Climb the steep face past 3 bolts to a funky mantel. From the stance above the mantel, move up and slightly right past a good subtle #2 camelot placement in a horizontal. Continue up past another finger size horizontal to a 2 bolt anchor in bear's head.

Bearly There

Unknown 12a

Devil's Cap

Original Route

Vision Quest

Grin and Bear it

Invisible People

Twin Seams

A fun route with a low bouldery crux that probably clocks in at about 12a.

Move up the steep start on small holds and perhaps a big move. Better holds lead to another bolt at a block. Move onto the block and clip another bolt below a thin face. Move up, using the arete a bit, to good holds and the last bolt.  Continue up a few feet to the anchor (cold shuts).

Pull a low roof boulder problem past a bolt. Gain the face left of the arete and do another hard bouldery move. Above this the climbing eases off a bit and you're near the arete. Reach up and plug in a yellow #1 metolius, then climb up to a no hands perch under the "bear's head" (medium cams here). Clip one more bolt high, then pull the final boulder prob (steep V3 or so) to gain the slopey top and a 2 bolt ring anchor on the bear's head -- look for the good anchor clipping hold.

This is the first line that was climbed on the spire. Climb up through the overhang in the center of the East face, past a bolt and left towards a line of bolts. Additional pro can be used before and after the first bolt. After the last bolt, trend back to the right and head up to the belay rings located on the detached head. Cams can be used to protect the final moves. This route was rated a 5.8 originally. This is the easiest route to the top and could be aided if need be. Standing on top of the head of the spire provides one of the more aesthetic views of the Linville Gorge.

Start by climbing up to the awkward roof on the south face. Pull roof and get gear (on the right) before a big traverse left to an old bolt with homemade hanger just around the corner (west face). Move up (and left I guess) and face climb up to the base of the block/bear's head. Traverse back right and to the top. The gear seems fairly minimal and the climbing is not terribly secure -- so proceed with caution on this one.

Good route to use double ropes on.

This is perhaps one of the better and cleaner lines of the grade on the spire. A funky roof start, techy middle section, and a powerful arete gives way to an excellent juggy finish.

Start on Vision Quest by climbing the corner through the awkward roof to get established onto the face above. Instead of moving left toward the left arete, move up past a bolt (this is bolt one of an older unknown route that was replaced). From here, move up and slightly right on small edges to another bolt, then step right to the other arete. Make a powerful lieback move up the left side (of the arete) to an excellent out-of-sight jug. Finish on big holds.

This route climbs the middle of the west face (gorge side) between the 2 newer mixed lines. Exact line is  somewhat lost to obscurity, but I believe it a face/seam (stopper) up to a left trending corner, then up the wall to the top. I'm posting it here for the sake of posterity and to reduce the chances of accidental retrobolting in the future.

Thomas Kelly's "The climber's guide to NC" describes  climbing up to a good stopper placement and then continuing to the top on overhanging rock and minimal pro.

This is the bolted line on the right side of the East face.

Originally rated 10- by the FA party. But most would agree that even 10+ is a sandbag for the low crux moves.

It's probably a good idea to stick clip the first bolt. Climb through the low roof past the first bolt (crux) to gain the face above. Continue up the face past 3 more bolts to a 2 bolt anchor.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Sitting Bear Spire