PRINT: Rock Climb Charlie, Red River Gorge

Charlie

5.13b, Trad, 70 ft (21 m),

Avg: 3.9 from 11 votes
FA: Steve McClure, Mike Doyle, Daniel DuLac, Sonnie Trotter in 2007 on preplaced gear.
Kentucky > Red River Gorge > Bald Rock Recre… > Chocolate Factory

Access Issue: Private Property Details

In 2011, the Ventura Family (owner of Miguel’s Pizza) purchased the land above the cliff line, and the RRGCC’s 2017 purchase of the land beneath the cliff line and the surrounding areas ensures that the Motherlode, Chocolate Factory, and southeastern end of Sore Heel are climber-owned. The Ventura's have formed the Motherlode LLC to cover the liability of the land.

Description

This is the strikingly beautiful, left-leaning dihedral about 50 feet right of Loompa. The route basically breaks down to a 12a to a hard V6 boulder problem protected by reasonable but slightly tricky gear.

Begin below a single bolt about 10 feet left of the corner. Make long but easy face moves past the bolt and reach right into the very wide crack. Jam your torso into the crack and worm and lieback your way to some good jugs and a leg-wrap rest. The crack starts to pinch off a bit but some large angular features and the occasional fingerlock or pocket provide just enough to keep things reasonable.

About 60 feet up, the good holds disappear and the dihedral steepens. Work a wide stem and make use of the small tips crack, and some nice pockets around a blunt arete to reach a final, decent fingerlock rest. Set up on two more tips crimps and spring for a huge jug just above the anchors.

Location

50 feet right of Loompa.

Protection

Fixed gear - one bolt and two bolt anchor with carabiners.

Bring a single rack between 0.1 - #4 Camelot and micro-stoppers.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Hi-Res photo of the whole route. April 2023

Charlie in its glorious entirety.

Thrasher getting funky on Charlie.

Vini on route

Me sending the rig.

Setting up for the dyno.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Steven James
Portland, Maine

In the red last October. (2013) This thing had spider webs in it that looked like they could stop humans from hitting the ground. Scariest things ever? The only thing harder than .13b trad is dealing with what are (most likely..) man eating spiders in the dihedral. And, -er-, well probably .13c trad routes too...

Looks stellar, hope I can climb this hard someday. Nov 3, 2014

Blake Allen Green

In fall of 2014, i added a perma draw to the higher anchor bolt, and a steel biner to the lower bolt to make cleaning the route easier.

I protect the crux with a triple 000 c3 and #3 wild country zero.

There are two no hands rests to take the sting out of things, and the climbing is fantastic. Almost every move on the route is enjoyable, with some options existing for different heights in most of the important parts. Apr 4, 2015

Andrew Reed
Cañon City, CO

5.13b

Incredible route!

My rack: #4, #3, #2, medium nut, 0.2, 0.1, #1, double up on micro nuts to protect the crux.

All gear was placed on lead. Feb 17, 2020

Corey Flynn
Beattyvillain

5.13-

13b is a bit too fluffy. Seeing a lot of folks kneebar on the 12a climbing low on the route which seems unnecessary given you get a no hands stem before the crux. Rock is crunchy for the first 25 feet but the boulder at the top is something special. Protects well. Mar 14, 2022

Luan Alencastro

5.13b

I think calling the climbing that leads to the crux 12a is a bit of a sandbag, especially given what passes for 12a at the red :p Either way, this route is incredible and the business comes in the last 20 feet. Sure, the last move is hard, but the true crux for me was nailing the sequence into it. Protects really well.

Here's some low quality shoe-cam footy: youtube.com/watch?v=pjH0ZnO… Mar 2, 2023

Alex Fyfe
Mother Earth

5.13b

Incredible route. The crack's thrutchy start followed by the progressively precise nature of the route is phenomenal. Found the low boulder harder than 12a (maybe I'm soft) and the crux itself nailing the full sequence in the upper dihedral, as oppose to a single move. Get on this rig.
Beta/send video:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv_NO… May 12, 2023