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Dip Wall

Kentucky > Red River Gorge > Northern Gorge
Warning Access Issue: New route development is prohibited in the Daniel Boone National Forest. DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: Partial closure due to historical and archaeological sites. DetailsDrop down

Description

Dip Wall is located in a very aesthetic setting. The forest surrounding the wall is one of the most beautiful areas in the RRG.

The climbs, for the most part, are short. The wall itself is very tall however, and most of the climbs are under massive blank overhangs. Because of this, Dip is one of the most popular rainy day trad crags in the RRG.

Dip has a mostly southern aspect, so it is a good winter time crag. The well traveled easy routes have bolt anchors, so it is ideal for new leaders to play around on relatively short, easy routes with bolt anchors.

I think there is some moderate multi-pitch potential here as well, but up to now it has been mostly untapped.

Getting There

Drive along FS Rd. 9b to its end. From the gate hike along the left side of the creek and follow a smaller tributary across the open area to where it comes out of the woods. Continue along the right side of the tributary picking up an old logging road and look for a steep switchback on the right. Follow the steep old road until it narrows into a trail. The trail meets the wall a few yards left of Green Eggs and Ham

Parking area GPS: 37.8865°N, 83.6483°W

Routes from Left to Right

5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R
 1
● Chicken Head Better Than No Head
Trad
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 7
● Griptospuridiam
Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13
 5
● Logic and Proportion
Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 10
● Sam I Am
Trad
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
 12
● The Grinch
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
 11
● Whoville
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 6
● Orange Crush
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 3
● Dipstick
Trad
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a
 2
● Over the Hedge
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 76
● Green Eggs
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 84
● Ham
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 3
● Seuss is Dead
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 5
● Theodor Seuss Geisel
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 25
● The Lorax Tree
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 29
● Star Bellied Sneeches
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 1
● Sylvester McMonkey McBean (aka S…
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 16
● God Save the Queen
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 20
● One Fist, Two Fist, Red Fist, Bl…
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Chicken Head Better Than No…
 1
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R Trad
● Griptospuridiam
 7
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Trad
● Logic and Proportion
 5
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13 Trad
● Sam I Am
 10
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad
● The Grinch
 12
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a Trad
● Whoville
 11
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 Trad
● Orange Crush
 6
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad
● Dipstick
 3
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
● Over the Hedge
 2
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a Trad
● Green Eggs
 76
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● Ham
 84
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● Seuss is Dead
 3
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● Theodor Seuss Geisel
 5
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● The Lorax Tree
 25
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad
● Star Bellied Sneeches
 29
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
● Sylvester McMonkey McBean (…
 1
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
● God Save the Queen
 16
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
● One Fist, Two Fist, Red Fis…
 20
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Approach showing the stream rehab area (brown open land)
[Hide Photo] Approach showing the stream rehab area (brown open land)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Harry Baxley
[Hide Comment] Was out there in 10/08/16. FS9B has been changed and rerouted (technically the creek has). There is a parking area for Muscle Beech and then one more area past that where the road ends. The last lot was full so we went to Muscle Beech. I assume you'd park at the last lost for Dip Wall and Purple Valley. If anyone knows for sure let us know. Oct 14, 2016
Chris Chaney
Stanton, Kentucky
[Hide Comment] The stream rehab project changed the Muscle Beach/Between Wall approach and the Dip Wall approach. You park in the same place for both areas, but to get to Purple Valley et al you now have to cross the creek (twice for PV) and the approach is much longer. Oct 21, 2016
Andy Weinmann
Campton, NH/Warmington, UK
[Hide Comment] Drive to the end of FS9B and park. Do not cross East Fork Indian Creek (the large creek). Walk along the EFIC, keeping it on your right. Cross a small stream the feeds into EFIC. Walk about 50 yards or so and find the faint trail to the left leading towards the tree line (there was a stake with a pink tape on it a little ways down). Follow the trail to the treeline and it should become more noticeable. You'll keep the small stream on your left for a little ways and then the trail will turn right and sharply uphill. You'll come upon a small outcrop first...ignore this and turn left, following the trail through a mellow section before it turns uphill again. There were a few rock cairns along the way but you just have to find the more traveled ground (harder with leaves down). The other big marker was a huge fallen tree that we had to duck under...at that point you're really close. The main trail should come up right at Green Eggs and Ham. Nov 27, 2017
Kyle Johnston
Buffalo Grove, IL
[Hide Comment] The route order here is (currently) wrong. The correct order should be, from left to right: Chickenhead Better Than No Head, Griptospuridiam, Logic and Proportion, Sam I Am, The Grinch, Whoville, Orange Crush, Dipstick, Over The Hedge, Green Eggs, Ham, Seuss is Dead, Theodor Seuss Geisel, The Lorax Tree, Star Bellied Sneeches, Sylvester McMonkey McBean, God Save the Queen, "One Fist, Two Fist, Red Fist, Blue Fist."

Update: The route order has been fixed. Dec 23, 2017
Nicholas K
[Hide Comment] We tried hiking out here last weekend. Trail is either grown over or we could not locate it.
Once you hit the creek the approach beta states to follow the river on the left side. We found no possible way through. Might return in fall (when it is less overgrown) and possibly bring a machete. Sep 23, 2022
Wes Stutz
Louisville Ky
[Hide Comment] Climbed here on 7/1/23, trail was a bit over grown and hard to find but crag was very nice other than lots of litter and construction debris from cabin atop the cliff. Jul 18, 2023
Jr Peterson
Birdsboro
[Hide Comment] 7/20/23 Trail is pretty overgrown the whole way now and pretty much gone the last hundred feet. If you bushwhack up the hill after the trail peters out you’ll find the crag-side trail paralleling the cliff line. Someone stating bringing a machete, which would not be a bad idea. And I’d wear pants, lots of ticks in the brush near the creek. Jul 20, 2023