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To Do in Georgia?

Original Post
Scott O · · Anchorage · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 70

I live in North Carolina but am going to be living at my parents' house in Atlanta while I study for my board exam in June. I hope to get out for one or two days of climbing and am looking for recommendations - mostly in the 5.5-5.9 trad range. There look to be some awesome multi-pitch trad routes in Tallulah Gorge. Is there a good guidebook that covers Tallulah? I've also heard about aid climbing in Tallulah but can't find anything in the route database. I'm going to Yosemite in June, so I'd love a chance to break out my hooks and practice.

Is it worth the extra drive to get to T-wall for trad moderates?

Also, what's a good gym to join in the Chamblee/Dunwoody area?

And how to route ratings compare to NC?

Ryan H · · Chamblee, GA · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 0

T-wall is definitely worth the drive. Haven't done any climbing at Tallulah yet. I know that there are some moderate lines on Mt. Yonah in NE Georgia, but if you're looking for good trad lines, T-wall is where to go.

As far as gyms, the biggest and baddest opens on May 29, just inside of the I-85/I-285 interchange. It's called Stone Summit and looks pretty f-ing serious.

Ryan

saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221
Scott O wrote:I live in North Carolina but am going to be living at my parents' house in Atlanta while I study for my board exam in June. I hope to get out for one or two days of climbing and am looking for recommendations - mostly in the 5.5-5.9 trad range. There look to be some awesome multi-pitch trad routes in Tallulah Gorge. Is there a good guidebook that covers Tallulah? I've also heard about aid climbing in Tallulah but can't find anything in the route database. I'm going to Yosemite in June, so I'd love a chance to break out my hooks and practice. Is it worth the extra drive to get to T-wall for trad moderates? Also, what's a good gym to join in the Chamblee/Dunwoody area? And how to route ratings compare to NC?
Scott -- Tallulah Gorge is excellent, and yes, there are aid lines there. Pick up a copy of the Dixie Cragger's Atlas for Georgia and Alabama, or find a partner who already has one.

Yes, T-Wall is definitely worth the extra drive, but pretty soon, it's going to be too hot. A better choice for warm-weather climbing in Chattanooga is Sunset, and it also has some terrific moderates. There's also great trad climbing a couple of hours away in Alabama (Jamestown). And then there's Lost Wall in north Georgia, though it's further down the list as far as I'm concerned.

I assume you're asking about climbing gyms; there isn't one in the Chamblee/Dunwoody area. Probably the closest to where you're staying would be Adrenaline, off Buford Highway. Stone Summit will be 10 minutes away, but unfortunately it won't be opening until you're ready to go back home.

NC vs. GA/TN ratings -- kind of hard to answer that one. The grades are probably pretty comparable, but the climbing style tends to be very different: well-protected crack and steep face climbing on sandstone/quartzite (TN/GA) vs. runout slab climbing on granite (NC). I guess the area in NC most similar to TN and GA would be Moore's Wall.

Hope that helps; I'm sure somebody else will chime in with some good advice.

JL
Rob Dillon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 759

Tallulah has about one weekend's worth of under-5.10 climbing, and can get pretty steamy in the summer sun.

The T-Wall gets a lot of sun [faces SE] and is no doubt the ATL trad climber's destination of choice...until jungle season begins, which is right about now. Chasing the shade is tough but possible, and 5.5-5.9 is the same. Well...under 5.8 you should basically go elsewhere. Stock up on chalk.

Yeah, Sunset.

Climbing fast on Whitesides can be OK in the summer- SE exposure, shady in the afternoon. This is for folks who don't mind rolling the dice a bit w/r/t thunderstorms, rain, heat, sun, easy runouts, one rope, routefinding, copperheads, rattlers...you get the picture. About 2 hrs from the ATL, same as T-Wall. Once you get the OR figured out it shouldn't take long to repeat it. The shady side is cooler but the climbs are harder.

There's a clutch of easier, dinky but beautiful moderates and toproping at Pickens' Nose, a very exposed crag just over the NC border off 441.

Rob Dillon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 759

You can take your hooks to those rocks by the river near 41 and dink around near the ground, or toss off a toprope and hook upward. Scare yourself silly six inches off the ground and the hooking on Yosemite trade routes will seem trivial by comparison.

Tom Caldwell · · Clemson, S.C. · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 3,623

TN does seem to be similar in grades in comparison to similar steepness crags in NC like Moore's and Shortoff. Although, the nature of a few routes in TN, because they start as roofs from erosion are going to feel sandbagged. I have come to the conclusion that TN grades don't always count the start.

If you are only leading 5.9, Tallulah is probably not the best option, and like others have said, its south facing so it will be warm. Right now the two-man climbs at Yonah are in season, it will be very similar to NC climbing. Sunset is great until mid-afternoon. The north face of Looking Glass will be good and it has lots aid lines. The Nose of LG will be good in the morning. The Brick Wall at Currahee is pretty good in the morning. Laurel Knob is the place for some long moderate multi (other than Linville).

Scott O · · Anchorage · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 70

Thanks guys. Moore's is my home crag, so I guess it won't feel like I've gone anywhere.

Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

Could always boulder some. Boat rock is right in the city and Rocktown and horse pens 40 aren't too far and pretty good.

tenesmus · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2004 · Points: 3,023
Paul Barnes wrote:+1 for Sunset based on what you're looking for and the time of year.
especially in the cool mountain morning air. Suck Creek might work too.
saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221
Scott O wrote:Thanks guys. Moore's is my home crag, so I guess it won't feel like I've gone anywhere.
Oh, I wouldn't say that! Moore's may have more in common with Sunset or T-Wall than Looking Glass does, but I doubt you'll feel like you're at Moore's when you climb at either of those crags.

Some Sunset lines I think you'd enjoy:

Wind Walker (5.9)
Blonde Ambition (5.7)
Second Sun (5.9)
Walk in the Park (5.8)
Dodge City (5.9)
Bill's Route (5.8)
RJ Gold (5.9)

JL
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern States
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