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Fat Dog - Looking Glass Rock
Written by Jon Zumstein, DBO Staff

Location: Looking Glass Rock, Pisgah National Forest

Grade: 5.7, 3 pitches

Description:

"Fat Dog" is an excellent moderate climb that offers good exposure and ample protection yet sees very little trafic on the popular South Face of Looking Glass Rock. Hike about 100 yards to the left of "Bloody Crack" (this is where the approach trail reaches the rock), scramble up on the apron and look for the left facing off-width crack that extends the height of the face. As intimidating as it might appear, this climb does not require any painful off-width climbing techniques and does not need any extra gear beyind the standard NC free-climbing rack. The widest parts of the crack generally have small horizontals and don't forget the wall on the right side. Pitch 1 ends after the initial crack levels off slightly. Pitch 2 continues up the crack then heads right to a belay on a low angle ground near a small tree. Pitch 3 is a low angle scramble to a rappel point in the trees, or a horizontal traverse to the tree above "Gemini Crack". The descent requires two 60 meter ropes. From the top rappel the low angle slab to the tree above "Gemini Crack". Another 120 foot rappel reaches the Sentry ledge, and from there a short reppel reaches the ground.

Gear:

Standard free climbing rack, two 60 meter ropes

Guides/Topos:

Selected Climbs in North Carolina, Lambert and Shull, 2002; The Climber's Guide to North Carolina(3rd Edition), Kelly, 1995