North Carolina Climbing

You could probably make a strong case for North Carolina as the home of the best rock climbing in the south. No other southern state has the variety or sheer volume hosted here. From the multi-pitch quartzite of Linville Gorge, to the eyebrows and hard aid of Looking Glass, to the exposed granite scarefests of Cashiers Valley, North Carolina has it all.

In addition to great rock and lots of destinations, North Carolina has a reputation for tradition that is not to be trifled with. Most routes in the state were established with ground-up techniques using whatever protection the rock affords, placing bolts only on lead and only when absolutely necessary. Anyone unwise enough to rap-bolt a route will usually come back to find their work erased by the locals.

What this means, at least in anything above an easy-to-moderate grade, is that you need a good lead head if you're going to climb in North Carolina. Long runouts between pro or bolts are taken for granted here, and even moderate and/or well-protected routes can be stout for the grade.

For beginners and new trad leaders, Table Rock is a great destination. Fun leads in the “easy” range (5.3-5.5) abound, and there’s good opportunities for toproping at the nearby Chimneys. More experienced leaders will enjoy the airy multi-pitch moderates at the neighboring Amphitheater in Linville Gorge, or the granite crack climbs of Rumbling Bald.

If you’re ready to raise the stakes, take a trip to Stone Mountain, a huge granite dome with great friction climbing and wild runouts. And for the ultimate in NC climbing, head for Whiteside Mountain or Laurel Knob; only the seriously adventurous need apply.

Bouldering: There is an unbelievable amount of bouldering areas in North Carolina, some of which are world-renowned. The Boone region is host to myriad and historically established bouldering areas. Rumbling Bald has phenomenal bouldering and a wonderful Full Color Bouldering Guidebook . The Linville Gorge is loaded with boulders and Joey Henson's Linville Gorge Bouldering Map beautifully illustrates that. Hound Ears, near Boone, is host for the first leg of the celebrated Triple Crown bouldering competition (unfortunately, that is the only time Hound Ears is open to climbing). Along with these areas Moores Wall, Asheboro, and many other wonderful bouldering locations can be found scattered throughout the Old North State.