Granite Arches Climbing Guides

Course is for: Climbers with some experience wanting to dive into traditional leading and to develop deep knowledge and achieve rapid gains in technique, technical systems and proficiency trad leading. Prerequisites: Basic climbing experience including climbing technique, rappelling, belaying and basic knowledge of climbing equipment. Course Description: Learning how to lead climb is a major step in a climber's development. Through detailed discussion of gear and techniques as well as extensive use of mock leads, climbers can expect to gain knowledge and experience that allow them to effectively manage the risks and challenges of lead climbing. Class Length: 2 days. Instructors: A veteran Granite Arches AMGA certified instructor.

Class is for: Climbers with trad experience who desire detailed training in multi-pitch techniques. Prerequisites: General climbing experience and a desire to learn multi-pitch techniques and/or experience multi-pitch climbing. Course Description: Multi-pitch climbing parallels a single pitch environment in some ways, but the differences in rope management and efficiency can make or break a great day out on the mountain. Class Length: 2-3 days. Instructors: A veteran Granite Arches' AMGA certified instructor.

Tennessee is a vast wonderland of extremely high quality sandstone rock. Climbers from all over the worlds come here to hone their skills. Cliffs typically range from 40-100 feet, and there is great diversity in the rock features, lending itself to learning beginner, intermediate or advanced face, crack, slab, and overhanging climbing techniques. What We Offer: We offer guided climbs of the hundreds of routes throughout Tennessee. Granite Arches' intensive instruction during these climbs can help both beginning and more advanced climbers meet their goals with maximum enjoyment, efficiency and safety. Our outings are personalized to your own goals. A sample of climbs by location include: Foster Falls Rock Climbing This great crag is located about 30 miles Northwest of Chattanooga TN. A small listing of the numerous climbing areas and climbs includes: Ankles Away (5.9). Fun climbing on steep sandstone. Gravity Boots (5.8). Lower angle climb with great holds. Miss Scarlett (5.9+). Steeper climbing still. Thirty Eight Special (5.10). Face to roof. Standing Room Only (5.11). Excellent corner climbing on fantastic rock.

Class is for: Large groups with any amount of previous experience. Prerequisites: None Class Description: If you are planning on bringing a large group to the crag, this is your class. We will learn the particular needs and goals of your group and develop the course content to meet your group's needs. Your day can be anything from a simple "plug-and-play" day where your groups members focus only on climbing fun, to detailed, sequential custom curricula (e.g. boy or girl scouts, camping staff training). All equipment is provided. Class Length: Any number of days based on needs of the group. Instructors: Granite Arches' AMGA certified instructors.

Class is for: This course is for climbers that have gained experience in the climbing gym and want to smoothly transition to outdoor climbing. Prerequisites: Gym climbing experience and a genuine interest in learning to climb outdoors. Course Description: Outdoor climbing IS very different than indoor climbing, requiring an awarness of outdoor objective hazards, different safety systems, setup skills, breakdown skills, and often different climbing techniques. The course will not waste your time reviewing things you have already mastered in the gym. Instead, we ascertain your level of proficiency in indoor skills and then add outdoor skills in a logical progression that maximizes understanding and retention. You will be a crag hero in no time! Class Length: 2 days recommended. Instructor(s): Granite Arches' AMGA certified instructors.

Class is for: Anyone with little or no previous outdoor climbing experience who wants a well organized introduction to the wonderful world of outdoor climbing. Prerequisites: None Class Description: This is where it all begins! First time climbers, families, and friends interested in outdoor climbing are encouraged to begin their experience here. This class will introduce climbers to the rudiments of rock climbing gear, knots, belay techniques, and basic movement in climbing. Interested parties will also be introduced to rope handling and management in longer classes. Like all of our classes, course content is tailored to each climber's or group's personal climbing goals and needs. Recommended Class Length: 1-2 days, longer courses more thorough. Instructor(s): One of Granite Arches' AMGA certified staff members with years of experience and a love of teaching.

Class is for: This class is for intermediate and experienced lead climbers seeking to improve their safety systems, update and further their knowledge and risk-management skills, and increase their lead climbing prowess. Prerequisites: Lead Climbing I or equivalent experience. Course Description: The course introduces and reinforces wide-ranging risk assessment and management techniques relating to trad lead climbing. This content is critical to managing risk. This course can help you develop these skills in a safe environment, to isolate and fill your gaps in knowledge that may be holding you back back from these next level climbs. The instruction can include challenging mock leads on terrain that lends itself to complex rope travel and drag issues, and/or dangerous vector dynamics that must be actively managed, and/or complex anchor selection issues. Afterwards, the single point anchors and their riggings are reviewed and discussed, as well as the choice of anchor location, aspect, and rigging. Expect serious gains in your "quiver" of techniques, your comfort level, and your technical system awareness. Class Length: 2 days. Instructors: A veteran Granite Arches' AMGA certified instructor.

Almost in town, this crag is loved by locals for its easy access and diverse climbing. Free to Think (5.8). Right corner to face climbing. Cracked Actor (5.10). Crack time near Chattanooga TN Girls Only (5.10). Fun face climbing. Vogen Slab (5.9). Shorter fun face climbing. Granite Arches also offers a host of technical climbing, wilderness medicine and AMGA courses. Come climb with us!

Description: 600 feet in some places, this steep featured granite wall holds some of the best remote wilderness multi-pitch rock climbing on the east coast. Additionally, many of the highest quality routes are very moderate in their technical grade making it an ideal location for novice and intermediate climbers looking for true adventure style rock climbing. This area is not recommended for novice or intermediate climbers without a guide however; the frequency of storms, the remoteness and length of the climbs make them more serious in nature than most east coast climbing locations. Location: Linville Falls, N.C. is between Morganton, N.C., and Boone N.C. on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is an hour's drive from Asheville, N.C. Climbing Season: Climbing is best in Linville Gorge in the spring through the fall. Linville Gorge is cooler than most areas in the summer due to its elevation, but can be quite hot. The winter can be frigid, but good climbing days can still be found in mid-winter. Routes: The Mummy (5.5), 4-5 pitches. Clean, vertical granite with face, crack, friction. The total package. The Daddy (5.6), 4-5 pitches. Next door to The Mummy, a bit steep and a little harder. Another stellar quality long climb, a Caroline 'must-do.' Many more . . . What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at the Linville Gorge. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.

Looking Glass is a classic North Carolina exfoliating granite dome. It is one of the best rock climbing areas in the east, and sports steep friction, crack, aid, and face climbing routes. It is relatively amenable to the novice and intermediate climber. The south face is home to a large number of moderate routes. The sun wall is southwestern to western in aspect and holds some very difficult free climbs. The nose area is famous for the intermediate routes The Nose and Sundial Crack, 400 foot free climbs of four pitches or more. The north wall is home to difficult free climbing as well as grade V aid lines (multi-day routes). Climbing Season: Climbing can be comfortable at Looking Glass all year, although winter temperatures can be prohibitive on the coldest days. Location: Looking Glass is located minutes from Brevard, North Carolina which has hotels, restaurants, and a summer chamber music festival. Routes: Rat's Ass (5.8), 3 pitches. Fantastic corner climbing on exquisite granite in a beautiful location. The Nose (5.8), 4 pitches. World famous--and worth the hype. Sundial Crack (5.8), 4 pitches. Interesting crack, face and eyebrow climbing. Gemini Crack (5.8), 3 pitches. Slab to right facing corner to straight-in crack bliss. Second Coming (5.7), 3 pitches. Undulating face and crack climbing with some friction feet thrown in for good measure. Dinkus Dog (5.10), 2 pitches. Beautiful near vertical face climbing on tiger-striped, clean NC granite. The Odyssey (5.11), 3-4 pitches. Ultra classic face climbing on the Sun Wall. The Womb (5.11), 2-3 pitches. Crack to Odd Offwidth to crack. Excellent quality climb. And many, many more. What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at Looking Glass. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our focus is to help you efficiently reach your climbing goals, while developing superior risk management awareness and technical skill proficiency. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.

Description: Just south of the eastern Blue Ridge chain proper, Moore's Wall is a steep granite face with varied terrain that faces both North, West, and South. Boasting a great array of climbing routes, and multi-pitch (long) terrain, Moore's Wall has a great balance of climbing routes to satisfy climbers of all experience levels. Moore's Wall is the name of the main North facing feature at Moore's Wall where the majority of the popular routes are located. Location: Moore's Wall rises abruptly from the piedmont just miles away from Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Charlotte North Carolina in north-central North Carolina. Climbing Season: Most of the rock at Moore's Wall is north facing so it remains relatively cold when compared to the surrounding area. The best time to climb Moore's Wall is late Spring through early Fall. Routes: Zoo View (5.7-5.8). Fantastic, steep, multi-pitch climbing on pristing white granite. Does not get better. Air Show (5.7-5.8). Similar to Zoo View, another super classic steep romp. A world class climb at the grade of difficulty. Do it or Dive (5.10). Single pitch face climb. Subtle and sublime. Quaker State (5.11). A touch steeper and harder than Do it or Dive. A must do if you climb at the grade. Many more . . . What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at the Moore's Wall. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.

Pilot Mountain is an intimate crag in the Piedmont of NC. The smallest of the crags making up the ancient Sauratown range of mountains, Pilot is easily accessible by car from a beautiful elevated overlook from which you can see Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point. Off in the distance, Grandfather Mountain is visible as well. The area is one of the smaller North Carolina climbing destinations, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in view, convenience and top access. The area is not large but has a nice assortment of climbs. Climbing Season: Climbing can be comfortable at Pilot, and it really excels Fall through Winter into Spring. Summer is very hot here. Location: Pilot Mountain is near Pinnacle North Carolina, but the closest town with significant services is Winston Salem, which has hotels, restaurants, a brewery, a Trader Joe's! Routes: Crackin Up (5.7) Mild Mannered Secretary (5.7) Pole Dancing (5.7) Chicken Bone (5.8) Black Rain (5.9) Mamma Bear (5.10) Pappa Bear (5.10) Devil in the Whitehouse (5.10+) And many more . . . What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at Pilot Mountain. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our focus is to help you efficiently reach your climbing goals, while developing superior risk management awareness and technical skill proficiency. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.

Class is for: Aspiring or working instructors who want personalized training and/or assessment of skills before the SPI course and/or Exam. . Prerequisites: Climbing experience, a desire to become an instructor or improve your instructing, and familiarity with the AMGA SPI curriculum. Course Description: Granite Arches is happy to offer private SPI exam review days. You will work 1:1 with an SPI Course Provider. The goal of these days of training will be to assess your knowledge and application of the major content areas of the course and exam. The format is personalized to your needs or to your deficiencies as ascertained by your instructor. The format of the instruction can be global review, focused skill workshop, mock exam, or a combination of these. This can be extremely helpful to assess your readiness for an exam, as a refresher before the exam, as a primer before the course, to assess weaknesses after exam failure, or as review to brush up on SPI techniques generally. Class Length: Custom length, determined by client. Instructor: An AMGA SPI course provider/examiner.

Description: 600 feet in some places, this steep featured granite wall holds some of the best remote wilderness multi-pitch rock climbing on the east coast. Additionally, many of the highest quality routes are very moderate in their technical grade making it an ideal location for novice and intermediate climbers looking for true adventure style rock climbing. This area is not recommended for novice or intermediate climbers without a guide however; the frequency of storms, the remoteness and length of the climbs make them more serious in nature than most east coast climbing locations. Location: Linville Falls, N.C. is between Morganton, N.C., and Boone N.C. on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is an hour's drive from Asheville, N.C. Climbing Season: Climbing is best in Linville Gorge in the spring through the fall. Linville Gorge is cooler than most areas in the summer due to its elevation, but can be quite hot. The winter can be frigid, but good climbing days can still be found in mid-winter. Routes: Maginot Line (5.7), 3-4 pitches. A beautiful varied line in the heart of the gorge. Straight and Narrow (5.10), 2-3 pitches. Just what the name says. Straight up mixed face and crack climbing. The climb tops out with stellar views of the Gorge. Many more What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at the Linville Gorge. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.

Class is for: Climbers wanting to learn or perfect single pitch skills; climbers wanting to move toward guiding; and camp staff requiring assessment and training in single pitch skills. Prerequisites: Experience climbing indoors or outdoors, and a desire to learn to setup bottom and top managed climbing sites, to move toward professional guiding, or to be climbing staff at an educational facility. Course Description: This course is for recreational climbers looking to improve their skill sets generally or to move toward guiding with new skills and competence on single pitch terrain. This class is also perfect for camp climbing staff to develop single pitch techniques and instructional skills. Content includes bottom site setup and management, belay skills, rappelling setups and rescue techinques on single pitch terrain. Note: Climbers with an interest in guiding and camp staff with real lead climbing experience should consider take the AMGA SPI Course instead of this course. Class Length: Typically 3 days. Instructors: A veteran Granite Arches' AMGA certified instructor.

Class is for: Climbers with some experience looking to begin sport climbing or to improve their sport climbing technique, knowledge base and performance. Prerequisites: General climbing experience and a desire to learn sport leading. Course Description: Learning how to lead sport climbs (climbing from the ground up clipping bolts on the way for protection) opens up vast new territory for beginners, weekend warriors and dirt bag climbers. While considerably less complex than learning to lead climb placing protection with nuts and camming devices, sport climbing has its own risk management challenges and requires specific techniques. Through detailed discussion of gear and techniques as well as extensive use of mock leads, climbers can expect to gain knowledge and experience that allow them to effectively manage the risks and challenges of sport leading. Expect serious gains in your technical knowledge, and a new level of awareness of risk management pertaining to sport climbing. Come climb with us! Class Length: 2 days. Instructors: A veteran Granite Arches' AMGA certified instructor.

Tennessee is a vast wonderland of extremely high quality sandstone rock. Climbers from all over the worlds come here to hone their skills. Cliffs typically range from 40-100 feet, and there is great diversity in the rock features, lending itself to learning beginner, intermediate or advanced face, crack, slab, and overhanging climbing techniques. What We Offer: We offer guided climbs of the hundreds of routes throughout Tennessee. Granite Arches' intensive instruction during these climbs can help both beginning and more advanced climbers meet their goals with maximum enjoyment, efficiency and safety. Our outings are personalized to your own goals. A sample of climbs by location include: This beautiful easily accessed cliff is just minutes from Chattanooga TN and delivers high quality climbing and a commanding view of Raccoon Mountain and the Western horizon. Rattlesnake Route (5.8), 3 pitches. Fantastic corner climbing on exquisite granite in a beautiful location. S'more (5.8). Great corner and roof climbing. Flagstone (5.11). Exquisite steep face climbing. Scream Wall (5.10). Steep face and crack. A great climb for technique practice. Spring Break (5.8). Steep crack to an arete. R.J. Gold (5.9). Finger crack fun. Blonde Ambition (5.7). Super high quality climbing in a great position on the wall.

Description: Table Rock is a classic uprising cliff nestled high in the mountains of North Carolina overlooking the Linville Gorge Wilderness. This steep featured granite wall requires only a very short approach, is blessed with numerous aspects allowing climbing in three seasons, and has a host of moderate, intermediate and expert climbs. Additionally, many of the highest quality routes are very moderate in their technical grade making it an ideal location for novice and intermediate climbers. Location: Table Rock, N.C. is between Morganton, N.C., and Boone N.C. near the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is an hour's drive from Asheville, N.C. Climbing Season: Climbing is best in Table Rock in the spring through the fall. Table Rock is cooler than most areas in the summer due to its elevation, but can be quite hot. The winter can be frigid, but good climbing days can still be found in mid-winter. Routes: Jim Dandy (5.4), 3 pitches. Beautiful lower angle climbing on sharp Table Rock granite. With it's pure eastern exposure, this is a great climb to be on to watch the sunrise, or to catch early morning sunlight on chilly days. Cave Route (5.5), 3 pitches. Another east facing lower angle route. North Ridge (5.6), 3-5 pitches. This route is great in the warmer months. The aesthetic, steep North Ridge often catches dreamy breezes from the NW side of the mountain. White Lightning (5.8), 2-3 pitches. A delightful melding of two other routes, this route starts in a crack and trends right through diverse terrain. Many more What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at Table Rock. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.

Class is for: Beginner, intermediate or advanced climbers who wish to improve their anchor building skills. Prerequisites: None. However, the course is customized to previous experience. Experience dictates depth and breath of instruction. Course Description: Climbing anchors are the core of safe climbing systems on rock, snow and ice. This course is a thorough introduction to rock climbing anchors, and the ideas herein transfer beautifully to snow and ice. This course is customizable; usually an emphasis is placed on building and analyzing bottom managed site anchors ("slingshot" setups) as well as top managed systems using both artificial and natural anchors, including V, N and combination rigs. Like all of our courses, the content is customized to our client's needs, and the course can also cover rigging and retreating from bolted and other fixed anchors. This course will help any indoor climber transition safely to the outdoor arena, and many experienced climbers report great gains in new techniques, technical knowledge, application, and anchor efficiency. Come learn with us! Class Length: We recommend signing up for 2 days of instruction. Instructor: One of Granite Arches' veteran AMGA certified instructors.

Description: Up to 1000 feet in some places, Whiteside Mountain is the epitome of committed serious climbing in the Southeast. This steep granite wall rises abruptly from the North Carolina highlands. Whitesides has considerably few moderate routes, but several climbs to tempt the intermediate climber with a competent guide. The most climbed route on the mountain is the one we guide the most. The "Original Route" is more than ten pitches and is rated 5.11. However, many parties aid through the very short 5.11 section, and the majority of the other climbing is in the 5.7-5.9 range. Also like the Linville Gorge, this area is not recommended for novice or intermediate climbers without a guide due to the relatively poor protection, rapidly developing storms, and the remoteness and length of the climbs. Climbing here is thus more serious in nature than most east coast climbing locations. Location: Whitesides Mountain, N.C. is located near Cashiers, N.C., about 1.5 hours from Asheville NC. Climbing Season: Most of the rock at Whitesides is south facing so it remains relatively warm when compared to the surrounding area. However, due to it's elevation (around 5,000 feet) it remains a bit colder than piedmont region climbs. The best time to climb Whitesides is the Spring and Fall, or during high pressure, clear conditions in winter. Routes: Original Route (5.11), 9-11 pitches. Varied climbing on a magical headwall in the heart of the North Carolina granite belt. Many, many more What We Offer: Granite Arches offers professional rock climbing guiding and instruction year-round at Whitesides Mountain. Granite Arches offers private guided instruction only, so you or your group will not be with any other climbers. Our 'courses' are not set in stone, because our instruction is private and custom tailored to each client. Instead, instructional goals of varying levels are integrated into "focus areas" to be seamlessly woven into your climbing day at the crags. The focus areas covered by you and your guide are determined by your technical skill and practical knowledge and follow a natural progression. Our Credentials: Our climbing guides are professionals who have climbed and guided rock, snow and ice allover the Southeastern US., but also in South America, Greenland, Europe, and Canada. They bring that experience to your rock climbing adventure.