The Unlode  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  477. Good page?    Administrators:  saxfiend, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Jason Halladay on Oct 18, 2010 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 79° | 64° 82° | 68° 90° | 70° 93° | 68° 82° | 66°

Not a great photo but it does show how featured an...

Description 

So you find yourself at The Motherlode only to discover it's crazy crowded and quite the scene. It's fun to watch the scene unfold for a while but you prefer climbing away from crowds, dogs running all around and photographers rapping in from above.
If this description fits you, you might be interested in The Unlode.
Sure, it's a bit of a bushwhack to find and only has three routes but you're already parked at The Motherlode and heck, your friends may still be up at the 'Lode whipping all over some 12s and 13s so you've got time to kill.
A short 6 minute hike will get you to some fun, steep routes where you're almost guaranteed to not run into anyone else.

The area gets afternoon shade.

Getting There 

From the parking at The Motherlode, head back up the hill you drove down to get to the parking area. Walk up the road for a couple minutes and keep a sharp eye out for a very overgrown old road on the left. If you end up questioning yourself, "is this really an old road?", you've found it. Bushwack along this road for less than a minute to where it appears to peter out. Keep going. (You did remember to wear pants, right?) Traverse along the now very faint old road to cross a bit of a drainage. Look for a cairn shortly thereafter and head uphill for a minute or so. Keep looking to your right and you'll see the wall. Beat a path straight uphill to the wall and you'll be at the base of the two 5.11 routes.
Total approach time from the parking at The Motherlode is approximately 7 minutes.

Potential 

There is quite a bit more potential for routes in this area if you're feeling saucy. Some lines will require some vine clearing but would clean up nicely I believe.
Do note, however, that I'm not sure about land ownership here. The wall is pretty much directly below the road you drive in on.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Unlode

Unworthy 5.11a  KY : Red River Gorge : The Unlode

Despite the name, this is a fun line.Boulder up the first section to a huge horn and a laydown rest in a horizontal just below a first bolt. Bust up the steepening and featured rock past three more bolts to the two bolt anchor. Many of the holds are fun but not long for this world. Use caution as they are likely to break with more traffic. It won't be a problem though...there are many more holds to keep the route at 11a. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in KY