PRINT: Rock Climb Original Route/Suicide Blonde, Big South Fork

Original Route/Suicide Blonde

5.8-, Trad, 220 ft (67 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 3.2 from 21 votes
FA: Wheely et al / Jeff Noffsinger Patrick Turner
Tennessee > Big S Fork > O&W Wall

Description

The first pitch is 5.6 and involves a series of ledges.
The 2nd pitch is the crux and is easier than it looks...even if it's wet. Great pro!
Stop and belay at the anchors on the wall above the top of the corner.
Walk left on the big ledge and belay.
The final pitch follows the edge of the void and primarily uses chicken heads for pro. The final moves are a bit pumpy and maybe harder than the actual crux but brief. Walk up and right through the forest and rappel off a tree back to the big ledge. You can rappel this route with one 60 meter rope but may have to do three rappels. I recommend trailing a second rope.

Location

From Oneida follow the O&W road down through the gorge until you are almost to the old bridge. If you drive across the bridge and turn around you'll get a great view of the route. Park on the east side of the bridge and hike up the hill for about 10 mins to the base of the obvious corner in the center of the wall.

Protection

A set of stoppers, a set of cams and some long runners is fine.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Suicide Blond, p2, Big South Fork, TN

O&W Regular route with Suicide Blond variation finish

Nearing the anchors on P2

More direct variation of third pitch

Pitch 2

Standing on the big ledge after pitch 2 thinking about how nice a dip in that river is going to be

Zach headed for the pitch 2/3 anchors!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

kyle howe
Madison, MS

5.8-

Pitches 1 and 2 can be linked without drag, 130'. Pitch 3 of Suicide Blonde is more like a 5.4, it's very low-angled and a jug-haul to the chain. Cord with a quick-link on tree above Original Route to rap to lunch ledge. Dec 21, 2014

Sean Irwin
Nashville, TN

What would the Original Route without the Suicide Blonde finish go at in terms of grade? Jul 11, 2016

Bryce Bentz
Gatlinburg, TN

5.8

Do NOT rappel off of the chain at the end of P3, you will end up downclimbing most of the rappel, walk right and set up a rappel off of a tree. There's 2 sets of bolts at P2, use the shiny ones they're bomber. Sep 9, 2016

paul.adams.3
Knoxville, TN

I did not find any webbing/permanent rap station on top. There is a faint trail that spits you out above the original route chimney. It's a spectacular, unobstructed view, and there are some good trees to rap off there. May 15, 2017

Jeffrey Delia
Keystone colorado

5.7+

Led the original route yesterday with a friend. I got up passed the dirty chimney on the “ third “ pitch above the lunch ledge… bat shit and wet rock, with a fair bit of vegetation… had to rip abunch of plants and stems out of the rock to place some gear.. the offwidth roof takes a .75 a 1, and a .3 all pretty bomber before the permahex/ chord. Once up in that roof and going into the next offwidth crux seemed a lot harder than 5.9, I’d have to say the low crux felt about 5.10/5.10+ for a few moves and then once yer on the platform and going climbers left traverse passed the ledge into the squeeze section it felt about 5.11. I ended up bailing due to lack of motivation and potential decapitation. Props to whoever got that clean ha. Anyways, the original route is def not recommended unless you’re a bold face offwidth connesuir. The blondi traverse over to the left up to the tree chain anchor is pretty dope. Good rock. Kind of all similar to red rocks in a sense in Vegas. Reguardless this route it’s quite the adventure and I loved every moment of it. Definitely link pitch 1/2 and get up to that bolted anchor. No need to bring anything more than a single rack and a couple of slings for this multi pitch. Chicken head pro on pitch 2/3 is bomber, rock is bomber. Go have some fun and give this route some love! What a beautiful little area. The potential for bolted sport climbs and other boulder problems seems prevalent in this area. Can’t beat the views and the solitude / river ! Cheers Apr 30, 2024