PRINT: Rock Climb Weight and Balance Check, Rumbling Bald

Weight and Balance Check

5.10d, Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 2.7 from 43 votes
FA: Buddy Brasington, Les Duncan
N Carolina > 1. Southern Mou… > Rumbling Bald > Test Pilots Buttress

Description

P1: very thin, sequential face moves with the trickiest section near the 4th bolt at the top 5.10+. Belay at tree

P2: Great! Undercling to TCU's to 4 bolts and a bolted anchor. Nice hidden crimps and a high reach roof

Location

20 feet right of "5.8 Crack", begin at left leaning flakes down low to a crimpy face

Protection

4-5 bolts P1, 4 bolts P2 with tcu's intermixed

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Great face climbing in the middle. Photo by James Joyce

Fun from the first moves to the last. Photo by James Joyce

Bennett Harris on Weight and balance check.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tom Caldwell
Clemson, S.C.

I've always felt like the crux is at the first bolt. There is some pump that follows at the top. The first, third, and fourth bolts are tough to clip if you are short. Feb 21, 2011

Jeff Jenkins

Tricky moves , hard 10 P1 but P2 is the best part. Dec 19, 2011

Scott Gilliam
Raleigh, NC

I skip the last bolt on the first pitch, finding it easier to climb out left. Makes for a bit of a run to the anchors, but whatever. Feb 23, 2012

chris mcguigan
belmont, nc

5.10+

High quality climb P2 is awesomely good and P1 is great too. Nov 10, 2013

Corey Flynn
Beattyvillain

FYI Les Duncan should be cocredited on the FA of this one, as he and Buddy would always refer to it as "our route" whenever they took me climbing at the bald. Two of my favorite climbers, tricky first pitch Feb 24, 2015

Russ Keane
Salt Lake

5.10+

Low quality, irritating (even sandbagged) first pitch, but a cool second pitch. Feb 1, 2019

Amy Zakerski
Asheville, NC

5.10d

Amazing Climb! The first pitch is amazing, sustained 10+, and of the more well bolted sport climbs at the bald. The second pitch is mixed Trad/Sport, less difficult, and just as fun - absolutely worth it! This route is super interesting and one of my favorites at the bald! It's super lichen-y and a bit sharp so it could use some polishing (especially P2). With more use, I think it could be considered a classic. Feb 18, 2019

Austin McCranie

Second pitch is phenomenal. Small cams are a must and it will keep you on your toes. Climb 5.8 crack to a bolted belay if you don’t want to do the first pitch then climb the second pitch of weight and balance check for an awesome finish Apr 20, 2020