PRINT: Rock Climb Story of My Life, Foster Falls

Story of My Life

5.11b, Sport, 80 ft (24 m),

Avg: 3.5 from 72 votes
FA: Eddie Whittemore and Jody Rozin, 1999
Tennessee > Foster Falls > Jimmywood

Access Issue: Daily online climbing registration required for TN State Park areas Details

Daily online climbing registration required for TN State Park areas. tnstateparks.com/activities…. This includes Cumberland Trail State Park (Deep Creek, Big Soddy, Buzzard Point, Laurel Falls, Dayton Pocket, Black Mountain and other areas within the park); South Cumberland State Park (Foster Falls and Denny Cove); Fall Creek Falls State Park; and Rocky Fork State Park Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with your unique registration number, site rules, and other helpful info. Please keep the registration number with you while climbing. At some locations, you may be asked to leave a piece of paper with your registration number on your car dashboard. Groups of 10 or more, please call the park prior to filling out a registration.

Description

Climb up an easy face to a ledge. Follow the large flake on the right until it ends then climb across the face on decent holds to a small roof, which is the most technical part of the route. Follow a crack up to good holds, and prepare for the pumpy redpoint crux that trends right then traverses left, throwing wide for a jug or using a small crimp intermediate for shorties.

The old Dixie Cragger calls it 2 pitches, as there is a set of anchors on the ledge which allow for this option. However, the route can also just be climbed in one 85' pitch. If climbed in 1 pitch, to reduce rope drag, you can skip the lower face by soloing up to the right of the start and scrambling some stairs.

Location

Jimmywood, right of Carpetbagger and Supersaturated.

Protection

10 bolts (or 6 if you skip the face)

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

photo cred: 9fingers

Story of My Life Line

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Matt M

belay station that the DCA mentions has been chopped Aug 22, 2018

Alex Randolph

5.11b/c

The "chopped" anchor sure was done half-assed. All they did is take the nuts and hangers off the bolts, which are still in the rock. I think that the midway station should remain. It makes a lot of sense to minimize rope drag on the climb and improve visibility of the climber as they go above the ledge. Also, the station is completely out of view from the ground. As long as those bolts aren't in too rough of shape, it looks like if someone hung new hangers and rings, it'd be back in business.

As far as climbing goes, this climb makes me glad I've got the jamming skills. Would be much harder without em'! Sostenuto for sure (a joke for all you music or italian speaking folk out there). Nov 23, 2018

David Whitney
Sandy, UT

Top anchors are in pretty bad condition. There are two closed cold shuts, and one is rusty and spinning. Both have significant rope wear grooves from lowering. Just for peace of mind I left a carabiner on the last bolt before the anchors and left my rope through that for the descent. Aug 29, 2019

David Goodloe
Chattanooga, TN

This route starts on the bolt line to the right of the lower bolts pictured in the featured photo. Then after 2 bolts it moves up and left through some class 4 scrambling and then goes up the shown right facing flake on the upper headwall. Finishes between the two cracks at the top of the wall. The anchors are still in terrible condition as per David Whitney's comment (rusted, loose, and severe rope grooves) and to be safest, probably shouldn't be lowered off of until replaced. If you climb this, I recommend taking rappel gear. Great route though! Oct 9, 2021

Matthew Gant

Anchor Update- The top anchors (previously cold shuts) have been replaced with double ring anchors. Also, the midway up belay station on the ledge now has double ring anchor installed. Oct 16, 2021

Sam Petarra
Nashville TN

Great route if you're looking for a pump ladder of a route. Really enjoyed the hand jamming this route had Jul 5, 2023