Multi-pitch near(ish) Huntsville?

Hey all,

Hoping to get some multi pitch climbing in around February. Is it worth driving out to Linville? Or is there anything closer with decent multi pitch adventures?
Sport < 5.11, Trad < 5.9

Thanks!

Chattanooga has a few 2-pitch climbs at the T-Wall (Circus Circus, Let's Face It), as well as this option: mountainproject.com/route/1…

Laurel Knob, S Side Cedar Rock. South Facing NC slab is where you wanna go. Looking Glass road currently closed.

Derek: Thank you, that's not a terrible idea. And close enough to just be a day trip. Any idea how quick those routes dry mid/late Feb?

Jcastle: Are those areas accessible? I'm a little confused on what's closed and what isn't at Looking Glass. Any route recs?

Little Man: Thank you, I'll put that into the possibility pool. 

Parker Weide wrote: Derek: Thank you, that's not a terrible idea. And close enough to just be a day trip. Any idea how quick those routes dry mid/late Feb?

Jcastle: Are those areas accessible? I'm a little confused on what's closed and what isn't at Looking Glass. Any route recs?

Little Man: Thank you, I'll put that into the possibility pool. 

I've never climbed those particular routes at T wall, but in general T wall dries very fast.  It's at the top of a ridge and is south facing.  So in the off chance those routes were wet, it's highly likely you'll be able to get on plenty of dry stuff.  If you've got a breeze or some sun I wouldn't worry much about it.

Agreed, T-Wall dries fast. I climbed Circus Circus two weeks ago, maybe 48 hours after heavy rain and it was dry. I have not done the other routes I suggested. Bombs Away seems like a more serious undertaking than Circus Circus, which isn't exactly a walk in the park itself compared to the other 5.8s nearby.

Even if the road is closed into Looking Glass (FS Rd 475 B / Headwaters Rd is what you want to look for closure info on here) you can still park at the fish hatchery and walk the road. There are no current route closures at LG. If you are thinking Linville, the Table Rock picnic area rd is closed for the last mile, again you can park and walk. That lengthens the approach to Table Rock, Amphitheater and NC Wall. There's no multi-pitch sport in NC.

Brian Payst wrote: Even if the road is closed into Looking Glass (FS Rd 475 B / Headwaters Rd is what you want to look for closure info on here) you can still park at the fish hatchery and walk the road. There are no current route closures at LG. If you are thinking Linville, the Table Rock picnic area rd is closed for the last mile, again you can park and walk. That lengthens the approach to Table Rock, Amphitheater and NC Wall. There's no multi-pitch sport in NC.

Looking at the National Forest Road Closure List - fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/al…  - it appears that the road is closed only approaching from Brevard. 

In past years if it was closed near Davidson river you could just keep driving up 276 and then turn left on 475B and drive it down.  You'll past the northside parking area first, then come to the Nose area.  Not sure if the road is closed going from the nose area to the south-side, but there is a lot of good stuff at the nose area.

As a former Huntsvillian seeking long routes, I don't really think you can count the stuff around the TAG region as true multi-pitch climbing.  The stuff at Twall, Suck Creek, and a few other areas are OK to cut your teeth but if you want long routes, you pretty much have to go to North Carolina.

The closest real deal multipitch area is Whiteside.  It's a 5 hour drive.  For the more moderate lines, February is the perfect time of year as the wall bakes in the sun and those routes aren't affected by the peregrine closures.  The OR and Traditions would fit your ratings in that the 5.11 climbing on the routes are bolted like a sport climb.  That said, the 5.9 climbing on those routes is very "trad".

5.5 hour drive from Huntsville to Laurel Knob and everything around Panthertown Valley.  It's worth checking out, especially if you're into slab climbing.  It also has some more moderate level route but a bit further of a hike in.

6 hour drive to Looking Glass.  Check out the South Face and the Nose areas for routes in the ratings you're looking for.

6.5 hour drive to Linville.  Totally worth the trip, great moderate climbing.  You want more than a weekend though.

Brian Payst wrote:...There's no multi-pitch sport in NC.

 But...there are multi-pitch routes that have only bolts for protection...  

I personally think Stone depot at cedar rock is multipitch sport.
The gear seems optional to me, unless 5.7 is your limit. That being said a single rack to a three Camelot is nice to have!

Stone depot Cedar is better in March or April
Have fun
Ezra

Joshua McDaniel wrote:

 But...there are multi-pitch routes that have only bolts for protection...  

yes, there are, but they are not sport climbs. 

Thank you all for the responses! Now to pick one for my 30th birthday climb.

Sam, I think I took over the yellowbluff page from you along with Logan. Small world. Thank you for the options, that helps a ton.