Zack’s Top 10 Looking Glass Climbs: Cracks
Part of what makes Looking Glass so special is its variety. Though most famous for slab routes like The Nose, the monolith has a host of cracks that will test beginners and crack aficionados alike. Here are my Top 10 Looking Glass Crack Climbs, all of which are well-documented in the Southern Pisgah Rock and Ice book and on Mountain Project!
Mid-crux on the traverse section of Invisible Airways.
Photo: Karsten Delap
1. The Seal, 5.10a, The North Side
The Seal follows a beautiful, right-arching crack system and features techy, intricate climbing. It transitions between multiple crack sizes from fingers to hands throughout the climb. A testpiece for the area, this Seal boasts a reachy crux that is often surmounted very differently. Gear is abundant through every section of this climb apart from a common short and safe runout while pulling the crux, depending on how you do it!
Gear: Doubles .3-#2. Optional: .2, nuts, additional cams .3-.5.
Chad Rambo pulling through the first roof section.
2. Creatures of Waste, 5.10c, The North Side
One of the most striking lines around, this climb follows a rightward scoop that steepens as you climb. It features delicate movement through ramps and gets pumpier with each section. The crux features a bolt and big reaches to big holds. The exposure pulling out of the ramp and gazing up at the steepening wall is incredible! Gear is abundant throughout the climb, though care should be taken between the ramp and bolt, as the rock quality is suspect in places. The direct start climbs straight up off the ground through a roof and tough mantle, while the original start (less strenuous) begins at the base of the ramp 20 feet left and traverses rightward above the roof.
Gear: Doubles .3-#2, Single #3.
Stopping to place gear just after the crux. Photo: Karsten Delap.
3. Invisible Airways, 5.10c, The North Side
This line starts on a vertical crack then turns to the right across a thin crimp traverse. It joins a beautiful left-facing corner that runs to the top. Both cruxes, the traverse and beginning of the corner are well-protected and safe. An area classic that sees many aid and free ascents. The direct start stays in the corner off the ground through one bolt and goes at 5.12a.
Gear: Doubles .3-#2, single .2. Optional: extra .3-.5 cams.
Eying the traverse section on a cold winter day. Photo: Karsten Delap.
4. Second Coming, 5.7, The South Side
This route is a classic multipitch that ascends a right-facing corner. Gear is abundant through every section, and seeing where to place it straightforward due to high traffic. The crux ascends a thin hand crack through a steep bulge and protects well. Most parties complete this climb in 3-4 pitches.
Local Beta: It is highly advisable to build an anchor in the alcove roughly 35 feet off the ground to offer a safer belay through the crux moves. A lead fall from the crack crux, if belayed from the ground, will likely result in some ankle or leg damage due to slack and rope stretch.
Descent: Three single rope rappels to descend, the first angling climber’s right to “The Legacy” anchors on the face.
Gear: Doubles .3-#2, Single #3. Optional: Extra .5 and .75, second #3.
Brian slabbing up to the belay just after pulling the crux crack.
5. Gemini Crack, 5.8, The South Side
Gemini is a classic multipitch route that features low angle crack climbing with one steeper crux section. It leaves from Sentry Box Ledge, which is approached by climbing a short fifth-class crack. Every section protects well. Pitch one follows a beautiful right facing corner with plentiful hand and foot holds. Many parties stop to belay in an alcove just below the crux. The crux pulls through steep, double hand cracks 10 feet above the alcove. They’re a little flaring as they start but offer better jams and safer protection soon after. The angle turns back down after the crux and follows a fun and more mellow right facing corner to the top. There is an optional horizontal gear belay twenty feet after the crux that facilitates easy communication and a nice rest for the leader (midsize cams). Most parties complete this climb from Sentry Box Ledge in 2-3 pitches, though it is possible to do it in one long mega pitch.
Descent: Two single rope rappels back to Sentry Box Ledge, the first angling climber’s left to “The Legacy” anchors on the face.
Gear: Doubles .3-#2. Optional: Extra .5 and .75.
Brian enjoying the jams on the 5.6 pitch one corner.
6. The Womb, 5.11a, The North Side
The Womb is a classic multipitch outing that features both thuggy and delicate climbing. It follows right-trending finger and hand cracks that are readily broken into two pitches at a ledge up to its namesake crux chimney section, a unique alcove in the middle of the climb. This crux requires chimney technique to free, though it is often aided by stepping on the belay bolts. Past the chimney is a laser-cut, right-facing 5.10 dihedral that takes finger and midsize cams. I often stop to belay on a small pedestal (.4-.75s) below the top ledge so I can watch my follower climb the corner and take photos! This climb is well-protected, though care should be taken gaining the horizontals on pitch one. Most parties do this climb in 3-4 pitches.
Local Beta: Leaders should place a small cam (.2-.3) in the small lip just after the crux. The rope can jam in that small slot should the follower fall pulling through the chimney.
Descent: The descent bolts are 20 feet climber’s right at the top of the ledge. With one 70 meter rope, you can descend by first rappelling to the Nuclear anchors climber’s right then rappelling again. Two ropes are required to rappel directly to the ground from the top Womb anchors and from the Safari Jive anchors.
Gear: Doubles .3-#3. Optional: #4, extra .4-.75.
Austin jamming through the pitch two traverse.
7. Rat’s Ass, 5.8+, The South Side
This climb is a classic multipitch that climbs finger and hand cracks. Though a step up from Gemini and Second Coming in difficulty, it protects well and is just as safe. Most parties climb a short approach pitch up a slab to a tree ledge just below the pitch one finger crack. From there, the climb takes an awesome right-facing corner up to a great ledge. This crux pitch features balancey climbing up the finger crack with good footholds along the way. It protects well with finger cams and nuts, especially offset nuts. The climb then follows a low angle hand crack through a steepening bulge before returning to slab before the top anchors. Some parties break this section into two pitches by belaying just after the bulge to maintain communication (good idea if it’s windy), opting for a short final pitch angling right to the anchors. This climb deserves traffic!
Descent: Three single rope rappels to descend, the first angling climber’s right to “The Legacy” anchors on the face.
Gear: Doubles .3-#2, Single 3. Optional: .2, Extra .3-.5, nuts.
Kris bringing Brian up through the money pitch one finger crack.
8. Dum Dee Dumb Dumb, 5.10c PG-13, The Nose Area
This climb is an awesome 5.9 hand crack protected by a tough flaring crack crux. It follows broken cracks up to bolt-protected crux moves that require power and crack technique. Past this section, the climb stays tricky before easing at a vertical hand crack to the top. Climbing directly through the bolt is 5.10c, while stepping right then traverses back to the crack goes at 5.10a. The gear past the bolt through the crux is great but can be difficult to place given the route’s pumpy nature. It’s possible to hit the ledge if you don’t place gear soon after the bolt, so be sure to protect yourself! A hard but safe climb that will test your endurance and technical skills!
Local Beta: The opening slab moves directly under the route are unprotectable and pretty thin. There’s a small tree and ledge a few feet right of the immediate line that offers a friendlier entry up to the climb.
Gear: .3-.75, Doubles #1-#3.
Jamming through the flaring crux on a hot summer afternoon toprope burn!
Photo: Courtenay Roche
9. T and B, 5.10a, The Sun Wall
T and B is a long multipitch route that follows cracks and grooves through the Sun Wall’s steep bulges. The second pitch follows an off-vertical hand crack, while the crux pitch pulls a steep section dubbed the “Michelin Man Bulge” on slopey holds. The position and movement on these pitches are incredible and feel super exposed! The crux pitch offers great gear to protect the leader and follower through its traverses. The route becomes all gear anchors after pitch one’s bolted anchors. The climb is majorly well-protected, though it has a few runouts through moderate terrain where falling could result in big falls and swings for both leader and follower. Care must be taken gaining the pitch two crack off the belay ledge, as the first piece is about eight feet up through a somewhat cryptic and demanding face sequence. A great route to go knock out for more experienced parties looking for harder climbing through amazing crack, eyebrow, and groove features.
Descent: Many parties do a long traverse to the right after the watergroove pitch and rappel the Sun Wall, though I prefer to top out the formation and rappel the Nose. Doing so makes for a bigger climb and also allows you to approach via the Sun Wall trail rather than the South Side, which is a much shorter hike. The traverse also does not offer much gear, so it’s far more enjoyable to keep going up. Parties topping out can expect another few pitches of low fifth class climbing after the groove pitch to the summit trail, trending climber’s left.
Gear: Doubles .3-#3. Optional: Extra .5 and .75.
Plugging some gear before pulling over the crux bulge during a sunset lap!
Photo: Anna Marie Alewine
10. Unfinished Concerto, 5.9+, The South Side
Unfinished Concerto takes a steep hand crack up to a right-facing corner crux. The climb then follows a balancey corner on small holds up to the top. This climb leaves from a large ledge next to Fat Dog and Dinkus Dog and can be located by scrambling up a short 4th class section. It is well-protected and a great climb for trad leaders breaking into the 5.10 grade. Most parties just do the first pitch of this climb to bolted anchors. The climb does continue through a 5.5 crack system for 200 feet to the top, where parties must then traverse hard right across low angle slab to reach the top anchors for Rat’s Ass/Gemini/First Return/The Legacy to descend.
Descent: From the top anchors after the long traverse, three single rope rappels angling climber’s right, the first to “The Legacy” anchors on the face.
Gear: Doubles .3-#1, Single #2. Optional: Extra .5 and .75.
Jason making quick work of the lower crack section as he and Trevor train for their AMGA Rock Guide Course.