Best slabs at the New River Gorge

Hi Everyone,

I am planning a trip to the New River Gorge soon. I love slab climbing and have been hunting around on this site for good slabs, but not really having much luck.  Does anyone have any recommendations for well-protected slab climbs?

Muckraker is slabby and pretty cool

its all vertical

Dead Painter's Society at Fern Point.

Yep, Fern Point has a few 5.12's that have slabby sections, Kaymoor Slabs has the best concentration and a good mix of easy/mods, and Fayette Station Boulders has some tall slabs

Team Machine

New-veau Reach

Jeff Gwrote:

Team Machine

New-veau Reach

2nd these two.

If you're into nothing holds on true, barely less than vertical terrain, then try The Ruchert Motion 5.13a at Beauty Mountain.  Sport route, very well protected.  Some very good ones mentioned above.  Here's another:  The Bonemaster Gear Fling 5.11c/d at Endless Wall\Honeymooner's Area is a great one.  

I'll throw some of the more casual ones out here as well.  These three are at Kaymoor Slabs wall (not to be confused with Kaymoor, which is directly across the river- hence the name) at Endless Wall- all of these are bolted sport routes:

The Upheaval-  5.8/5.9 depending on who you ask

Fool Effect 5.9 - very long, must belay 2nd up from the top then rap off- highly recommend if you have that skillset.  Great route.

Totally Clipse 5.8

There's a route called Springer that IS actually at Kaymoor\Butcher's Branch and goes at 5.10b.  Bolted.  Way more fun in the cooler months.

A great but very popular 5.8 that's almost 100' long at Bubba City\Sandstonia called Geisha Girl.  Also bolted.  Awkward start if you're not used to New River rock, but if you clip the high first bolt from the ground, no worries at all.  

Between these moderates and the others mentioned above, you should have plenty of technical slab terrain to go for.  Have fun!

Thank you everyone! These are some great recommendations. I’ll check them out!

Team Jesus at Junkyard has an amazing slabby crux move with pretty good pro below it and can be top roped fairly easily. Let the wind blow at the rock shelter cave at Bridge Buttress is a crazy hard sandbagged 12a (the first at the NRG) and has some incredible movement.

Jackson Wrightwrote:

Team Jesus at Junkyard has an amazing slabby crux move with pretty good pro below it and can be top roped fairly easily. Let the wind blow at the rock shelter cave at Bridge Buttress is a crazy hard sandbagged 12a (the first at the NRG) and has some incredible movement.

Also Bubba Meets Jesus right beside it, 5.11a slab 

Jake Joneswrote:

If you're into nothing holds on true, barely less than vertical terrain, then try The Ruchert Motion 5.13a at Beauty Mountain.  Sport route, very well protected.  Some very good ones mentioned above.  Here's another:  The Bonemaster Gear Fling 5.11c/d at Endless Wall\Honeymooner's Area is a great one.  

I'll throw some of the more casual ones out here as well.  These three are at Kaymoor Slabs wall (not to be confused with Kaymoor, which is directly across the river- hence the name) at Endless Wall- all of these are bolted sport routes:

The Upheaval-  5.8/5.9 depending on who you ask

Fool Effect 5.9 - very long, must belay 2nd up from the top then rap off- highly recommend if you have that skillset.  Great route.

Totally Clipse 5.8

There's a route called Springer that IS actually at Kaymoor\Butcher's Branch and goes at 5.10b.  Bolted.  Way more fun in the cooler months.

A great but very popular 5.8 that's almost 100' long at Bubba City\Sandstonia called Geisha Girl.  Also bolted.  Awkward start if you're not used to New River rock, but if you clip the high first bolt from the ground, no worries at all.  

Between these moderates and the others mentioned above, you should have plenty of technical slab terrain to go for.  Have fun!

I don’t remember any slabby part of geisha girl 

Rush Dunawaywrote:

I don’t remember any slabby part of geisha girl 

LOL. The entire thing is less than vertical.

Just go down to Carolina already!

Thank you guys so much for all the help! All the climbs you suggested look fun. 

nbrownwrote:

Just go down to Carolina already!

Where in Carolina? I had a brief look but only found super runout slabs like Stone Mountain… if there’s some well protected slab there too I would love to know

Cedar rock-stone depot = well protected slab

bring a light rack

great arch and No alternative at stone are trad and well protected 

Tai Carrwrote:

Where in Carolina? I had a brief look but only found super runout slabs like Stone Mountain… if there’s some well protected slab there too I would love to know

Looking Glass, Cedar Rock, Rumbling Bald (don't go in the summer), and Table Rock (The Linville Gorge one) are probably the major ones that have plenty of reasonably safe slab routes. Don't worry, there are plenty of dangerous one too.

There are tons of other slab areas worth visiting as well, such as Pumpkintown (SC), John Rock/Horse Cove, certain Cashiers area stuff (those in the know know the first rule of Cashiers climbing is that we don't talk about Cashiers climbing...), and many many more. 

My recommendation would be to start in the Brevard area. Just bring a rain jacket. 

nbrownwrote:

Looking Glass, Cedar Rock, Rumbling Bald (don't go in the summer), and Table Rock (The Linville Gorge one) are probably the major ones that have plenty of reasonably safe slab routes. Don't worry, there are plenty of dangerous one too.

There are tons of other slab areas worth visiting as well, such as Pumpkintown (SC), John Rock/Horse Cove, certain Cashiers area stuff (those in the know know the first rule of Cashiers climbing is that we don't talk about Cashiers climbing...), and many many more. 

My recommendation would be to start in the Brevard area. Just bring a rain jacket. 

This is the guy to hear out. So many great routes have been done or put up by the great nbrown :). (hope to repeat some of your stuff in the next few years!)