Fruit Loops

Great Route that keeps you on your toes. Must do if your in the area. Jul 7, 2008

The chimney is super awesome and I enjoyed it more than the 1st pitch. Worth doing even if you lead way harder. This route stays cool(ish) in the summer. Oct 27, 2008

The second pitch of Fruit Loops isn't really worth it. If you don't want to lead Granola you can sneak over from the anchors on top of Fruit Loops. It'd be a helluva pendulum though. I took a lot of pictures and posted them on my blog. OnTheSharpEnd.com - Rumbling Bald Cereal Buttress Feb 13, 2009

The first pitch is classic. The second is exposed and a little scary for the grade. Worth doing for the exposure and view of Lake Lure, but not really for the climb itself. Jul 20, 2009

First pitch 5.7+ Very protect-able. I found the crux to be at about the 20 foot mark. Lots of fun. Defiantly one of my favorites. It started to rain and we weren't able to do the second pitch. Sep 7, 2009

The first pitch was nice but I really enjoyed the second pitch, largely because it was quite different from most other routes in the area and I hadn't run into the need to use chimney technique anywhere else locally (is there another pitch like this in NC?) Unlike a lot of other chimney climbs there are actually some gear placements to make this more palatable - mostly small stuff.

However, I could see how this section could creep out someone not expecting to have to rely on those perhaps unfamiliar skills. I definitely felt the big drop below me and it was at times a bit strenuous to maintain position. I agree that it's a bit exposed and challenging for 5.7+ but think it's worthwhile endeavor. Dec 8, 2009

Very fun flake climbing that is easier than it looks. The crux is low, right before you get to the first horizontal shelf jug. Bring plenty of gear in the 0.4-0.5" range for the bottom and a few smaller pieces for the top. The second pitch looks fun but I haven't tried it yet. Jan 18, 2010

I thought the second pitch was way more fun than the first pitch. It's definitely worth doing. I just ran the whole thing into one long pitch Mar 5, 2011

Lots of fun. The first pitch crack is great, but the weirdness of the second pitch is where it's at! Moving out onto the face is a blast and once there, although the climbing is not spectacular, the view is hard to beat. Dec 30, 2011

Lead both pitches today and loved them! First pitch had several really fun moves. Some loose flakes about 40 ft up (?) were a little unnerving. Absolutely loved the chimney on the second pitch, especially towards the top where it squeezed a bit tighter. Well worth climbing. Sep 11, 2012

1st pitch was fun, but the second pitch was awesome. If you have the time, definitely stay for #2. Its a really chill belay from inside the chimney and protecting it is a piece of cake. Once in the chimneying position you can stop and place gear at the thin crack your facing whenever you pelase. Hardest part for me was the awkwardness of coming through the notch where it narrows, but i guess it could be avoided if you dont go all the way back into it. Also, incredible view from the top. If for any reason, worth the view. Mar 20, 2013

I think Mountain Project has a disproportional number of the kind of people who upgrade routes. Jul 5, 2013

Might be hard for a 5.11 trad leader to notice the nuanced difference between 5.7 and 5.7+, but this climb is definitely the latter. Depending on conditions it can even feel stout for 5.7+. This has been the consensus grading on the route since the second edition Kelley Guide came out in the early 90s. Jul 8, 2013

2nd pitch is way classic!! Wild for the grade. Jan 19, 2014

For a little aid work, head right under the big roof at the first belay, then turn the corner and pull the granola overhang. Did this in 1982 or 83 before there were any guidebooks. Just out goofing around on a climb on a beautiful day. Wish you could get a fa for linking climbs. Still have the pics of me in my old Chouinard Asolos! Apr 14, 2014

P1 - is very interesting. I do think it's 5.7+ but it's the interesting direction of the crack that can make it feel a little more technical and challenging... at least I think it does. Definitely some hollow rock up above the crux-crack. Hollow jugs above the crack.

P2 - you're not getting birthed out of the canal but rather birthed BACK INTO the canal! Terrific pitch and honestly thought it was more interesting than P1. Don't get me wrong, P1 is a superb crack but P2 is just downright fun. The initial series of moves to get up and into the chimney proper is stout. Maybe I suck getting into wombs but at least we were smiling the enjoy trip inside!

Pull out of the womb-chimney and settle onto some nice, large jugs. Pretty much can't conceive of a better pitch.

Rap down and right over Granola. Staring at the crux traverse of Granola wrecked me mentally... just something about blowing that traverse and landing in between rock wall and massive rock flake. Seemed unsettling. May 5, 2014

If climbing the second pitch, bring a second rope to get down in one rappel. It's easier and faster than rapping to the anchors under the roof on Granola. Dec 17, 2014

great route, Nicole led p1 and I led p2, the chimney on this is a great chimney to practice on as it protects ridiculously well for a chimney. So with that said 2nd pitch is worth doing for sure, I didnt think there was much exposure on it but the top out is great! Rappel this with one rope to avoid getting your rope hung up, you can either rap straight to the rings off grapenuts (granola) or rap back down the chimney either would work. Mar 31, 2015

We successfully rappelled from p2 anchors to ground with a single 70m - a rope stretcher with inches to spare (just double check that middle mark, knot the ends, and bring enough to ascend in case your 70 proves shorter than mine). This puts you at the top of the large flake to the right of p1 start with a mellow 10ft of 3rd class down climb to the ground proper. May 7, 2015

On 5/19/2015 I cleaned three LARGE, loose blocks from Fruit Loops. These blocks would all move simultaneously with only a slight bump of the palm on one of them. I was able to remove all of them by hand with no more force than someone climbing the route (but oblivious to them being loose) might use to climb past them.

The largest of the blocks would move by hand but I wasn't able to trundle it. Please keep an eye on this block as it sits on a smaller detached block in a scoop. Fortunately, removal of the afore mentioned blocks revealed some nice edges that make it easy to climb around this larger block.

I can not believe those blocks hadn't already been pulled off. The spot I pulled on to start the cascade had chalk all over it. All I did was pull out versus down with about the same about of force it's probably been subjected to dozens of times. Personally, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief getting them down. I shudder when I think of the number of times we've all gingerly climbed past those blocks. May 21, 2015

I am of two minds on this!
First :

Leave it alone it was on a easier route it was a teaching moment !

'Yes, pull down not out , and look at the serious consequences if you are not careful!'

A teaching moment!


Second:

The stripping off of those blocks was a service to the community and was a safety issue.
If that is what you say . . . Then I say finish the job.

making it safe as can be but still deadly is a job left unfinished.

As I said in today's climbing world I think you were right to trundle but the old ethic was climb

Past loose rock with care, test your holds before you commit and pull down not out,. . .

use the loose flake, don't be a loose flake. May 21, 2015

The rangers reached out to the CCC over the weekend. Due to a report left at the kiosk on 5/29 of a loose block on this route it is currently closed. The CCC area reps are going to go take a look and clean up anything needed and report back to the park so it can be reopened as soon as possible. Kinda warm for Rumbling this time of year, but just FYI. I'll post back here when it is open again. Jun 1, 2015

I'm baffled at this being called 5.7+ ... especially the plus. I loved the climb, it's way fun, but not difficult at all. The first pitch is barely 5.7, maybe even more like 5.6. The gear placements on the steep lower crack section are all done on large stances, and the moves themselves are not a big deal and can be fired safely. There is maybe one moment where you need some climbing accumen, but for anyone leading 5.7 they will find this one move quite easy. Then all of a sudden you are on extremely easy ground to the anchor.

As for the second pitch-- I think there are two ways to do this. You can skip the chimney proper by heading up and out from the belay on a ramp to a large fin, then turn the corner up the face and romp up to the anchor. It's fun, and maybe 5.5 or so. Nov 18, 2015

Russ Keane wrote:I'm baffled at this being called 5.7+ ... especially the plus.

I'm baffled that anyone would get so worked up over a grade . . . especially in light of the broad consensus from people who've climbed it.

JL Nov 18, 2015

Wow- Ok, sorry man, was not worked up at all. No insult intended. It's called commenting and adding to the consensus. Perhaps my thoughts would be helpful to others. Nov 23, 2015

If you're down for a unique style of climbing for NC, take the fun romp up the chimney. Incredibly easy to protect along the way (mostly small stuff, but it'll take medium to large gear as well). Great way to practice chimney technique as there are copious rests and secure stances. The exit is secure, but I can see it being a little spicy for some. Rapping down to Granola anchors with a single 60m was a bit of a challenge, but doable. Jan 25, 2017

Yes, this is a good route. I did it a long time ago, so I don't remember it very well. But I do have a vivid memory of Thorin trying it. A big boy, he used to hang with Brendan, Chappie, Joey, and that bunch. I walked up there after leading Frosted Flake and that 5.9 roof to the left of it. Thorin was headed up the crack and was at a hard spot, about 20 feet up. He was thrashing and flailing and his feet were starting to slip. I started egging him on w/o heckling. He was giving it his best-literally. Suddenly, with absolutely no warning, he fell. He was kind of far above his only piece. I just remember him spread-eagle, like a sky diver, face down, an indescribable look of terror on his face. In that look, I saw my doom. He seemed to hang there forever. Probably only 1/10000000 of a second. Like I said, he only had one piece in, and I was directly below him. I turned to the right and ran, faster than I ever had, not caring about the large rocks under my feet. Everybody knows that sound when a climber falls. When the cloud of chalk dust cleared there he was, hanging at about waist level. Very entertaining. He wasn't hurt. Joey, who caught him, seemed more freaked out than any body. He announced that it was his duty to lead it and get Thorin's gear, but he wasn't happy about it. For a long time after that, when he would come walking up the trail to the boulders, I would announce him as, "Thorin, the man who fell to earth!" And he did. A note to the guy who cleaned three large blocks. When I led this route, I pulled down and not out. The route was the exact same after I climbed it as before I did. Aug 2, 2017

Was a great onsight. Only did the first pitch since the park was going to close soon. Climb definitely forced me towards the arete during the crux but then after a slight downclimb, fixed my beta and push through. I ended up slinging the tree at the bottom to stop a zipper. Was worried about one of those flakes coming down and hitting my belayer but nothing happened. Definitely do it though if you're in the area. Standard NC double rack with tricams is all you need. Hate to spoil the beta for anyone. Jan 11, 2018

Second pitch was more fun that the first. A funky chimney that protects great. Beware, the highest flake in the chimney flexes. Feb 4, 2018