Mountain Project Logo
To save paper & ink, use the [Hide] controls next to photos and comments so you only print what you need.

Hidden Wall

N Carolina > 3. Piedmont Region > Crowders Mountain
Warning Access Issue: Post Hurricane Helene Accessibility of Crags DetailsDrop down

Description

Steep, small and secluded, the Hidden Wall offers some real gems. Most routes are 5.10 or harder and bolted.

Getting There

Park at the Sparrow Springs visitor center, fill out a permit and then take the Crowder's Trail back toward Freedom Mill Road. Cross Freedom Mill and follow signs for the rock top trail. After the rock top trail turns right and splits off from the Crowder's trail, follow the faint trail between the yellow sign and the red sign. Soon the trail will make a hard left and you will see the beginning of the cliffline. Continue down the trail until you see the main cliff on the left with most of the sport climbs. High step up onto the trail and it will deposit you right below top that direct, elastic rebound theory and the whining.

Routes from Left to Right

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 4
● The Bolter Problem
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 2
● Perplexus
Sport, TR
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
 8
● Top That
Trad, TR
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 46
● Top That Direct
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 14
● Elastic Rebound Theory
Sport
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b R
 4
● Anthrax
Sport
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b PG13
 2
● Pagan Roof
Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 26
● The Whining
Sport
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
 6
● Stark Whining
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 4
● Dixie Fury
Trad, Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 33
● Slabsters Lament
Sport
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b PG13
 5
● Slabsters Direct
Sport, TR
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13
 5
● Terrorist
Sport
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b PG13
 16
● The Snag
Sport
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a
 34
● Toxic Shock
Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 23
● Pteranodon
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 27
● Path to Extinction
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b PG13
 3
● Spitter
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13
 3
● Carnivore
Sport
5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b PG13
 2
● Thratcher
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● The Bolter Problem
 4
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
● Perplexus
 2
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport, TR
● Top That
 8
5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c Trad, TR
● Top That Direct
 46
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
● Elastic Rebound Theory
 14
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
● Anthrax
 4
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b R Sport
● Pagan Roof
 2
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b PG13 Sport
● The Whining
 26
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport
● Stark Whining
 6
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13 Sport
● Dixie Fury
 4
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad, Sport
● Slabsters Lament
 33
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
● Slabsters Direct
 5
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b PG13 Sport, TR
● Terrorist
 5
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13 Sport
● The Snag
 16
5.12b/c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b PG13 Sport
● Toxic Shock
 34
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a Sport
● Pteranodon
 23
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
● Path to Extinction
 27
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Spitter
 3
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b PG13 Sport
● Carnivore
 3
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13 Sport
● Thratcher
 2
5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b PG13 Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Rebolting work at Hidden Wall. 5.11.2011
[Hide Photo] Rebolting work at Hidden Wall. 5.11.2011
Elastic rebound - pink; Pagan Roof- grey; The Whining - green<br> Anthrax ext.-purple; Stark whining ext.-white
[Hide Photo] Elastic rebound - pink; Pagan Roof- grey; The Whining - green Anthrax ext.-purple; Stark whining ext.-white
Double trouble
[Hide Photo] Double trouble

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ben Griffin
Chattanooga, TN
[Hide Comment] Why are there so many pg13 and R rated climbs out there? Or what makes so many of the routes pg13 or R rated? I usually imagine large run outs between protection with ground fall potential or hitting a ledge. Bad bolts or spicey gear? Dec 23, 2014
Chris Little
Albuquerque N.M.
[Hide Comment] I have a good Hidden Wall story. A bunch of us were sitting at the table in The Mitey Gus's apartment. He was telling us about going up the trail to the Hidden Wall. (The usual method was to drop off everybody and the packs at the side of the road, just a short walk from the wall. The driver would park the vehicle and walk the long trail back, un-encumbered by a heavy pack.) Gus had parked his old Oldsmobile after dropping off the others, and was going up the trail. It was a fine spring morning, and he was so happy to be going to The Hidden Wall. Being unable to resist the enchantment of the season, he started to skip. He skipped around a bend in the trail, and to his horror saw a young couple sitting on a bench, their heads turned to the approaching sound of Gus's car keys. From their prospective, around the bend came the lovely sight of Gus Glitch; clad in naught but his most stylish lycras and his tattoos, a halo of spring mist around his mullet. His car keys jangled a merry minuet. For a split second, Gus panicked. But keeping his cool, he just skipped on down the trail out of sight. No doubt the young lovers turned to each other in awe, knowing they had joined the rare group of people who had seen space aliens, Yetis, unicorns, or in this case, The Mitey Gus Glitch. Scott really told us this story. No telling what you will see there. Jul 27, 2017
Corey Stegall
[Hide Comment] Update: The approach and the area of hidden wall has been cleaned up from the affects of hurricane Helene.

Ben, a few of the routes are run out and spicy.
First one that comes to mind is elastic rebound theory, if you blow the ledge traverse after the roof, clipping the 4th bolt it would most likely leave you hitting the deck; then blowing it at the chains after the 5th bolt the same. Oct 5, 2024