All Locations > N Carolina > 2. Northern Mountains…

Ship Rock Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Ship Rock

Better Late Than Never Wall 12 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 12

Lower Tier 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Main Tier 33 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 35

Upper Tier 13 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 13

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	4,394 ft	1,339 m
GPS:	36.09911, -81.8013 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	180,031 total · 756/month
Shared By:	Orphaned User on Nov 16, 2006 · Updates
Admins:	Steve Lineberry, Aaron Parlier Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

ACCESS TEMPORARILY CLOSED:

Access to Ship is temporarily closed for 4-5 weeks (weather dependent) while the NPS repaves this section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Please respect closures and climb elsewhere during this effort. Closure beginning 5/27/2026 and lasting roughly through July-1st.

Description

Ship Rock is located on the Blue Ridge. It offers an excellent selection of routes at all grades, most of which are very high quality and quite protectable. Its northwestern exposure means that it comes into the sun late in the day, making it an excellent spot for the warmer months. Due to its number of excellent moderates and proximity to Appalachian State University, it's pretty popular. The rock is a bomber metamorphic (quartzite?) scored with numbers of awesome horizontals that make great holds and take excellent gear.
A "standard Shiprock rack" may consist of a set of stoppers, doubles on cams from 00 TCU-.75 camalot, and singles of #1/2 camalots. See individual descriptions for more info.

Getting There

Ship Rock is approached via the Rough Ridge parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway, located ~2 miles north of the Linn Cove Viaduct. From Rough Ridge, walk south down the parkway for 1/3 of a mile. Cross a bridge, pass a roadcut, and look right. A trail should become apparent immediately after the roadcut.

62 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	Ship Rock Change
Type:	to Trad Sport Toprope
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:	then:

Classic Climbing Routes at Ship Rock

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 255 ● Edge of a Dream Trad Upper Tier
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 261 ● Boardwalk Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 168 ● Lost at Sea Trad Upper Tier
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 96 ● Airlie Gardens Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 200 ● Harpoon Trad Main Tier
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 131 ● Linn Cove Lullaby Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 79 ● KB Capers Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b 59 ● Welcome to Watauga Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 80 ● B.O.G Man Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c R 30 ● Special Forces Trad, Sport Main Tier
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R 24 ● Revival Trad Main Tier
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c 95 ● Anguish of Captain Bligh Trad Main Tier
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 62 ● The Broach Trad 2 pitches Main Tier
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a 67 ● Gumfighter Trad Main Tier
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 30 ● The Castaway Trad Upper Tier