Discover and Celebrate the Bliss of Rock Climbing and Ice Climbingin the Asheville and Western North Carolina Area

See Also:
Sports Equipment and Outfitters
for rock climbing equipment

Climbing is an increasingly popular activity. Western North Carolina area which has many opportunities for a variety of climbing experiences: traditional free climbing, aid climbing and ice climbing (in season) which use a great deal of traditional mountaineering gear and require much preparation, equipment and skill, and the increasingly popular bouldering (practicing climbing maneuvers on boulders close to the ground). There are also climbing walls and gyms for practicing your climbing maneuvers. Climbing of all types challenges both your physical skills AND your mental skills. Climbing is also a potentially dangerous sport, with the consequences of making a mistake resulting in serious injury or even death. Do NOT attempt ANY climb without proper training and gear.

Climbing "The Prow" in Linville Gorge

Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!

From Rolf Potts' Vagabonding blog:

I've never been one of those uptight literary types who thinks that you have to have actually read a book in order to recommend it to others. So I feel no trepidation in suggesting Eric Weiner's new travelogue-slash-memoir The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World The premise of the book is simple but intriguing-- here is Amazon's description:

Part foreign affairs discourse, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, The Geography of Bliss takes the reader from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in the crabby author's case, moments of "un-unhappiness." The book uses a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Singapore benefit psychologically by having their options limited by the government? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina so damn happy? With engaging wit and surprising insights, Eric Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.

In the imaginary Netflix queue of books-that-I'm-planning-to-read, this one has just jumped to the top. By the way, why has no one started a Netflix for books? This question, and many more, I'll leave for another day.

Hiking, camping and climbing in vicinity of Mt. Pisgah

Climbing Schools and Guides

Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School
"... Rock, Ice Climbing Guides and Rock Climbing Courses in North Carolina..." They offer rock climbing and rappelling at Chimney Rock,

Rock Dimensions
"... provide guided climbing trips and instruction to a variety of groups and individuals. We are dedicated to providing a safe and enjoyable climbing program for all of our clients. Climbing is an adventure of place, self, movement and moment! Challenge yourself physically and mentally, explore your outer limits, and embrace the opportunity to connect with nature in a very personal way. Whether you are a complete novice, looking to hone up and build on your previous climbing skills, or fall somewhere in between, Rock Dimensions looks forward to the opportunity to help guide you to that new dimension! Our guides and instructors are skilled climbers. Learn from those with a passion for the outdoors and the adventure of climbing!..." (Boone, NC) Rock climbing, caving, group expeditions including scouts.

Climbing Walls and Gyms

Brevard Rock Gym

ClimbMax Indoor Climbing Center
Located on Wall Street (how apropos!) in downtown Asheville

Montford Climbing Wall
"... offers 12 top roped routes and plenty of bouldering to challenge all levels of climbers. A variety of classes and special group packages are available...." Located at the Montford Center, 34 Pearson Dr.

Climbing Tips and Information

Looking Glass Outfitters
Technical tips for rock and ice climbers

Resources and Associations

American Mountain Guides Association

Carolina Climbers Coalition
"... an online repository of information contributed by climbers for all climbers. By using the Internet, this forum allows for the quick and easy publishing of many persons' opinions in an almost instantaneous amount of time. Randy is active in development of the website and is very open to suggestions and persons willing to contribute information they may think benefitial to other climbers of the Carolinas...." Covers all climbing issues, cliff closures, etc. Maintains a forum and a member photo post.

Carolina Mountain Club
"... now over 80 years old and the oldest Hiking and Trail Maintaining Club in Western NC fosters the enjoyment of the mountains of Western North Carolina and adjoining regions. We:

• lead 175 hikes per year,
• maintain 400 miles of trail,
• have an active program to build new trails,
• promote the conservation of the trails and natural scenery in our area,
• educate our members on hiking, trail building and maintenance skills,
• work with the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the State of North Carolina to achieve these goals...."

Flatliners Southeast Climbing
"... No other state in the Southeast offers more climbing opportunities than those to be found within North Carolina. Home to the highest mountains in the east, the great ranges of the Southern Appalachians comprise the western border of the state with ancient peaks and verdant valleys and gorges. The granite found here is some of the oldest exposed rock on earth ranging from great rolling domes to cliff faces more than a thousand feet in height. A few climbs extend out into the Piedmont region to the east but most remain in the high places of the Blue Ridge. The majority of the climbing takes place in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. Some is found near the Blue ridge Parkway. Others are in State Parks...."