Trad The Beach

Comments on Pilot Mountain

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By Chuck Parks
From: Atlanta, GA
Feb 4, 2008

Pilot Mountain is not covered in the Selected Climbs in North Carolina guidebook, and the old Kelly guidebook is out of print. Fortunately, Jeff Dillon has created a new, free guidebook for Pilot Mountain. It is now available for download at the Carolina Climbers Coalition web site.

By Eric Delynko
From: Las Vegas, NV
Mar 21, 2008

If you're going to Pilot from Charlotte (or south or west of Statesville), the following route will get you there in the same amount of time without having to drive through Winston-Salem.

Go north on I-77 to exit 85 (268 Bypass). Make a right and follow this for 3 miles to a stop sign. Go left at the stop onto Rte. 268. Follow this for 20 miles to U.S. 52. Go south on U.S. 52 for about 4 miles to the Pilot Mountain exit.

I'm not a fan of driving through cities and found this to be a nice alternative. It takes about 5 minutes longer, but the speed limit is 55 mph. and you get to see some rural Cackalacky.

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