| Consolation Routes (5.0-5.2) Route |
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| Consolation Routes (5.0-5.2)   | 
| Page Type: Route Lat/Lon: 38.60340°N / 78.3683°W Route Type: Trad Climbing, Scrambling Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Time Required: Less than two hours Rock Difficulty: 5.2 (YDS)
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| Page By: Bob Sihler Created/Edited: Apr 23, 2007 / Apr 25, 2007 Object ID: 287749 Hits: 1043 Loading... Page Score: 87.31% - 6 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
OverviewI offer this page for those of us who can't or don't use rope but who like challenging scrambles that get into technical climbing. I have climbed both routes and can say they are both interesting and fun. One is a chimney-type route up a steep, dark, and narrow gully; the other is a more traditional rock route. Both are within a few paces of each other and make a great pair.
Getting There  This outcrop near the start of the climb makes for some good bouldering.
The Little Stony Man parking area is in the park’s Central District at MP 39 on Skyline Drive. If entering the park at the Front Royal or Thornton Gap entrance, drive south. If entering at Rockfish Gap or Swift Run Gap, drive north.
To get directly to the base of the cliffs, hike on the AT to the junction with the Passamaquoddy Trail, which leads to a ledge offering a great view of the cliffs and then turns left to run directly beneath the cliffs. This page's routes are near the northern end of the cliffs, where the trail bends left.
Route Description
As you read the text, please study the photo to the left.
Look closely, and you will see two entertaining but reasonably safe routes. Both are good for unroped climbers who are skilled scramblers. If neither route is to your liking but you want to do more than hike to the top, keep looking left for a nice Class 3 scramble. For that route, though, it’s better to approach it more directly from the big bend of the Passamaquoddy Trail below.
To approach the two climbs, clamber to a large, obvious ledge approaching the northern end of the cliffs.
#1: Where the bright sunlight meets the shadow, there is an easy Class 4 upclimb to the small, vegetated ledge at center left. From there, climb up along the left side of the shadowed area to the base of the protruding rock that has a sliver of sunlight on it. Climbing the crack left of that rock to the top of the rock is the route’s crux and also its most-exposed pitch. It’s Class 4-5.2, depending on your interpretations and experience. After that, the summit is a quick and easy scramble away.
#2: The center of the shadowed area shows what one might call either a large crack or a steep, narrow gully. Climb it. It’s easier than it looks when you’re viewing it from the approach, but expect about 5.2 conditions. This spot receives little sunlight, so be prepared for moist, mossy conditions there. It was dry when I climbed it, but the cool rocks felt slippery, and the moss on some of them made it worse.
Essential GearI used rock shoes, but you could get away with hiking boots or even hiking sandals with nice grip. Wear a helmet. Of course, you could rope up, but I offer this page in the spirit of unroped climbing. It's really here for us mortal scramblers.
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Blue Ridge Mountains
