Looking Glass Rock is probably the most iconic climbing area in the S.E. and certainly one of the most well known and well visited.
This 600' granite monolith rises imposingly out of the center of the Pisgah National Forest in the Shining Rock Wilderness. As impressive as this dome is it is quite user friendly and is as adventurous as one chooses it to be! Well protected moderates and advanced climbs await traditional climbers as well as run out test pieces and A1-A4+ aid routes asked to be climbed by novice and honed aid climbers on the shady North Face of Looking Glass.
Looking Glass hosts five different and varied climbing areas:
The south face: Home to one to three pitch routes from 5.6 to 5.12
The Sun Wall: Home to one to five/six pitch routes from 5.9 to 5.12
The Nose area: Home to the most classic route on the Glass, The Nose. (5.8) and a host of other fine multi-pitch classics up to 5.11
The North Face: Home to aid routes up to A4+ and free climbs to 5.13
The Hidden Wall: Technical edging and face climbers rejoice! Multi-pitch routes from 5.9 to 5.12
Side Note: Most routes at Looking Glass require two ropes to descend.
Bring your TCU's and tri-cams plus lots of long runners.
See the Selected Climbs of North Carolina for topos and more info.
