Routes as trad in North Carolina

Natural anchors.

Start a few feet right of This Ain't No Place For You Algebra and climb up the easiest path veering right. This route offers fun face climbing and a few dihedral moves. Though the climbing is easy, small gear from .1-.4 greatly tames potential runouts. Clip the anchors of New Policy and rapp.

Direct start to Fresh Garbage

p1: 5.10a, 40m p2: 5.6, 20m

The old bolts aren't worth clipping.

leftmost line from the big ledge ending on Merrie-Woode anchor

P1: Start on a ledgy and low angle slab. Move right and up to the easy prow feature. As the climbing gets steeper, the pro gets better. Find anchors at a stance. P2: Go left and up, then follow path of least resistance to anchors below a big pine tree.

Pro to 2".

An excellent climb!

1. Start in the gulley to the left of Jim Dandy, head up the slab, follow the natural line up the left where you can find pro, headed towards the gap between the two faces way way way up there. Easy climbing, but you will have sparse protection at about 15-20ft apart. This pitch ends with a length traverse to the right across to the 3 oldish bolts that make up the anchor. 170 ft (almost a full 60m rope).

2. Straight off the belay, lean across the void, clip a draw onto the bolt, then go for the peek-a-boo move!!!. I think the route then goes off to the right on a traverse, but I did it by going straight up following the roof system, probably bumps the grade up a bit, but great climbing either way.

3. There is a sea of slab in front of you that is very dirty and manky. Lunch ledge is a straight traverse to the right, or you can try find a clean path diagonally up and to the right to top out at Lightning Ledge. Or... you can rap from here and two 60's will bring you back to Jim Dandy first pitch, or "almost" all the way down to the ground, you will have to traverse a bit to get back into the original starting gully to come off rappel.

Excellent crack climbing with great protection. Located on the right side of Helmet Buttress, under the obvious right facing corner. Ascend slab up into the right facing corner to a small tree ledge. Continue up the clean hand and finger crack with good gear to find a double bolt anchor on top of the buttress. Pro to 2".

Pro to 1".

A wondering start to 'Ellie Raynolds Memorial Buttress'.

Start 100 feet right of 'Intensive Care Unit' at a slab left of the prow.

Climb over a low easy roof and up crack. Pull past another roof. Gain the anchors atop 'Ellie Raynolds Memorial Buttress'.

1. 95ft (5.10b/c) Wander up slab. Negotiate small roof before the anchor. 5 bolts.

2. 50ft (5.6) Climb past roof and across some ledges. 3 bolts.

3. 75ft (5.8) Surmount an overlap past one bolt to gain the top of the buttress.

Pro to 3".

Well-protected mixed route with fun exposure and a great lunch ledge.

1. 70ft (5.4) Wander up the slab face that slants leftwards away from the shallow cave. Belay at double bolts.

2. 80ft (5.5) Diagonal left up and around the corner. Follow the short ramp past bolts. As the ramp gets less steep, gear helps. Aim for the trees.

3. 70ft (5.5) Walk up the path through the trees until you come to the cliff. Move left 20ft. Climb the bolted face up to the roof. Up and over to the bolted belay on lightning ledge.

It is possible to walk off from Lightning Ledge by following the track left. There are bolts up the exposed part of the scramble. It is a safe exit.

Start at the lunch ledge.

P1 follows bolts and obvious line in the lichen (alternatives exist, especially to the right of the bolt line but rope drag may become an issue). Look for a two bolt anchor.

P2 starts with a committing move left onto a slab, then follows to a ledge. There is a bolt after the move if you can find it. Belay from a ledge.

P3 follows bolts to a small roof. Continue to a two bolt anchor below a trail that takes you to the summit.

Apparently not done that often anymore as it is grown over. 2024 update: cleaned recently.

First pitch of 'True Grit Direct' followed by second pitch of 'White Light'. The original lines are now grown over. This may be the best 5.8 at Table Rock!!!

1. Climb the clean, white corner to its top. Move a little right to gain the roof, where you will traverse about 20 ft right to an obvious ledge.

2. Climb up through the right-facing corner via excellent jams. Turn a lip to gain an open book corner, and then move up and eventually straight right across moss hummocks for a natural belay.

3. Continue up one of the other lines to the top or rappel from fixed pins on North Ridge.

Face moves to a semi-circular thin ledge up and to the right, past 2 bolts to a small blocky roof in a corner with good natural pro. Pull over block and finish on slab up to North Ridge anchor. Alternate belay anchor to the left of the NR anchor at a horizontal crack and ledge.

A great beginner climb that is well protected, vertical and is all on gear (no pesky bolts).

Start: Keep walking around the Eastern side of Tablerock, passing Jim Dandy, and The Cave Route. When you get around the back, follow the trail which is now burnt out and look for a path to the left leading up on top of a large boulder. It will be juggy vertical rock above you.

1. The best pitch of The North Ridge. Climb the juggy vertical rock, trending left around the overhung section, this turns into easy slab leading up to a nice belay ledge with 3 fixed pitons and a fixed 3 piece cordalette. Make sure to back this up with your own pro. This is a long pitch that takes lots of passive pro. (150ft, 5.5)

2. Climb up and trend right around the exposed arette. There is a direct finish straight up, or traverse right a little more and take the very easy, but vegetated and dirty finish. Pitch ends in shrubs with a gear belay. (70ft, 5.5)

3. An annoying pitch, a couple boulder moves at maybe 5.4 which generally means you should rope up, but then pretty much a walk off until you can find a spot to build another 3 piece anchor and belay. Some just solo this pitch. (50ft, 5.3).

Can be done in 2 pitches with a 70.

Gear anchors, no bolts.