Sometimes you climb a route just for its position. This route has position and climbs really well too. It’s also one of the oldest routes in the gorge. Safe easy aid climbing through the roof. I yanked out some old broken angles and cleaned out the placements for cams. There’s still a bong at the bottom of the aid pitch I forget to pull but it would be nice to get it out of there as it’s in a .75/1” crack. There’s a couple ancient rivets that I left but maybe they should be knocked off? You don’t use them or need them. I left him for history’s sake but they’d prob pop off with a light bounce. This is one of those routes people call C2 but it’s only C2 if the verticals blades stay put.... so it’s just easy A2 at best with fixed gear. I bounced them with everything I had trying to get them to pull and they stayed so they’re good for now. If repeating many years later than the date I posted this route you might want to bring a couple blades and a hammer.  Pitches 1&2 climb either primitive paradox, bt express to primitive to go directly up Wings of Wallenda before traverse left on pitch 1 of PP. Although the anchors at the top of PP have a great ledge and are the better belay. Best to link these pitches for times sake. Pitch 3 climb the big crack and then aid out the mega steep roof. Super fun risk free climbing. After the roof there’s a ledge to the left where you can build an anchor. Probably best for whoever’s cleaning the route to just re-aid it to keep the rope from getting notched otherwise just tie the rope of below the roof Pitch 4 make a 5.6 move then 4th class to the top

Wally’s Roof

Wings of Wallenda

Flying Frog

Copperhead Row

Escaping Time

Backseat Delilah

Georgia Meatshower

Confirmation Bias

Punk Wave

The Diagonal

Splendor

Creatures Void Of Form

Into the Country (aka Out in the Country)

Tourist Trap

Splendid

Digital Delight

I Yam What I Yam

Primitive Paradox

Chimichanga

Rapture of the Steep

Autumn Gold

Mescaline Daydream

Copperhead Row Direct Finish

The Thorn

Happy Enchilada

Truth or Consequences

Divine Entropy

Chimney Route

A Rememberance of Jeff

BT Express

Highly Wired

Astro-Geodesy

Flying Squirrel

A great climb on beautiful rock, Primitive Paradox is well protected but strenuous in places.  The exposure is some of the nicest in the gorge. 

  P1 - start up an easy slab into a right-facing corner.  Continue up the corner to mount a shallow ledge, then traverse left on the ledge to a bolted belay. 100' 

  P2 - from the belay, move slightly right, then climb another short right-facing corner (pro is a little hard to find here).  Continue up a blocky face to a right-leaning, right-facing corner.  Climb this to another ledge; make a mantel finish on slopey holds to reach a bolted anchor. 100'

This is essentially a linkup of the first pitch of Primitive Paradox and the crux pitch of Punk Wave via a crack and a bit of face climbing. 

  After the inital corner, continue straight up aiming for the finger crack up high. 

  A long, plumb line.

A must-do!  For most of its length, Flying Frog is delicate face climbing on crimpy holds with sparse but adequate pro.  When you reach the top of this long expanse of beautiful black rock, you'll feel like you've done something special. 

  Climb the face past a small tree growing out of a crack (keep the tree to your right).  Continue up the face, trending left, and on to a right-facing dihedral near the top.  Climb the dihedral to finish on a ledge. 

  NOTE:  If you're not ready to lead this one yet, Flying Frog can be toproped after leading Mescaline Daydream and rapping on double ropes.

This is the obvious right facing corner system as you pass the Diagonal. This climb is great and a must do for the grade. In fact, it's likely the best for its grade in the state. This climb has a great variety of movement, plentiful gear, and a touch of spice at the end. It's a good idea to sling the last few pieces in the corner long before you do the crux sequence to keep drag down for the end.

P1- 5.10 - Start up the 5.9 left facing roof corner that was often finished on slings around an eastern cedar on a ledge. Continue up past the cedar through an open corner face up to a ledge system with an anchor above and left. A green C3 or equivalent is needed to protect just after crux of this pitch.  

 P2- 5.11 - Start up the face just left of the anchor aiming towards a thin seem corner system up and left. This corner system is the crux and is protected by small cams. A green and red C3 were used as well as a purple/blue offset mastercam to protect through the crux sequence. The gear is bomber here and the falls are clean. Above the seam is a bulge/mini roof that you climb up and left though a dirty corner. Climb above this corner, up a short run out to the anchor just below a short roof. 

 P3- 5.8 PG13 - This pitch is short and not well protected. Traverse right from the belay and get to a left facing corner with gear. Sling it long and climb up and left to get established on the large ledge system above to an anchor above a dead tree.

 P4- 5.9 - Climb up to the roof and aim for the weakness on the left side of the roof. At the lip of the roof lean out and right and climb out over the lip to the exposed sequence to get established above. The exposure here is great considering the moderate terrain. Once above the lip the climbing is easy to the top. Climb up to the anchor on the large pine above. While this pitch is not difficult, protect the pitch with your second in mind. If they were to fall anywhere below or at the roof and you don't sew it up, they will swing out into space and need a jug to get up.

Direct start to Flying Frog.  Pass two bolts to join FF on the face above.  Pull the right facing dihedral.

P1 5.11a- Start up an easier ramp to an obvious ledge. Mantel onto the ledge and get a couple pieces of gear.  Either go up direct from there or step right and go up to a horizontal with gear.  This section has ledge fall potential and is possibly pg-13.  Once established in an undercling rest with a good placement, move up and right through the sloper crux to get to the belay ledge above.  This pitch can get dirty from the main drainage that also goes over Escaping Time. P2 5.12c/d?- This is a really fun pitch! From the ledge start up an undercling and side pulls to a good jug.  From here continue up edges to another rest in a short, deep crack.  From here, move up into the corner to get below the crux.  Figure out the crux, to get up to a tricky rest.  Pull a second crux, though not as hard as the first, to get to the anchor.  -The grades could be off but it is a fun route with great movement.

Climb up to a short roof below an obvious left facing corner. Climb this corner up until it ends. From here pull the boulder problem crux to get to a good rest jug. Climb up and left through another boulder problem to get established onto the sloped ledge above. Join the last 15-20 feet of P2 of Divine Entropy to get to the anchor. Either Rappel down or continue to the top.

Pitch 1: Start at hand crack in a corner down stream from Primitive Paradox. Follow this crack through blocky bulge working left. Follow steep face to right facing corner to a bolted belay station. Pitch 2: Step left, around the corner, then up to a flake and finger crack to a bolted belay station. Many parties rap here.Pitch 3: Traverse right and through huge roof following easiest path to a ledge, then continue to top.

Climb the far left hand crack to a stance on the right face, then "wrassle" your way up into a v notch/off-width nightmare (Yosemite style), keep squirming your way to a rest.  Continue up the dihedral/flake to another rest on a big block.  You are now on top of the sling nest where the two variations finish and looking up at more "wrassling" in another v notch.  Okay, so now, gear, smear on crappy feet and finger lock your way to a hand jam.  Gear.  And continue to the fixed hex and the top.  And don't forget the occasional back/butt smear. 

  The bolt is no more. 

  There are two additional starts to the right...one is 5.8, the other 5.9.  These both end at slings and biners about 60 feet up.

This is the next route right of The Diagonal. It starts in an often vegetated left facing corner. Just before the corner reaches a giant sloped ledge, you traverse left on an undercling flake system to reach the obvious right angling crack. This crack often fills in with grass but can easily be cleaned. The crux is midway or so up the crack. When the crack reaches the corner system, step right and finish up at the anchor of Copper Head Row. This route may feel harder the shorter you are. 

This description is for P1 only.  Start off with a fun, burly V4 boulder problem to get established in the right facing, overhung corner.  Continue up and right on pumpy 5.10 climbing to a hidden rest.  Hint: wear pants.  Pull a tricky 5.11 sequence then get established in the open corner/chimney feature above.  This is a great rest.  From here, establish onto the face and follow the weakness up some 5.9 technical climbing to the anchor.  This was originally climbed as an aid line by the first ascent party and I'm pretty sure it's been free climbed before me.  It was a hot and humid Summer day when I climbed it so the grade could be off.

Step off a huge boulder onto the face under a small roof. Once established move right and then up through stacked roofs. Pull over the left side of the last of three small stacked roofs via great holds and a high step. Face climb up to a large ledge to finish, 60'. 

  The next pitch is the second pitch of the Chimney Route (5.7), 90'. Awkward start to climb past a manky piton and into the "chimney." Follow this feature up to another large ledge where you join Mescaline Daydream. From here continue up to the bolted anchor for Flying Frog to rap or finish to the rim of the gorge.

This route starts the same as the first pitch of Escaping Time which was originally stopped short as a single pitch. Instead of going up and left when you reach the roof traverse right. Exit from under the roof to gain another corner that faces left. Climb over this blocky section and onto the face above. Belay at the bottom of right facing corner with a huge roof above. 5.10Pitch 2 climb the corner/face and traverse right under the roof eventually pulling around into the next vertical corner. Be mindful of the large detached block at your feet when doing so. Could be solid but I don’t touch it. Climb this corner to above. Pitch 2 & 3 have been combined before just be mindful of your placements and extend to avoid terrible rope drag or pitch it out. 5.10Pitch 3 Easy climbing up slab/face through a brushy section. 5.6Pitch 4 Climb the large fun steep corner on the left. The original final pitch to Digital Delight will be the other corner on the right. 5.8/9?

This route shares the same start as Splendor. Rather than travers left before the sloped ledge as you do on Splendor, continue up and over to stay in the corner system. Pass two small roofs in the corner to get established above into easier terrain. Folks have different opinions on which roof is the crux. Rather than climb through the root system of the tree above, step right onto the face and continue up to the shared anchor with Copperhead Row.

One of the few moderates in the gorge, Digital Delight is a fun challenge for the leader breaking into the 5.8 grade.  Most climbers skip the dirty first pitch, instead opting to take the trail switchback to the big ledge at the top of P1 and start on the second pitch.  This is one of a few climbs that tops out on the lip of the gorge. 

  P1 - climb a vegetated corner that angles up and right to a tree ledge (actually a continuation of the base trail). 60'   P2 - work your way up a chimney, passing a tree, to a sizeable ledge; move left to belay. 80'   P3 - stem and crack climb up a nice orange corner, leading to another ledge.  Avoid knocking off loose rock as you move left to a slung tree and belay. 50'   P4 - traverse slightly left from the belay, then move up a right-facing corner, trending right under roofs, and continue to the top of the gorge. 110'

Begin on horizontals; work up and left to the overhanging crack/corner; pull three overlaps to the top; rap from P2 belay on 'Chimney Route'

P1 - Either start up some side pull pinches on the right for about 10 ft then move left at a horizontal seam or reach high from the ground and go straight up to the left side of that seam. Reach a good side pull pinch up and left to transfer to the face up and left with a good horizontal with great gear. Pull a fun 5.9 sequence to get established into an easier corner system up and left. Continue up this corner system up and right on easier climbing. There are a few detached but wedged rocks about halfway up to be aware of. After passing this section continue up and right on easier terrain with a ramp feature for your feet. A short corner will take you up and left to the belay ledge.P2 - Pull up over a bulge past the anchor to an obvious feature with good gear. Get established in this cool section with some fun stemming then reach left to a good side pull to clip a bolt. Pull the tough and interesting crux, clip another bolt then get to a ledge above. Either build a belay, use the tree as a belay, move further right to the belay for Divine Entropy, or continue to the top in one longer pitch. It’s probably best to just to combine P2 and P3 as one long pitch.P3 - From the ledge, continue up the face to top out on the ledge at the top of Digital Delight. 

Pull the bulge on first pitch of Punk Wave.  Either belay here or continue up and left.  Then cut right to the finger crack.  Clip one bolt and gain the ledge.

A fine piece of face climbing that will keep you guessing.  This one sports some updated hardware and great gear, so don't hesitate to get on it! 

  Just below a white streaked roof with a bolt above it, start on hollow but good flakes.  Move up to the roof following good, but tricky gear in solid rock.  Clip the first bolt and start into the ramps.  Try to figure out the next section before pumping out.  Continue up and right following two more bolts and sloped ramps with some intermittent gear.  Get to a large sloped ledge with a short dihedral.  Continue up right into a larger corner to a roof.  Move right onto a big slab ramp with bolts to belay.  The bolts are just below the two steep aid lines.

An outstanding route, probably the finest for the grade at Tallulah.  It's well protected with some interesting roof moves on great rock.  Don't miss Mescaline Daydream! 

  P1 - Starting under a small roof, move up and left of the roof into a short squeeze chimney that ends under a huge roof.  Undercling the roof out left and escape up using a corner at the left end of the roof.  Move up the corner to a spacious ledge and belay. 80'   P2 - Climb to an alcove, then move up and right pulling a small roof (crux).  Continue up by laybacking and stemming a gorgeous right-facing corner to the top. 120'

This is a direct finish to Copperhead Row. At the good side pull rest, rather than go left on the face for the 11a crux of Copperhead Row, stay in the corner system all the way to the anchor. A .2 Z4/X4 Black Diamond cam is the perfect size to protect this last section of climbing. This is an awesome way to finish the pitch! This may be easier or hard depending on height or different beta. 

This line starts in the corner system right of the start of Copperhead Row. I believe this is the same corner system The Rose started in but could be wrong. Follow the corner up to the overhung face. Above you is a right arching undercling weakness. Fight up it until you get to a good rest before the final steep face. Climb the face to a mantel and the anchors above. Note the large hold that you climb up transitioning from the low angle corner system to the steep undercling system is a little hollow sounding. There's good gear below it and above it. This is a great climb for the grade with a tough crux that can be done a couple different ways. The crux favors strong bouldering types.  

John Prine - Happy EnchiladaThis is a really fun variation start to the first pitch of Chimichanga.  Start up big side pull pinches to a great jug. From there follow side pulls and a handful of crimps to get to the crux section roughly 30-40 feet up. Pull the crux to get to a good horizontal and transfer up and left to get established on a good ledge. Finish up the last 1/3 of the first pitch of Chimichanga. The movement on this pitch is very fun. You can also climb this up and right to join Divine Entropy.

Start the same as BT Express, up the crimp face left of Primitive Paradox to a mantle.  Climb up to the first shelf in the dihedral and cut left onto the face via good feet.  Climb straight up past two bolts to the P1 anchor for Primitive Paradox.

P1- 5.11a - Start with a balance sequence moving right then up to face with a couple thin seams. The seams protect with a couple small nuts. Move up to an obvious huge hold at the base of the short roof and then up to a horizontal up and left just under the lip. From here break out and right following an arching seam through the face above. After the crux move up to a large ledge system to an anchor.

 P2- 5.12 c/d - From the anchor move up and left to an obvious weakness through the face above. Crimp your way up though the sequential face until you get a thin rest. From here fire up through another tough yet easier section until you mantle onto a small ledge above. This sequence may be easier the taller you are. Continue up easier lower angle terrain to the anchor.  Rappel down from here or contour to the top. 

 P3- 5.8 - Work your way up to the obvious crack above and climb to the top. The top is sloped and dirty so be careful. 

Climb up an often dirty chimney to get to a ledge above with an anchor.  The crux is not getting stuck.  The second pitch pulls a short corner roof to get to a weakness that leads to the top of P2 of Mescaline Daydream.  Rap down or continue up to the 'cave', and top out the cliff.  Note - despite the easy grade, this is not a great option to climb out of the gorge at the end of the day if you have a pack or anything like that.    

Only bolted route on the main wall. Follows blunt arete up to Rapture of the Steep's anchors. crux moves are just before mantle at top.

Amazing route with really thin and funky stemming. Crank a V1 start over a not so great landing to the first gear pretty high up, then climb the thin crack/corner to the P1 ledge of Primitive Paradox. Do it!

P1: Climb up a very cool feature past a bolt protected 5.10 move to gain a shallow 5.8 corner above.  There's ground fall potential just before getting a good piece about 15ft above bolt.  Follow the corner to the ledge and step left 5ft to start up the weakness above with good gear and fun movement.  Follow it up to an obvious flake/crack section above.  Pull the powerful crux section, with a strenuous but bomber placement, to get to the rest above.  Traverse right 5ft to the shared anchor with Cracker State and Georgia Meatshower.  This pitch is classic!P2: Traverse way left staying kind of low with sparse pro and continue up the face to a huge right angling, right facing corner. Belay on ledge above corner. This pitch can be somewhat runout for leader and followerP3: Pick a cool looking path to the top, wandering if you want to make it easier or better protected.

This route offers great, technical movement up a series of fun features.  It's a great intro to the grade and is well protected.  This starts up a steep section to get established at the base of a ramp with a good rest about 20ft up.  (Alternatively, you can start on Autumn Gold and move right to a lower ramp after the hollow flakes, climb up that ramp with some tricky movement to get established at the base of the next ramp with the good rest at a similar difficulty but completely different style than the direct start.)  After the rest, continue up the ramp to transition right from good crimps/edges to an obvious side pull/undercling pinch feature.  Follow it up to a tricky horizontal and a series of side pulls and underclings to get established on another rest above.  This whole section of climbing is the crux and extremely fun!  After the rest, balance up and left to a good rest with gear at the base of the final two ramps. Pull a tricky mantel move to get to your last 'rest'.   From here, balance your way up the final ramp to get established on the ledge above.  This last section is also very fun and completely different than the rest of the route!  

 

Climb Flying Frog until you achieve the ledge beneath the finger crack and small roof. Cut right ~4 meters and follow what appears from the ground to be a zig-zag weakness up the long, at times rather tricky to protect headwall face to a vegetated ledge.

Tallulah's Main Wall is on the north side of the gorge.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Main Wall