Cooper's Rock - Upper Rock City

WARNING: Climbing is Potentially Dangerous!

Upper Rock City Area

Upper Rock City is the area nearest the concession stand and main overlook parking. This is also one of the more populated areas, with majority of day hikers walking along the rattlesnake trail. The area is filled with boulders, which is a good thing since it is called "Rock City". Because of its easy access, established trails, and the largest concentration of boulders "Rock City" has good potential for new routes. Unfortunately it also has the largest potential for damaging climber status with Cooper's Rock officials. Since there are so many (non climbing) day users and the access to Rock City is so easy, it is easy to imagine abundant chalk marks, or inappropriate conduct could result in a negative image for climbers. We all know it only takes a few incidents, or complaints to ruin our fun. Please follow these suggestions to help promote a positive image for climbers.

Clean up your trash, and additional garbage you see
Keep the volume to a minimum
Reduce the amount of chalk you use
Clean the chalk tick marks off after your done
Keep pets on a leash, and please bury their mess
Use existing trails only

Rock City has an abundance of top rope routes which are well documented in an old guidebook by Bill Webster called "Gritsone Climbs" (out of print). His book provides a good general map of the area near the concession stand. Most recently Adam Polinsiki's samplers (also out of print) provided a handful of documented boulder problems for this area as well. Our guide list previously documented and newly established routes, both top rope and bouldering. Rock City is excellent for beginners or groups because you can potentially drop a rope on any of the 25-35 foot high boulders.

Access:
Once inside the park drive about 3 miles (South) on the main park road, heading towards the overlook area. Pass the large parking lots on the left and right (overflow parking), Continuing to the parking lot at the end (near the concession stand) and park. Locate the water fountain (left of the concession stand) this is where the access trail begins. Follow the trail down hill about 100 yards, till you reach some stone steps leading to a small stone court yard. Continue down hill through this court yard till you come to the Rattlesnake Trail (usually a post with no sign here), take this trail to the right a few hundred feet and you will come to another rock courtyard, This is the Romulus and Remus area, these blocks are 30 feet tall and have hueco filled roofs, there is also a large rock shelter on the right side. Across from Romulus and Remus wall there is an alleyway, this is Rock City Alleyway.

Recommended Gear

Bouldering:
Crash pad
Hold brush
Blow hose
Chalk bag
Climbing shoes

Top Rope Anchors:
Misc. Trad gear
20 ft. to 30 ft. webbing slings
Oval & locking biners
Quick Draws
50m rope
Ground cloth or rope bag

Lead (Sport or Trad):
Medium Trad rack
Various slings
Quick draws
50m rope
Ground cloth or rope bag

Click HERE to download a printable Rock City Mini-Guide (210kb). Please be patient with the dowload and remember you will need Acrobat Reader to view and print.
The guide includes routes, topos, directions, and access issues>

To download Acrobat Reader
click the icon below.

Rock City Alley Area
Rock City Alley Area has been climbed for years, and hides a few interesting top rope routes and boulder problems. From the above mentioned posts with no sign (Rattle Snake Trail) follow the trail down hill to the right, with a large slab boulder on your right and left. Continue through a few boulders until you come to a second stone courtyard. This court yard has a large roof and rock shelter on your right, and a alley between 2 large boulders on your left. The Alley on your left is the "Rock City Alley Way". The boulders here are around 30 feet tall. The face on your right with a small 2 ft.) roof (with hueco holds) is the Romulus and Remus wall.

1.) Colorful Corner (V3):
One of Cooper's classic boulder problems, a good example of arete climbing at Cooper's Rock. Crimp and slap your way up the arete to a good jug 11 feet up.

Walking through the Rock City Allayway

2.) The Ray Charles Traverse (V3):
START: on the face right of "Colorful Corner" a low traverse left will bring you to a blind move around the arete.

3.) Romulus 5.7 (25 ft.)
START: Just left of "Colorful Corner" climb the face to the top.

4.) Remus 5.7 (25 ft.)
START: at the left end of the face, climb up the to the roof, using the hueco holds in the roof to pull the overhang. The top portion can be very dirty after a hard rain.

Directly across from Romulus and Remus is a tall stone alleyway (SEE IMAGE ABOVE) about 25 feet tall. inside this alley is a cluster of moderate to difficult boulder problems and top rope routes. If you plan on setting TR anchors remember to bring long webbing, and some gear to place into the cracks on top.

5.) Right Side Blunt Arete V?
START: begin on the blunt arete (right side) climbing up to the horizontal, continue left on the horizontal heading up to the rhododendron at the top.

6.) Triple X (V1):
This problem follows a series of sharp right-facing flakes to a traverse left and finishing on a large jug.

Rock City Alley area

7.) Raindrop (V1+):
Begin on Triple X, but continue straight up on positive but small crimpers to the horizontal.

8.) Apes Don't Tape (V3+):
Begin beneath the jug and crimp your way to it.

9.) Rugosity Wall 5.10 (25 ft.)
Ascend the overhanging left facing flake system up through the field of iron rugosities, continue up through an awkward roof.

10.) Rock City Crack 5.7 (25 ft.)
Start: left of the previous climb, scramble your way to the ledge 5 ft. up, and follow the crack and flake system which start 8 ft. off the ground, all the way to the top.

11.) Death to Klingons 5.12- (25 ft.)
Start: This route ascend the series of roofs left of the Rock City Crack, through the steepest point of the wall. Start: Locate a small undercling hold on the lowest roof, follow this line to the top. Beware of your swing should you come off, you'll more than likely end up on the slab behind you.

12.) Green Slab Arete 5.5 (30 ft.)
Start: Directly behind the Triple X face is an obvious mossy slab called the green slab. Start: on the left most arete of this slab (nearest Romulus & Remus), climb up the arete to the top. Long webbing and some trad gear are need for top rope anchors.

13.) The Green Slab 5.3 (30 ft.)
Start: Directly behind Triple X is an obvious right facing flake in the middle of the tallest part of the slab. Long webbing and some trad gear are need for top rope anchors.

Tilted Block
Continue through the Rock City Crack Alleyway towards the river, until you meet up with the trail again. On your left is a small boulder and on your right is a long, short overhanging wall. This is "Tilted Block" with its short overhanging sloped face it is a good place for potential new routes. There are also 2 short crack routes (both 5.9 range). The walk off or down climb from this block is on the backside or, its West face (opposite end from Rock City Alleyway).

14.) Ghost (V0-)
Start: at the large crack on this overhanging face's right end. Climb up the crack and your are done. To get down go to the opposite end of this face and down climb the short vertical face around the corner.

Right Arete of Tilted Block

15.) Unknown (V2)
Just left of "Ghost" on the short overhanging wall are a series of shopper holds leading to the lip. Looks fun, but no other information available yet.

16.) Ghoul (5.9, V0)
Continue let down this overhanging face past the large tree to the next large hand/fist crack. Climb up and over the lip.

17.) Tomb Raider (V3)
At the left most end of this short overhanging wall is an interesting power problem, Start: at the base of the arete (sitting) use a few good holds on the left and placing your feet where you can. Move up to the large sloper knob about 7 feet up, then power up to the large knob at the lip.

18.) Easy way Up (5.5)
Around the corner of this block is a taller vertical wall with good holds throughout...good for warm up and beginners. This is also the best way off the boulder.

The Ship's Prow

Ship's Prow
From the left end of "Tilted Block" you will be in a courtyard with a prominent roof and arete feature (see image).
19.) Unknown Low Roof (V?)
The low roof offers several boulder problem variations. Be careful of loose rock under the roof, many of the flakes sound a little hollow.

20.) Ship's Prow 5.4 (30ft.)
Attain the ledge above the large roof about 7 feet off the ground. Continue out to the nose and traverse to the right side. Go up on good holds.

21.) Ship's Prow Direct 5.6 (30ft.)
Start just below the nose and to it's right. Climb up to the ledge, then head straight up on the left side of the nose.

22.) Skillful Wall 5.4 (25ft.)
Just right of the roof, continue to the top on this face with good holds

Corrosion Wall:
Standing at at the low roof, with your back against the rock, look to your right and you will see a 25ft. block. This block has a large dead tree at the base of it's arete. This is Corrosion Block and it offers some great beginner trad and top rope.
23.) Corrosion Wall 5.2 (25ft.)
Just beneath the large roof, climb up the slab on easy horizontal holds. Once you reach the roof, follow the horizontal crack system to right past the roof. Head up the easy water groove to the top.

24.) Corrosion Direct 5.3 (25ft.)
Fight the vegetation at at the arete of this wall, climb straight up to meet with the previous route.

25.) The Bat Eliminate 5.10-5.11(25ft.)
Begin on "Corrosion Wall" heading up the easy holds to the roof. Follow the crack line out the roof to the top

26.) Scots Pine Crack 5.2 (25ft.)
Around the corner from "Corrosion Direct" is an obvious crack system which leads to the top.

27.) Backside Face (V?):
This route used to interest me before the tree fell. Locate the large fallen tree on the backside of Corrosion Block. Climb the face up and left to the top.

Picnic Block Area
Starting again at Romulus and Remus wall, facing these 2 climbs, follow the trail to your left through a few rhododendrons you will come to a split in the trail. The right trail leading past "Knife Fink" boulder problem will take you to Hemlock Grove. The left trail heads to Picnic Block. Picnic Block is the last large block, and marks the end of the Rock City area. Picnic Block is a large block with a large cleft near the end and an improbable roof on it's smaller block.

Hemlock Grove
To get to Hemlock Grove continue on the trail past Romlus and Remus. At the end of Romulus and Remus wall is a short face with a cave in the middle. There are several undocumented easy routes on this wall. Directly next to this wall is an alley and a sharp overhanging arete. The arete is Knife Fink, see description below.

28.) Knife Fink V0+ (10ft.)
Watch the landing on this one, a fall from the top could bring you to a painful meeting with the boulder behind you! Climb the sharp overhanging arete to its top, Hint: there is an essential pocket near the top on the right.

29.) Dusty Face V1 (10ft.)
Just left of the previous route, climb the dusty face to the top.

Continue on the trail past "Knife Fink" where you will come to an open courtyard filled with Hemlock Trees...Yes this is Hemlock Grove. There are several established top rope routes here and potential for more.

Knife Fink is the arete on the left

30.) Hemlock face 5.6 (30 ft.):
Start: just right of the arete, climbing up to a triangular shelf (12 ft up), then follow a series of right facing flakes to the top.

31.) Unknown face (30 ft.):
Start: just left of the arete, climbing up the rounded and mossy rock to the top. Not much else known about this face.

32.) Groin Stretch 5.10c (20 ft.):
Start: just right of Hemlock Face is a pocketed wall (which faces the river). Climb this neighboring face up to the top.

33.) Unknown (20 ft.):
Start: just right of Hemlock Face is an overhanging face with pockets.

Picnic Block
The large block on the making up the left side (down hill side) of Hemlock Grove is Picnic Block. This side however is a bit dirtier then the river side. This block has a noticeable cleft and a large roof near the end. The first few routes are located on the Hemlock Grove side of this block.

34.) Sweet Thirty Six 5.6 (20ft.)
Locate the large chimney splitting the rock (cleft). Just left of it, on the large block is a discontinuous crack system. Follow the cracks to the top.

35.) Sweet Sixteen 5.3 (30ft.)
Just right of the previous route, climb the rounded holds of this face to the top.

36.) Picnic Chimney 5.3 (30ft.)
Climb the chimney on the Hemlock Grove side of the block to finish on the top of the smaller section of rock.

37.) Dangler 5.10 (20ft.)
Locate the large roof at the smaller blocks end. Look for the crack which splits the roof, climb the crack system

38.) Snake's Flake 5.7 (35ft.)
On the river side of this block and just left of the large chimney, pull through the small overhangs to a fist sized crack. Follow the crack until you can traverse up and right to the top.

39.) Charming Crack 5.4 (30ft.)
Just right of the large chimney on the river side of this block, located an obvious crack that begins halfway up the face. Start below it and go straight to the top using the face and crack.

40.) Drizzle Wall 5.4 (30ft.)
15 feet right of the previous route climb the face tot he top.