PRINT: Rock Climb First Flight, 2. Northern Mountains Region

First Flight

5.11a, Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 3.4 from 30 votes
FA: Doug Reed, Maurice Reed, Vernon Scarborough, 1980s
N Carolina > 2. Northern Mou… > Ship Rock > Main Tier

Access Issue: Post Hurricane Helene Accessibility of Crags Details

The CCC has created the list linked below of accessible and inaccessible climbing areas with some caveats. If you decide to head out for a day of climbing, please do not attempt to go to those marked ‘inaccessible’. Please note that all areas in WNC will have extensive tree damage and if you head out, use extra caution for all the trees above, especially on a windy day. Rock fall potential is also highest after a big weather event. Please use extra caution while climbing and prepare to self rescue if injured. Injury response time will be greatly limited for any injury currently, especially for a remote injury. Cell service is limited in all areas. Parking at accessible crags in the WNC/ Upstate SC region will likely be challenging. If the parking lot is full, go to a different area and do not park illegally or in a road. Make a plan B before leaving your house. Expect road detours on the way to the crag. NCdrive.gov updates road closures. Once you get to the crag, expect many trees blocking access trails and of course, come volunteer with the CCC to help us bring our climbing areas back!

carolinaclimbers.org/conten…

Description

This is a great route featuring a devious 5.10 roof move on the first pitch and an awesome thin face up high.
1. Climb the standard first pitch by following easy rock up a large, right facing corner. Pull a roof at the weakness and continue up easy ground to a belay in the corner. (100 ft., 5.10c)
OR: traverse hard right at Linn Cove Lullaby's pitch 1 anchors until you reach a fixed thread at the belay (100 ft., 5.9)
2. Make a traverse on nice crimps & tiny feet, passing a couple of old fixed pins backed up w/ TCUs. Pull around the arete and either pull a 5.9 roof or continue on 5.5 ground to a natural belay. (50 ft, 5.11b)

Can be done in one pitch, but clip your early pro long and be prepared for some rope drag.

Location

This route is located to the right of Linn Cove Lullaby. Look for a large, right-facing corner. Rappel via Boardwalk's anchors.

Protection

Lots of thin stuff, medium sized gear to back up the belay. A couple of old fixed pins (easily backed up) on the second pitch.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Noah DuVarney with the onsight.

Noah DuVarney on First Flight

First Flight traverse section

View of the Nutrasweet/First Flight start.

Jill getting set to start on the thin traverse

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Neil Rankin
Winston-Salem, NC

5.11-

At the end of pitch 1 there is a better stance just below the corner and with a long cord you can extend from the good placement in the corner down to more gear at this foot ledge. The tat in the corner is trash. No point clipping it. I'll cut it out the next time I'm up there. There is also a creepy looking block in the corner. I got above it and tried to trundle it with a hammer and surprisingly it wouldn't budge. Treat it with caution because of it's location and size but it seemed pretty wedged in there to me.

There were 3 rusty pins on the traverse. The first two were not very good and were removed as there is a good nut and/or a small cam placement there. The third pin has been replaced with a titanium one that should last forever. Enjoy.

A great route. Short sections of climbing but exposed and safe. Aug 12, 2018

Michael Atlas
Charlotte, NC

Great route, get on it! Couldn't figure out the 10c+ roof move, so after falling, ended up traversing on a hand rail under the Arete / roof and then cutting back around. I assume that you were supposed to fire up to the chock stone / mini jug at the top of the roof, but it was really hard to see -let a lone trust it on lead. After taking a look at the hold from the top, it seems doable. I found that the roof move was harder than the thin traverse (there is a bomber titanium piton halfway through the traverse). Build your belay right around the corner of the traverse with some .75-#2. You would increase rope friction / cutting chances if you used the broach rap anchors. Jul 1, 2019

Curtis Baird
Johnson City, TN

5.10

I would call the Nutrasweet roof 5.11 and the First Flight slab 5.10. Jun 23, 2024