All Locations > W Virginia > New River Gorge… > New River Gorge… > Beauty Mountain

3) The Brain Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in 3) The Brain

L › R R › L A › Z

	Brain Storm T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Brain Teasers T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Brain Tweezers S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Brain Wave T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Butta S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Chunky Monkey S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Climax Control S 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
	Hot Flash T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Journey to the Center of the Brain T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	M.E.N.S.A. S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Mandrill, The S 5.14a/b 8c 33 X+ 33 E9 7b
	Mono Loco S 5.14a 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a
	Out of Mind T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Picket Fence S 5.14b 8c 33 X+ 33 E9 7b
	Redacted by Mountainproject S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Super Whiny Bugs S 5.14a 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a
	Travisty, The S 5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
	Whiny Bugs S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	You Want It, You Got It S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

Explore this area in 3D

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:	1,979 ft	603 m
GPS:	38.05452, -81.03346 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	37,307 total · 175/month
Shared By:	Ladd Raine on May 18, 2007
Admins:	Pat Goodman, Chris Whisenhunt, Amanda Smith, Pnelson Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: NO DRONES ON NATIONAL PARKLANDS Details

All of the crags within the New River Gorge proper are on national parklands, and drone use is prohibited here. There has been some discussion about places to launch drones that are not on park property, and then flying them over the gorge. This is super poor form; don't do it. Park regulations prohibit all drone use over the boundaries without a permit.

Description

The Brain area is the first major area of the Beauty Mountain cliffline you will pass on the hike in, a few minutes after hopping across the boulders of Short Creek. It includes the Brain proper, a protruding, undercut buttress of moderate sport and trad lines. Right of the Brain itself, the sport lines become harder, and around the corner of Chunky Monkey (12b) is the New River Gorge's most concentrated lineup of 5.14 routes, including Mono Loco, Picket Fence, and Super Whiny Bugs. Both the moderate and hard areas are characterized by more blank rock down low, and vertically featured runnels up high.

Getting There

Take the steep trail on the left (the one with the sign) from the gravel road. Keeping the rock to your left, travel upstream, cross Short Creek and follow the trail. The Brain will be the first chunk of clean, climbable rock you encounter.

19 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	3) The Brain Change
Type:	to Trad Sport Toprope
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:	then:

Classic Climbing Routes at 3) The Brain

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

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 145 ● Journey to the Center of the Brain Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 57 ● Brain Wave Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 62 ● Brain Storm Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 140 ● You Want It, You Got It Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 93 ● Out of Mind Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 45 ● Brain Teasers Trad
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 183 ● Brain Tweezers Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 97 ● M.E.N.S.A. Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 21 ● Butta Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 11 ● Whiny Bugs Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b 5 ● Redacted by Mountainproject Sport
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b 57 ● Chunky Monkey Sport
5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a 4 ● The Travisty Sport