The Amphitheater  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  11,993. Good page?    Administrators:  saxfiend, Edward Medina, Ryan Williams, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Ryan Williams on Nov 3, 2011 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 82° | 64° 86° | 66° 84° | 63° 82° | 59° 75° | 54°

2013 Closures MORE INFO >>> Big Lost Cove Cliffs are closed to climbing due to the local falcon population This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

The Amphitheater

On a slightly wet day,
Robert H...

Description 

The Amphitheater is a large buttress near the north end of of Moore's Wall. The wall forms a sort of cirque, hence the name. Raise Hell to Step and Fetch get a lot of sun in cool months, while the routes to the right are cooler in summer.

The rock here has always seemed a bit different to me than other areas at Moore's. The holds are more friction dependent, and you will encounter more slopers (jugs and crimps) than at the North End or the Circus Wall. This intimidating buttress offers classics in every grade and should not be missed.

Getting There 

Once you have taken the left onto the powerline road, walk for a few minutes until you see a park sign on the right for the Sentinel Buttress. Continue PAST this sign on the powerline road for 5 more minutes until you get to another sign and a trail on your right. Take this right and walk up the winding trail for 10 minutes until you hit the Amphitheater. You'll hit the wall right around the start of Wailing Wall.

Descent Options 

There are several different walls in The Amphitheater, all with different descent options. Many of the route descriptions mention descents, but some do not.

For Excellent Adventure and Wailing Wall, find a tree w/ fixed gear and do a double rope rappel.

For the routes on the main "sun wall" including Step and Fetch, scramble down to the fixed anchor directly above Quaker State. A 60m rope BARELY gets you down with stretch.

For all routes right of Step and Fetch, there are two rap stations near the top of the wall (webbing/tat). One (left one) is 100 feet above a bolted rap station that also serves as an anchor for Stab in the Dark. Farther right is a newer looking station (tree) that is directly above Shit Hook. If using the right most station, it would be difficult to get down with a single rope, since it is a ways right of the bolted station (Stab anchors).

The Classics

Featured Route For The Amphitheater

Do or Dive 5.10a  NC : Moore's Wall : The Amphitheater

This one packs a bit of a pump. Move up a crack to the small roof. Load up on gear, pull up over the roof (crux) and find some small crucial gear for a short runout. Continue up to a shallow chimney. Follow this feature to the main rap anchors in the middle of the wall above Quaker State....[more]   Browse More Classics in NC