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McKinney Gap and Weaver Knob Boulders at Bald Mt Creek Preserve

Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land (STPAL) has preserved 750 wonderful acres at their Bald Mountain Creek Preserve near Burnsville, NC. IF YOU BELIEVE IN FREE PUBLIC CLIMBING ACCESS, PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING THE CCC AS AN ANNUAL MEMBER! 

Land Managers: STPAL has been amazing to work with as partners in outdoor recreation. STPAL land holds several boulders and STPAL is excited to have the CCC as partners to provide access to the outdoor recreation assets of the preserved land (AKA boulders).  Check out this great article, written by STPAL. Support them if you can or drop them a line saying 'thank you for supporting climbing access!'. 

Guidebook: Purchase WNC New Boulders at www.grounduppublishing.com. 100 percent of proceeds from this guide will be donated to the CCC. 

McKinnney Gap Boulders Beta at Bald Mountain Creek Preserve: 30 minutes north of Asheville. 100+ boulder problems. There is not a guide at this time. In partnership with STPAL, we built a new parking lot at McKinney Gap in 2021. Our C4 Trail Team has built a one mile loop trail and we are trying to raise funds to build more trail.  Please consider donating to our C4 team to help build this great climbing resource, or better yet come on out and volunteer with us!

McKinney Gap Directions: Don't trust GPS. Click here for a google map link. Take Hwy 19 near Burnsville. Turn up Scronce Creek road off of Hwy 19. In 4 miles, Scronce Creek Rd becomes Bald Mountain Creek Rd at McKinney Gap. There is a road sign for McKinney Gap, and parking for the McKinney Gap Boulders is about 200 yards further than this sign. The parking is at a hairpin turn and has room for 8+ cars. 

McKinney Gap Approach: After 100 feet, the trail forks right or left. This is the start of the 'upper loop', which is a `1 mile loop trail that our C4 Trail team has constructed and is complete as of 2021. Boulders are on the trail and some spur trails lead to side boulders. We also hope to complete a lower loop to access more boulders. Please consider donating to our C4 team to help build this great climbing resource!

Weaver Knob Boulders Beta at Bald Mountain Creek Preserve: 30 minutes north of Asheville. 80+ boulder problems. Many nice juggy moderates. Please consider donating to our C4 team to help build this great climbing resource! Volunteer days ongoing in summer 2022. Parking lot is complete thanks to funding support from STPAL, REI, American Alpine Club, and Access Fund. 

Weaver Knob Directions: Don't trust GPS. Follow directions to McKinney Gap Boulders. Drive less than two miles past McKinney, passing the entrance to The Preserve at Wolf Laurel. Look for a parking lot on the left, 200' past the entrance to The Preserve at Wolf Laurel, near power lines. 

Weaver Knob Approach: 20 minute hike. Slightly under 1 mile with some elevation gain that will get your legs and lungs warmed up. Scenic hike.  Walk a few minutes to the “Bald Mountain Creek Trail”, which is an 8’ wide road bed. Stay on the road bed for a few hundred feet and look left for a way to cross over the Bald Mountain Creek. There are white signs that you have to look for but will get you there. From here, the trail switch backs up the hill side, then joins another logging road. In a few more minutes the logging road will have a long split-rail fence on its left side. When the fence ends, the logging road splits downhill (left) or uphill (right). Head left (downhill) for the Sugar Cube Boulder or right for all other upper boulders. For all the upper boulders, walk another few minutes from that intersection and you will see the boulders uphill and right. Sandite and Sand Shark Boulders  have their own approach from the logging road and will be seen first, then all of the others are just a few hundred feet up the logging road and seen uphill. If you went to Sugar Cube Boulder first and want to access the other upper boulders, walk straight uphill and you will find them. We are currently working on a trail that will take you down the backside of the mountain as a full loop, providing access to another few boulders on the north side of the mountain.

Video: Thank you Snake Owl Productions. Click here for a McKinney Gap climbing video. 

Camping/ lodging nearby in Erwin, TN: https://usaraft.com/lodging/

Area Rep: Shannon Millsaps, smillsaps@carolinaclimbers.org

 

McKinney Gap Boulders: