Southern Region
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Southern Region Important Route details are copyright Ray Ellington, John Bronaugh, and other Red River Gorge climbers. Climbing is an inherently dangerous sport. The information in this guidebook is subject to error and should supplement never replace common sense and caution, competent guidance and instruction, and actually being outside. One should be especially cautious on matters of route length, descent type, and number of bolts (especially since such things do change occasionally). The authors of this guidebook do not recognise any liablity for injuries caused to climbers who use this information as a means to their own safety. Please be respectful of the landowners. Climbing is a privilege so please treat it as such. Please do not block oil wells or other machinery when parking. Please be aware of all turnarounds and do not block them with your vehicle. Please respect all red tagged projects as well as any routes labeled as projects in this guide. If you want to toprope, please do so through the use of quickdraws and not the links of chain anchors. Changes The information presented in this guide has been exported from an online guidebook located at www.redriverclimbing.com. If you find any information that is incorrect and wish to update it, please locate the route in the online guidebook and post a comment. The webmaster will be sure that the change you post, if accurate, will be present in the next version of this guide. Thanks If it weren't for everyone at www.redriverclimbing.com, this guide would not be possible. Special thanks to Jack Schmidt and Kathryn Lybarger who put in many hours with their amazing programming skills, John Bronaugh for allowing the use of his guidebook Red River Climbs, 2nd Edition, as a main source of information for many of the routes, and also to Sandy Davies, Michelle Artsay, Yasmeen Fowler, Bart Bledsoe, Thomas Donalek and Paul McKenzie for special contributions to the guide. Most of all, thanks to all of the people who spend their time putting up beautiful lines on the sandstone cliffs of Kentucky. Thanks to them, the best sandstone climbing in the country is right here. -Ray Ellington, www.redriverclimbing.com Updated: 6/1/2005 www.redriverclimbing.com 1 Bob Marley Crag Southern Region Directions Drive 12.4 miles south on KY 11 from Miguel's toward Beattyville. Turn right on KY 498 and follow for 1.2 miles to Bald Fork Road. Take a sharp right onto Bald Fork Road and follow it as it curves left toward a house. Do not turn right at the first fork. After 0.3 miles the road turns to gravel and heads down a steep hill. At the bottom of the hill you will pass the parking area on the right for The Motherlode. Remain on the road for a total of 1.4 miles (0.6 miles past the Motherlode parking) until you see a wooden sign indicating the RRGCC parking area on the left. Park here and walk back out to the road. Cross the road and head straight up a gravel road for 0.2 miles to reach the trail which cuts left and uphill to the wall. 1. Dogleg *** 5.12a Sport Look up at the rock from the end of the approach trail. This route ascends the orange face. Climb through a series of long moves then angle right (the left variation doesn't have a finish) and up to anchors. First Ascent:Unknown 10 bolts, 90 feet, Rap from anchors, Bouldery, Stays dry in: Downpour 2. Beeper ** 5.11d Sport About 20 feet right of Dogleg is a dihedral. Begin on the large boulders near its base. Grab the arete and follow it into the thin crack. First Ascent:Keith Moll 8 bolts, 70 feet, Rap from anchors, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 3. Tony's Happy Christmas Crack ** 5.8 Trad Fifty feet right from the previous route is an obvious dihedral with a handcrack. Climb the crack to a set of anchors, or continue steeply to some higher shuts. First Ascent:Jack Hume, Tony Tramontin, Steve McFarland, Gene Hume, David Hume 0 bolts, 80 feet, Rap from anchors or higher cold shuts, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 4. Mas Choss ** 5.11a Sport About 15 feet right of Tony's Happy Christmas Crack is this slab route with striated holds. Climb some tough moves to a small roof. Move left at the roof and reach up to a large flake. Continue up the face to the anchors. First Ascent:Kellyn Gorder 7 bolts, 80 feet, Ring anchors, Slab, Stays dry in: Does not stay dry 5. Route 22 *** 5.11d Sport Locate the second sport route about 30 feet right of the dihedral. Climb the small edges and ledges up and right to a reasonable stance. Angle a little left to a small overhang, then ska over some thin holds to the anchors. First Ascent:Dave Hume 7 bolts, 80 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 6. Fifty Words for Pump *** 5.14c Sport Hike around a corner from the previous routes to a rockhouse. Spot this line just to the left of the dihedral. Open Project. First Ascent:Unknown 11 bolts, 90 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown Updated: 6/1/2005 www.redriverclimbing.com 3 Bob Marley Crag Southern Region 7. Ultra-perm *** 5.13c Sport Begin on the vertical face 10 feet right of the dihedral mentioned above. Climb up to and over a pocketed overhang. First Ascent:Chris Martin 9 bolts, 90 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 8. Horn ** 5.11d Sport Venture 30 feet around the next corner from the previous routes into the deeper recesses of the ampitheater. Spot a pocketed wall capped by an overhang with several sport routes. This one is the first one encountered. Climb a very steep wall to some anchors just over the lip. First Ascent:Chris Martin 5 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 9. Flush ** 5.11d Sport Move 10 more feet to the right to begin this climb. First Ascent:Chris Martin 5 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 10. Velvet *** 5.11d Sport Ten more feet right is another pocketed lip problem. First Ascent:Chris Martin 5 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 11. Tacit ** 5.12a Sport The next route is five feet right of the previous route and has a similar description. Begin near a crack above a boulder. First Ascent:Porter Jarrard 5 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 12. Reticent *** 5.12d Sport Five feet right of the boulder is the start to another pocketed line. First Ascent:Porter Jarrard 6 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 13. Blood Bath *** 5.12d Sport Step 10 feet right from the previous climb to some small boulders marking the beginning of this climb. First Ascent:Chris Martin 6 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown 14. Where's the Beef? *** 5.12d Sport Look 5 more feet to the right to the final climb on this section of wall. Climb through steep pockets and crimps to a horizontal roof. Pull the roof making use of sharp pockets, then crank over the lip to a jug. Continue up easier face to the anchors. First Ascent:Chris Martin 5 bolts, 50 feet, Unknown, Unknown, Stays dry in: Unknown Updated: 6/1/2005 www.redriverclimbing.com 4 Bob Marley Crag Southern Region 15. Tikka Chance ** 5.9+ Trad Hike right about 150 feet from last route listed on the main wall. You'll drop down into the lowest part of the valley and up the other side a bit until you see the first reasonable crack. Climb the crack and face to the lip of the wall. First Ascent:John Bronaugh, Jason Burton 0 bolts, 90 feet, Ring anchors, Hands/fingers, Stays dry in: Does not stay dry 16. Mailman 5.13a Sport This route is located on the arete just left of Dogleg. Not sure about the name or grade. Anyone know? First Ascent:Unknown 0 bolts, 65 feet, Ring anchors, Slab, Stays dry in: Unknown Updated: 6/1/2005 www.redriverclimbing.com 5 Drive-By Crag Southern Region Directions Drive 12.4 miles south on KY 11 from Miguel's toward Beattyville. Turn right on KY 498 and follow for 1.2 miles to Bald Fork Road. Take a sharp right onto Bald Fork Road and follow it as it curves left toward a house. Do not turn right at the first fork. After 0.3 miles the road turns to gravel and heads down a steep hill. At the bottom of the hill you will pass the parking area on the right for The Motherlode. Remain on the road for a total of 1.4 miles (0.6 miles past the Motherlode parking) until you see a wooden sign indicating the RRGCC parking area on the left. Park here and walk back out to the road. Turn left onto Bald Fork Road and follow it for about 100 feet to the next dirt road on the right. Hike up the dirt road until it intersects with another road and turn right. Hike this road uphill for about 7 minutes (do not turn left on the next road) until it curves around to the right. About 100 feet after the road curves to the right look for a small wooden ladder on the left which leads up a short hill and ends directly beneath Check Your Grip and Whipper Snapper.