PRINT: Rock Climb Hanging High, Linville Gorge

Hanging High

5.9, Trad, 250 ft (76 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 2.6 from 17 votes
FA: Guy Jacobson, Percy Wimberly. FFA: Brad Shaver, Mickey Craig - 1974
N Carolina > 2. Northern Mou… > Linville Gorge > Table Rock

Access Issue: 2023 seasonal raptor closure (January 15th-August 15th) Details

fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/ne…

Shortoff Mountain South: All routes between and including C.O and Paradigm Shift are closed.

Shortoff Mountain North: All climbing routes, cliff rim, and campsites within the red band marked on the map are closed to entry. No foot traffic or camping above or below the cliff in this section. Contact the USFS for more details: 828 652 2144.

NC Wall/Apricot Buttress/The Camel: On the NC Wall, all routes between and including Tightrope and Bumblebee Buttress are closed. Apricot Buttress and The Camel are closed.

Bynum Bluff: All routes are closed.

Description

A fun route that pulls through the obvious V-notch to the right of the Crackerjack chimney, high on the south face of Table Rock. The third pitch is fun, while the second can be a bit awkward. Save this one for early or late in the year - it's hot up there in the summer!

P1: Start at a large, left-facing corner system that arches to the left (the corner is to the right of the start of Crackerjack). Climb up the corner, step left, and belay at a small ledge. (90 ft, 5.7) This can be continued straight through the lower roof to the hanging belay at the end of P2 at 5.10 (Hanging Hog variation).

P2: Climb up the awkward, occasionally dirt-filled crack, moving up and right to an awkward, hanging stance below the notch in the roof above. (75 ft, 5.8)

P3: Pull up and out of the notch, then savor the exposure as you move up and a little right to the top of the cliff (75 ft, 5.9)

Location

This route is on the south face of Table Rock. It climbs the obvious corner/V-notch feature.

Protection

Gear to 3". There used to be some fixed tat at the P2 belay around a rhodo stump, but regard any bush up there with suspicion...

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Hanging high.

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kyle howe
Knoxville, TN

5.9 PG13

An old rockclimbing.com description of Hanging High:

"Like bushes and rotten rock? Do this route. Follow the left arching dihedral to a comfy belay under a licheny and bushy face. Hack your way through bushes, and then up a short, rotten, overhanging corner. Finagle a rest after exiting the corner, then continue up and right through the clean face to the top. This face has the only decent climbing on the last pitch." Aug 25, 2017

GeorgeL

5.9

The first pitch is dirty but fun and the rock is a little rotten but solid protection is there. A bomber #5 cam had me feeling comfortable to run it out to the ledge and put a #2 up in the corner on a double double long sling before walking the easy ledge to the belay ledge on the corner that is growing grass. A thread-thru nut completes the gear nest. The next pitch was fun, opting to step right onto the slab then heading to the overhanging corner. Another big cam placement completed the exposed traverse before the hanging belay. Pulling the overhanging chimney out from the hanging belay was the burliest part of the whole climb. There's good pro right after the chimney but it gets a little sparse on the lichen-y face at the top, but everything is there you just gotta find it. It's not the cleanest line on table rock but it's one hell of a ride! Sep 10, 2018

Doug Kinsman
Atlanta, GA

After having done all the TR classics, this is my favorite besides White Lightning. Highly suggest linking pitches 2&3 to avoid the hanging belay. This is easily done by running out the traverse left which is really easy and then using long slings on the way back to the right. The exposure and cool crack moves through the notch make this one worth it. Not nearly as dirty or brushy as you would think based on the other comments. The straight up 10a variation on the other hand... Feb 14, 2020

Ti ck
souf yeast

Extra large gear 4s and 5s helpful for p1. P2 has a lot of dirt and loose rock toward the end right now. Should dig the dirt out and make a hand crack, I broke a face hold up there.… Shoulda listened to Doug and linked P2/3 instead of P1/2 Oct 19, 2021