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Waverly Waster

5.12a R, Trad, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 3.6 from 20 votes
FA: Bruce Burgess, Andy Kluge
N Carolina > 1. Southern Mou… > Looking Glass Rock > N Side

Description

This is a fantastic face route climbing a clean white face on perfect rock with athletic moves. It follows the natural features, so tends to wander a bit. There is a tough spot in the first two bolts then a good shake where you can place a small tcu before a deceiving move left. Get a real good shake at a circlehead (can place a yellow TCU here as well), then bust straight right campusing on half-pad crimps. The crux may be clipping the last bolt...maybe you should skip it??

Location

On the North Face of Looking Glass. This is the next route left of the Menagerie, or the second route on the left after you come up the trail. Look for a line of bolts.

Protection

Mostly bolts, but you'll need a handful of TCU's to fill in the blanks. There are a number of spots before the first bolt where decking is a real possibility, and a ledge fall is possible between the 1st and 2nd bolts.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Eric Singleton resting up for the crux.
[Hide Photo] Eric Singleton resting up for the crux.
Eric Singleton crimpin through the crux.
[Hide Photo] Eric Singleton crimpin through the crux.
Moving into the crux crimpers.
[Hide Photo] Moving into the crux crimpers.
Me working through the side pulls lower down, the fall here can be bad with the ledge below.
[Hide Photo] Me working through the side pulls lower down, the fall here can be bad with the ledge below.
Linking the bolted section of Waverly Waster into Creatures of Waste. Five Star 5.11 Linkup. Photo: Daniel Johnson.
[Hide Photo] Linking the bolted section of Waverly Waster into Creatures of Waste. Five Star 5.11 Linkup. Photo: Daniel Johnson.
Phil Hoffmann on route.  Photo by Adam Johnson.
[Hide Photo] Phil Hoffmann on route. Photo by Adam Johnson.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Chase Roskos
Golden, CO
[Hide Comment] There was an old ratty sling on the last bolt before the anchors, but this has been updated with a nice shiny fixed draw. Sep 10, 2010
Eric Singleton
Brevard,NC
[Hide Comment] Yeh that sling was replaced by Philip Hoffman of Looking Glass Outfitters. Thanks Phil! Oct 23, 2010
[Hide Comment] That sling was made by Nathan Brown in his garage. Thanks Nathan!

To reduce the "R" factor some, a bomber blue Metolius TCU goes in the horizontal smack dab in the middle of the face about 15' from the ground. The TCU or Red C3 is crucial due to the shape of the crack round it. Apr 9, 2011
[Hide Comment] Theres an awesome link up that goes up the first part of this climb (past the bolts) traverse left and finish on Creatures of Waste (5.11+). Five stars, hands down. Aug 27, 2012
Tom Caldwell
Clemson, S.C.
  5.12a
[Hide Comment] There is a trick to clipping the last hanging draw. Move past it to the better hand and clip. Don't skip it. Thanks Eric! Jul 15, 2015
Jacob Ward
Louisville, KY
  5.12a PG13
[Hide Comment] Campusing on half-pads would only be the beta for someone with terrible footwork. There's usable footholds all over the traverse. Sep 7, 2023