Elevation: 1,636 ft
GPS: 38.665, -79.325 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 58,522 total · 1,269/month
Shared By: AndyJohnson on Apr 9, 2015
Admins: Ladd, Shawn Heath, Vicki Schwantes, Jake Jones
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Access Issue: PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTY Details

Description

***Access here is uncertain.  Attempts have been made to access the land owners with no success.  If you see no trespassing signs, please don't remove them, and if you choose to climb here with those signs up, do so knowing that you could be permanently jeopardizing access.  Climb at your own risk.  Use good judgement.***

Getting There

There is at least one published guidebook to the area with the location listed there.  The specific directions aren't published here because of the tenuous access issue.

72 Total Climbs

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Location: Franklin Gorge Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Franklin Gorge

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 64
● First Aid
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 42
● Belly of the Whale
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 41
● Jump Start
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 74
● Castaways
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 65
● Aloha
Sport
Main Wall > Contact Zone
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 40
● Shipwrecked
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 92
● Blood, Sweat and Chalk
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 26
● Anchors Away
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 33
● Aqualung
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 24
● Potential Energy
Sport
Main Wall > Contact Zone
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 31
● Bircham's Beach
Sport
Main Wall > Contact Zone
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 25
● Decompression Sickness
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 47
● Barnacle Bill
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 26
● Dynosaurus
Sport
Main Wall > Contact Zone
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
 9
● Davey Jones' Locker
Sport
Main Wall > Impact Zone
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● First Aid Main Wall > Impact Zone
 64
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
● Belly of the Whale Main Wall > Impact Zone
 42
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Jump Start Main Wall > Impact Zone
 41
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Castaways Main Wall > Impact Zone
 74
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
● Aloha Main Wall > Contact Zone
 65
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Shipwrecked Main Wall > Impact Zone
 40
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
● Blood, Sweat and Chalk Main Wall > Impact Zone
 92
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
● Anchors Away Main Wall > Impact Zone
 26
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
● Aqualung Main Wall > Impact Zone
 33
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
● Potential Energy Main Wall > Contact Zone
 24
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
● Bircham's Beach Main Wall > Contact Zone
 31
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
● Decompression Sickness Main Wall > Impact Zone
 25
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
● Barnacle Bill Main Wall > Impact Zone
 47
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
● Dynosaurus Main Wall > Contact Zone
 26
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
● Davey Jones' Locker Main Wall > Impact Zone
 9
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13 Sport
More Classic Climbs in Franklin Gorge »

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Photos

Early morning sunrise outside of Franklin, WV. Photo by Greg Sudlow.
Early morning sunrise outside of Franklin, WV.…
 4
First aid, an easy first lead.
First aid, an easy first lead.
 1
Nearby campground Thorn Spring Park with reasonably priced basic cabins incl bunk beds, kitchen, bathroom
Nearby campground Thorn Spring Park with reason…
 1
Pro tip, stop in mid-afternoon for a dip during the summer to cool off while the sun is still hitting the water, then climb more!
Pro tip, stop in mid-afternoon for a dip during…
 0
Blood Sweat and Chalk! Awesome climb with fantastic pockets
Blood Sweat and Chalk! Awesome climb with fanta…
 0
Summer time in Franklin
Summer time in Franklin
 0
View looking out over Franklin Gorge.
View looking out over Franklin Gorge.
 0
View from the top of Franklin Gorge
View from the top of Franklin Gorge
 0

4 Comments

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Chip Loomis
Chip Loomis  
Wonderful area, thanks so much for taking the effort to put up the climbs. Being an "out-of-towner", I just want to mention that the climbing areas are just east of Franklin before getting into town. If you are used to pumpy and steep climbs then you will be in heaven. Leaving the parking area at the Main Wall, you will find an uphill trail that goes to the Parking Lot Area crag, and after following the trail to the right you will first come to the Contact Zone, then eventually the Impact Zone area. So many more climbs than listed here in Mountain Project Aug 18, 2017
selma nunes
Falls Church VA
selma nunes   Falls Church VA
does anyone know if the upper river section is closed ? I do not think that is on there property ? but i could be wrong ? May 14, 2018
Nick Haha
Baltimore, md
Nick Haha   Baltimore, md
Has anyone heard if this area is still closed to climbers or are we allowed to climb now? Jul 16, 2018
Ronin Gray
Smoke Hole Canyon
Ronin Gray   Smoke Hole Canyon
Why are you still climbing at a closed crag, when there are over 225 routes on Public Land just 15 minutes north on Route 220, at Reed's Creek and in Smoke Hole Canyon?

Guides are available for Reed's and the Long Branch/Guide Wall area through rakkup.com, and all profits go to support trail maintenance and anchor replacement. Jul 31, 2018