I'm trying to plan a trip in december to table rock and linville gorge. What routes (looking for easier lead) are gonna be warm that time of year, if any? Also does the road get closed in the winter? how late does it stay open?

also I would like to stay in the campground, is there anywhere close I can grab a cheap hot shower that time of year?
Thanks for any info

Well its going to be freezing i'll tell you that. I was up there last thanksgiving and that wind whips around on table rock. Gets pretty chilly up there.

As far as road access im not sure. Its a gravel forest service road so it probably won't get plowed if it snows.

Showers... in town maybe but once your at the table rock parking lot your a long ways from anything really.

Good way to find out if you're man enough. I remember freezing fleece gloves to ice clumps to gain an inch or two. Overall it's a fun experience, as long as you bring hand warmers, keep a stove in the car (and a shovel, in case it really snows), and wear all your warm stuff. I climbed there all winter two years running and loved it, but I also rode the short bus to school, so take that into account.

Eventually they will close the road. You can always walk from the gate (1 mile) uphill. It is very cold up there. Even right now with the wind it can be chilly out of the sun.

Very adventurous!

Some good ice in the Devil's Cellar that time of year...

The stuff on shortoff mountain should be warm enough. It gets southern/western exposure. I have been down there in Feb and Nov and the temps have been great.

I go with Joes sugestion: Shortoff is warmer. The road to TR will be gated at the end of this month. Maybe you could strike a deal with NC OBS for a shower.
Hawksbill is easier to get to than TR and it will not be gated. The easiest way in is via Sitting Bear parking area. Tune in to www.linvillegorge.net for trail and road conditions, maps etc. --Bob

I climbed at Table Rock last December while home for Christmas break and it was so warm and beautiful I had to take my shirt off - although it was a bit cooler in the shade. On the other hand I talked to a friend that was out there in late March and it was cold and snowy. There's just no telling what the weather might be like from year to year. Have fun!

We did Second Stanza and Crackerjack - both 5.8 and on the south side of table rock.

Shortoff is your best bet - it faces SW and is significantly lower than stuff in the northern end of the Gorge. Especially check out stuff on the southern end of the crag.

As for stuff on Table Rock, I'd try stuff on the south side (e.g., Crackerjack, Hanging High, Fresh Garbage, etc). If you catch a warm, sunny morning, most of the stuff on the east face will be doable. You'll probably want to stay away from My Route and anything to it's north (e.g., White Lightning, North Ridge) - that stuff is windy and doesn't get much sun.

The only routes in the NC Wall/Amphitheatre area I can think of would be The Prow and The Open Book - both get good sun in the afternoon.

Most of Hawksbill faces north and will be frigid - it's windy up there. Some of the stuff at Middle Hawksbill might be doable, but I'd only walk up there if you are super gung-ho about a specific route.

As for the road, usually the gate is locked from January 1 - April 1. You can call the Grandfather Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest for more info - I think the number is 828-257-4200. If the gate is locked, you can walk up the road (a steep 1.5 miles) or you can park at the Spence Ridge Parking Lot and walk in along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This option is less steep and a little shorter, but it would be useful to have a map. These trails should be on a USGS topo. This trail comes in below the Devil's Cellar and the North Ridge.

Just a little bit south is Rumbling Bald, which is a perfect winter setting if it gets to cold in the Gorge.

Have a great trip!

You guys need to remember that 1)Coz is a super hardman who climbs with no shirt in December and

2)he has no place else to go .

The Number i have for the US Forest Service is 828-652-2144. They can --maybe--tell you when the gate to TR will be closed.

If you want a tiny, somewhat 'private', south-facing wall in the north gorge with a l-o-n-g walk in, you could try Futuristic wall opposite Babel Tower. Maybe a bit too much to push for on a short day. You gotta cross the river. Can you sing soprano?

Bob