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Sauratown

Area Rep: Bryce Mahoney bmahoney@carolinaclimbers.org 

Land Manager: YMCA Camp Hanes, leased by CCC

Annual Climbing Waiver: You must fill out this form once per climbing season to climb at Sauratown 

Guides and Info

 

Open December 1 - March 31 only!  

Carolina Climbers Coalition has reached a 20 year lease agreement (until 2037) with the owners of Sauratown that provides access for climbers. CCC pays $5,000 per year for this lease. Please consider donating. Home to a number of classic trad lines and a number of excellent sport climbs, the area had been closed for many years due to a variety of factors. If you've never climbed at Sauratown it's the best winter cragging in the Piedmont - steep and pumpy on incredible rock.

There's a new approach trail funded by grants from REI and the American Alpine Club, the trail is much more sustainable, a better walking layout, and builds a very strong relationship with the camp.

Here's a few things you need to know about the new trail:

  • PLEASE ONLY USE THE NEW TRAIL AND DON"T CUT THE SWITCHBACKS!
  • Watch for roots, loose rocks and other tripping hazards
  • While hiking up and down, feel free to toss rocks to the side of the trail to help improve the surface. It's a little thing you can do every time you climb that will benefit everyone.

 

What to Expect

A mix of sport and trad routes ranging from 5.6 to 5.12, with a concentration of routes in the 5.10-5.11 grades. Steep and pumpy, you should be comfortable on the grade of any particular route. Much of the fixed hardware has been replaced and upgraded, but older bolts are still found on some routes. The sport routes may have longer spacing between the bolts than you may be used to (more like the New than the Red) and a stick clip is handy for some of the first bolts. 

 

Access notes

IMPORTANT! Access will ONLY be allowed from December 1 to March 31st and is 7 days a week. Dogs are NOT allowed. Access is available starting 8 AM. Please do not jeapordize all of the hard work that has gone into this by trying to go to Sauratown at any other time. The cliff remains closed except for those times.  Don't be the person who gets the gate slammed in our face. Seriously, don't.

Many thanks to Camp Hanes, who has partnered with us on this and to the climbers who humped stainless steel up the trail and replaced bolts and anchors, flagged trail and cleaned up the base of the cliff.  Special thanks to our partners at REI for their grant support that led to the creation of the new trail.

There is a fee associated with this agreement that the CCC is paying to get everyone access to the property. Please consider making a donation to help us recover those funds so we can use them for future projects.

Please note the following list of things you're not allowed to do at Sauratown per the agreement with Camp Hanes:

  • No dogs or other pets
  • No hunting
  • No use or discharge of firearms or explosives of any kind
  • No firewood cutting or gathering
  • No disturbing, gathering or removing, plants, rocks, cultural artifacts or other materials
  • No fishing
  • No swimming
  • No use of manmade climbing platforms or walls
  • No boating
  • No use of any intoxicating substances

 

Directions

  • Access is via Camp Hanes, 1225 Camp Hanes Road King, NC 27021  
  • When you enter the camp - drive SLOWLY! Respect the camp facilities and other visitors.
  • Parking is in the gravel lot across the field that is behind the Baker Center, use the Baker Center lot for overflow parking only 
  • From the gravel lot, cross Camp Hanes Road, hike the short gravel road to the end and the trailhead begins just left of the large blue water tank. The new trail is obvious and heads left and switchbacks up. Continue up that trail and it will take you to the cliff near the base of Stokes County Monkey Trial. Where the trail meets the first rock bands, there is a trail that cuts right and skirts the base of the cliff. This trail takes you to the end of the climbing area near the route "Beer Bellies" and can be used to avoid the step across the open area in the cliff on the upper trail. The hike is fairly steep and takes about 30 minutes.
  • Please fill out a waiver at the kiosk near the camping platforms
  • Please carpool if possible.
  • There are bathrooms in the basement of the Baker Center
  • Map to find trailhead:

 

Camping 

Free camping is available on the weekends only, please call the camp in advance at (336) 983-3131 to let them know you want to camp. There are platforms and tent sites available