Looking Glass, Trad climbing

YDS

5.5 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10a 5.10c 5.11a 5.11c 5.12a 5.12c 5.13a 5.13c

Map

8 4 5 3 7 6 2

2 East Face 3 Hidden Wall 4 North Side 5 Nose Area 6 South Side 7 Sun Wall 8 Looking Glass Boulders

Directions in Google Maps

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Seasonality

Description

Located near Brevard, Looking Glass has a huge range of climbing opportunities. Aid climbers will find grade IV and V lines reminiscent of Yosemite on the North Side; free trad climbers flock to the famous "eyebrows" of the Nose Area and Sun Wall.

Route development on Looking Glass granite began in the mid-60s, with signature routes like The Nose. The area was little-known except among the locals in the early days; pioneers of the day included Steve Longenecker, Jim McEver and especially Bob Mitchell. The mid-70s brought another wave of first ascents and more notice from outside the area; over the next decade or so, routes were put up by climbers like Jeep Gaskin, Bob Rotert, Monty Reagan, Whitney Heuermann, Diff Ritchie and Chis Caldwell.

Climbing at Looking Glass is best during the fall and winter months. The North Side and Hidden Wall sections are shady enough for summer climbing. Because it's located in the Pisgah National Forest, camping is plentiful in the area.

Approach

Looking Glass is located near Brevard, NC. Take US 276 northeast from Brevard into Pisgah National Forest, then continue about five miles to the intersection with FR 475; take a left here. After a few miles on 475, the road turns to gravel and splits. Take the right fork and look for a parking lot with the sign for Slickrock Falls Trail. This is parking for the South Side area of Looking Glass; for the Nose Area and Sun Wall, continue almost two miles further to the Sunwall Trail parking lot. Parking for the North Side and Hidden Wall is in a pullout roughly a quarter-mile past the Sunwall Trail.