All Locations > N Carolina > 1. Southern Mou… > Laurel Knob

Fathom Direct

Name: Fathom Direct
Rating: 3.8

5.10+ YDS 6b+ French 21 Ewbanks VII+ UIAA 20 ZA E3 5b British R

Routes in Laurel Knob

L › R R › L A › Z

	'Shimer Down T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	A Second Way (Variation Finish to Seconds) T,S 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Aloha slab T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R
	Annie Get Your Guns T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Arrested Development T 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Before the Settlers Arrive T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Better late than never T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Biopsy T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Black Flag T 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
	Buried Treasure T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Canyons of Laurel T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Central Pillar Direct Finish T,S 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Central Pillar of Laurel T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Clippidy Doodah... S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Clowns to the Left of me T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Cotton Pony T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Cruising with the Top Down T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Defective Sonar T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Dike hike - Monster Groove T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Dillard Arete T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Don't call me surely T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
	Dry streak T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b PG13
	Fathom T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Fathom Direct T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b R
	Fathom Escape Hatch T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c A2
	Finger Lickin' Good T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Friction Addiction T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Frolictown T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Fruit of the Poisonous Tree T 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b PG13
	Funky Chicken, The T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Get it while it's hot T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R
	Gibbet, The T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
	Girl friend route T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Groover (Gaskin Finish) T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Groover Variation (Fischesser Finish) T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Groovin' in the name of the Laurel T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R
	Have and Not Need T,S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	High & Dry T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Hone Ranger T 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c X
	Hostis Humani Generis T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13
	Hypocrite's Corner T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Jokers to the right T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Keel Hauled T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Laurel's Girdle T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
	Laurel's Snake Dike T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Legendary "F" Bomb, The T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c R
	Manatee Fluid T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Manatee Left T 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Mechanical Bull T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c R
	Mirage T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13
	Mirage Direct Finish T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Monster Groove Direct Start T,S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b A0
	Monster Groove Reject Start T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b PG13
	Mutiny T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
	Nana's Bananas T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Nanna Gets Her Groove On T,S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	O.K. Corral T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R
	Oasis T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
	Old Times' Sake T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Permission Granite T 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Pipsissewa T 5.13 8a 29 X- 30 E7 6c R
	Pirate's Cove T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Pirate's cove Alt start T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
	Pirate's Cove direct finish T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b PG13
	Puff The Magic Dragon T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Quantum Mechanic's Arete T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Rejected Radar T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a A0 PG13
	Rock Eating Tree T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c PG13
	Route Of The Living Dead T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Seconds T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Squirrely man T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Steep in the Teacups of Laurel T,S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Stegg, Roy Fathom ALT. T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13
	Stellar Sonar T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
	Stemming Laurel T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Stingray T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
	Stranger Than Friction T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
	Tastes Like Chicken T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b PG13
	Two Rattlers in Your Face T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Unfathomable T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c A1 R
	Use It Express T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Use It Or Luge It T,S 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Use it or Luge it Direct Start T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Walkin' Da Plank T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b PG13
	Wild Turkeys T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c PG13
	Wild Wild West T,S 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
	Wormhole T 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c

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Type:	Trad, 1000 ft (303 m), 8 pitches, Grade III
FA:	Mike Fischesser, Terry Jennings, Henry Browning - 1982
Page Views:	6,284 total · 30/month
Shared By:	Andrew McDowell on Jan 18, 2008
Admins:	Ky Bishop, Steve Lineberry, Aaron Parlier Page Updates (admin only)

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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…

Access Issue: Falcon Closure 2024 Details

Laurel Knob Jan 15- Aug 14: All routes in the Dillard Canyon are closed to climbing during this period.

carolinaclimbers.org/conten…

Description

Amazing, sustained face climbing. Rock steepens as you get higher, but it becomes a little more featured. End on fathom after headwall. I did the first pitch of Have and Not Need rather than the original first pitch of fathom direct (so this is what i am describing below).

Notes from an ascent:

Warning: climbing at Laurel Knob is especially dangerous due to runouts, sometimes questionable anchors/protection, difficult route finding, rappel descents, and other factors. The information on this route posting is provided for informational purposes only to aid in community discussions and to aid in understanding where the route has been climbed before. Information provided may be inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, and/or highly subjective. Any person(s) attempting to climb this route or any others does so at their own risk and should not rely on any information in this posting. There is no implication by this posting that described fixed anchors and/or removable protection location are safe or adequate to protect further ascents.

P1: follow slabby face up past a few bolts and a couple of gear placements up high to anchors, 5.10-

P2: follow dike up and right past a couple bolts and then go up to another anchor

P3-P4: wander up water groove looking for pro

P5: The wall steepens a little and this is some sweet climbing

P6-P8: finish on fathom

Location

Look for water groove that intersects with the fathom headwall 500 feet up. Start climbing the bolted line in groove to the left for one variation or for the original variation, start uphill and left .

Protection

Standard LK Rack. Tricams were helpful in at least one spot. Some key nut placements. Few placements on most pitches. Double bolt anchors at the top of each pitch. I gave it an R because tricky moves are often poorly protected and a fall on the runout, featured terrain could be very nasty.