NC route suggestions

After living and climbing in Colorado for the past 4 years, my wife and I are moving back home (North Carolina). I've climbed a few sweet trad routes at Moores (Zoo View 7+, Golden earring 7) and Stone (Great Arch 5, Great White Way 9) but I was more or less just starting to lead trad. Since then I've climbed a lot at Lumpy Ridge, Vedauwoo, Indian Creek, RMNP and many other places out west. I've always loved the climbing in NC and I'm really excited to hit up all the classics. I'm looking for some recommendations. So far I've compiled a pretty big tic list and I'm looking for everyone's opinions of these routes and others that I may have missed. I guess I'm looking for classic routes (sport or trad) up to 5.10 or so (possibly up to 5.11 if they are well protected). I guess you could look at my "to do" list but this is easier.

1.Linville Gorge.
Dopey duck****!
Straight and narrow***
built to tilt***
paradise alley/city/lost**
Construction job**
Just another pretty face***
Golden rule**
Mummy****
Daddy**
White Lightning*

2.Laurel Knob
Groover (which finish is better?)**
Any others? Kinda scared of Fathom but intrigued.

3.Moores Wall
Wailing Wall*
Bimbo's Bulge**
Air Show** hard for the grade?

4. Looking Glass
The Womb***
Dinkus Dog*
Rats Ass*
Nose***

5.Ship Rock
Boardwalk***
Lin Cove Lullaby****
Harpoon***
Anguish of Captain Bligh***

6.Rumbling Bald (yes, I sent my comments on the plan!)
Lakeview*
Zydygo*
Comatose*
Dixie Reality** (dreaming?, maybe!)
Hickory Nutcracker**
Shredded Wheat****!
Frosted Flake****
Fruit Loops***
Digital Disco*
Whiskey For Breakfast***

What am I missing? I know I have a lot of catching up to do. Also I have the out of print Kelley guide and the 1st Shull guide(isn't there a newer Shull guide? and is it better?)
Thanks
Adam

You've got a really good tick list there; it'll take you a while to get all of those under your belt. There's a lot of them I haven't done, but have heard great things about (particularly Dopey Duck). Some comments:

Laurel Knob -- I've only done the original Gaskin finish on Groover; I'm pretty sure the Fischesser finish is easier if that helps. Another excellent moderate you might consider is Seconds. Fathom is definitely on my to-do list.

Moore's -- After you do Wailing Wall, Raise Hell is another great route in that area. Some people really like Super Direct (over at the Sentinel Buttress), but I didn't care too much for it.

Looking Glass -- If you're going to do Rat's Ass, you should also get on Second Coming and Gemini Crack. To up the ante a little, Zodiac is another good one in the same area. If you do the Nose and still have daylight, get on Sundial Crack or Peregrine.

Rumbling Bald -- Your list is a good one; I'd add Gunboat Diplomacy to the mix.

Stone Mountain -- I really enjoyed The Pulpit, a nice long moderate. Mercury's Lead is pretty cool too. Grand Funk Railroad is on my list for the next trip to Stone. If you haven't done it yet, No Alternative is a nice warmup.

As to the guidebook, there is a newer edition of the Shull guide; the main difference from the old version is that Laurel Knob is included.

Have fun! I really like Carolina climbing.

JL

let me know when you come to town. Im down in SC and have no job so i'm always looking to get out

Looking Glass
Hyperbola 11a direct start (bolt protected)
Dum Dee Dum Dum 10c -direct just because its a battle!
Wind Walker is a good one at 9+

Rumbling Bald
Wild Hickory Nuts 11b - decent gear and some bolts mixed in
Any route at Cereal Wall really is good, Frosted Flake is a classic as is Shredded wheat.

Pretty much if you like granite, its hard not to like the routes around here!

Cheers
T

1. Linville - Definitely do Dopey Duck(how alliterative of me)
2. Laurel - didn't make it there, but have fun!
3. Moore's - I've heard good things about Air Show, but don't know about the grading.
4. The Glass - If you lead .10 trad "The North Side" has a lot to offer(esp. in the heat of summer). I recommend The Seal, Creatures of Waste(1st Pitch), and Invisible Airwaves(1st Pitch).
5. Ship - Boardwalk is pretty decent. The second pitch is short but great. You should definitely add Airlie Gardens to your list for here though. Some wild exposure for the difficulty.
6. The Bald - Not much to add, except have fun!

Chase

Only thing I would add is Maginot line at Shortoff, and drivin and cryin at rumbling. Oh and whats up Doc at table rock for sure

Laurel Knob

Definitely do Fathom. The first 5 pitches are really chill. Just make sure it hasn't rained in a couple of days or you'll have water coming over some of the traverses you have to do. On the 7th pitch if you choose to do the water grooves oer to the right, pick the fartherst right water groove otherwise you'll have some pretty dicey runouts.

Also Seconds is a really good route to do in the 5.8 range. The first and second pitch can be combined if you start up the hill and to the left(instead of the direct start) it's pretty close, but you'll have enough rope if you have a 60m.

Canyons of Laurel at LK. All the easy stuff is not much more runout than the stuff on the standard beginner routes and all the harder stuff is pretty well protected. The crux pitch is in the top 5 pitches I've done at the knob.

Looking Glass- I'll second the recomendation for Hyperbola w/direct start. That might be my favorite single pitch of climbing at The Glass. Two more reasonable 11s add Cornflake Crack and Odyssey. Also put Tits and Beer to your list.

LK- Definately do Fathom, very reasonable climbing with a bolt protected crux.

Don't forget Whitesides- OR and Traditions. Fun climbing with some easy runouts and the harder sections are very well protected.

The climbing here is great. I've been out west at eldo, IC, and Cochise and can't wait to get home!

2.Laurel Knob Groover (which finish is better?)** Any others? Kinda scared of Fathom but intrigued.

Seconds is great. Long pitches, good pro. It was my first at LK.

3.Moores Wall Wailing Wall* Bimbo's Bulge** Air Show** hard for the grade?

Airshow is hard for the grade but it's still not bad. Also on that wall is "break on Through at 10a... One move wonder, good warm up for "Bimbo's." "Nutsweat" and "Shadowdance" are two of the best climbs I've ever done. "Step and Fetch" is great, and pretty much everything on the fire wall. Everything 5.8 and harder is great... Moore's is my favorite climbing area in the world and that says a lot.

4. Looking Glass The Womb*** Dinkus Dog* Rats Ass* Nose***

I wasn't too impressed with the nose area but I suppose its worth it. Peregrine is a good alt. To the nose if its busy. I like the east side better where rats ass and gemeni crack are. The north side rocks!

5.Ship Rock Boardwalk*** Lin Cove Lullaby**** Harpoon*** Anguish of Captain Bligh***
Hindu kush .8, airlie gardens .9, kb kapers .10, borrowed time .9 is cool and let's you TR the gumfighter which is also a sick lead at 11+. Ship rock is also one of my favorite areas.

Ill be in NC all winter and would be down to get on fathom with ya. LK rocks but it would be good for you to go w. Someone who's been. Also always down for the bald too!

Shortoff:

Dopey Duck is great, as are Paradise Alley and Maginot Line. N.B.A. (.10d, topo only) comes highly recommended as well

Moores:

Just about everything above 5.10 would be a 4 star classic anywhere. Reckless Abandon, at .11a/b, is one of the coolest, juggiest, most well protected .11s i have ever been on. Air Show is tough for .8+ but still not bad, protects very well. Pooh Corner up in the hanging garden sews up at .11a and offers big ass jugs and a really cool position.

The place is amazing and protects better than all the stories.

Ship Rock:

the routes you listed are all good, but Anguish of Captain Bligh is HARD and a real bitch to protect. Welcome to Wautaga is awesome and well protected at .10b or .11a if you do the whole shebang. The whole place is well protected and juggy as all get out (perhaps add The Broach (.11d) to your list?

Rumbling Bald:

Everything you listed is pretty sweet, leading whiskey for breakfast would be pretty terrifying. Captain Crunch .10b/c crack is up around the corner from the main cereal buttress and it pretty flippin good.

Your list is pretty gigantic and all encompassing. The new shull guide is almost identical to the old one, with the addition of laurel knob. That and the kelley guidebook complement each other pretty well, as the shull book is far from comprehensive.

Climb everything....

LK has many agreeable moderates from one end of the cliff to the other. Well documented here. Don't be afraid to branch out from Groover and Fathom...

Thanks for the replies. Quite overwhelming but that's a good thing. Lots of great routes to keep us occupied. Colorado has been good to us but we are both excited to get back home. I dont like to compare, and sure I'll never climb anything like the Petit Grepon in NC, but certain aspects of east coast climbing just cant be matched.
Adam

You do have some great stuff on there. I'd a couple that a lot of people seem to overlook.

Way to go on finding Just Another Pretty Face at Shortoff. That's an excellent route, one of the best up there (I think). Is that one in the book yet?
Also at Shortoff, White Russians Gone Bananas is a really fun 11a mixed pitch and a great way to approach the White Corner, a classic 10a pitch that begins 1/2way up the wall.
You seem to have omitted Hawksbill routes from your Linville list. There are great pitches there: Lost in Space, Star Trekkin', and the Encore Fat Lady Finish all come to mind.
At Looking Glass, can't believe nobody's mentioned Safari Jive yet! Mega classic Yosemite esque crack climbing on the north side. It's way better than the Womb IMO.
At Ship, nothing's been said about BOG Man, but both pitches (10d and 11a) are MEGA classic. Also, First in Flight is a great 11a. Both have great pro.

Yeah, you are right. I have looked at Hawksbill and forgot to add those. I don't see "just another pretty face" in the 1st edition Lambert/Shull guide. I found in this database. Looks amazing! Thanks for the ideas. I will check them out. I feel like a kid in a candy store.

Yep, there's lots and lots of good climbing in that state. Glad you found the description of JAPF on this page. It's a great pitch.

No one mentioned Bumblebee Buttress on NC Wall yet. IMO one of the best climbs in the area.

As far as grades, I moved here from Cali where I was regularly onsighting mid 10s in Yosemite. Now I keep eating humble pie on 5.8+. If you are used to splitters and credit card edges, the steep juggy quartzite (e.g. Moores) around here will feel extremely sandbagged.

Nick- I noticed you submitted "JAPF". Thanks. Cant wait to get out and try it. Also you mentioned doing "White Russian Gone Bananas" to "White Corner". Would you recommend "Sword of the Lord" for a finish like the guide recommends? Or are the finishing pitches not that loose?

Victor- I'm kinda familiar with the grades. I climbed in NC for about 6 years (my start) before moving to CO. I'd use Zoo View as a prime example. Definitely a sportier style of trad climbing.

Adam

Adam,
What part of NC are you moving to, and what part of Colorado are moving from? I'm hoping to make the move out West myself after school.

We are hoping to be in the Asheville area although we don't have jobs lined up so we will be staying in Greensboro a little while. We've been living in Estes Park for not quite 4 years now(4 summers). What area are you wanting to be in? Colorado is great. Although the front range is crazy busy it has great access to so much. Ive loved Estes but its a small town and work can be hard to come by, especially in the winter. Regardless you NEED to come up to Lumpy! Its been great living right outside RMNP and Iv'e even put up 3 new routes literally in my backyard (National Forest 3min walk).

Climb anything and everything at Shiprock......my favorite of all time is Hindu Kush (5.8) do the direct start and its way awsome. this makes it 5.9 bolted for the first two pieces...enjoy NC..i Lived in Boone for 5 years and miss the hell out of it.