Featured Climb
FEATURED CLIMB ARCHIVE

Name: “The Mummy”
Written by Jon Zumstein, DBO Staff

Grade: 5.5, 3 pitches

Location: The Amphitheater, Linville Gorge Wilderness

Description:

If you only have time to do one route in Linville this is it! “The Mummy” offers excellent climbing, a beautiful setting, and no real route finding problems. The biggest challenge to this classic climb is getting to it before any other party. When there are cars in the Table Rock parking area you can almost bet at least one group is on “The Mummy”. To start this climb you need to park in the Table Rock Parking lot and hike south on the Mountains to Sea Trail. The descent trail you are looking for is the third trail on the right after you pass “The Chimneys” (A well used top-rope area above the trail on the left side.) Since a recent fire the trail down the gully has experienced some blow downs that makes the going a little slower than in the past. What you are looking for is a large, almost freestanding buttress on your left. “The Mummy” starts on a slab beneath a large, clean crack that goes straight up the wall. (The dirty, brushy crack to the left is the “Brothers Start”.) The actual crux of our climb is down low on the first pitch. So place gear where you can and head for the looming crack above. Once in the crack, gear placements are everywhere. Linville Gorge is one of the few places in NC that hexes often work better than active camming devices. The first pitch ends somewhere in the crack (there are several good belay areas), but assuming rope drag is not a problem, and you have at least a 60 meter rope, you can continue to where the original second pitch ends on a large ledge. The climbing is steep and exposed, but the holds are such large jugs it is hard to make yourself stop (who wants to give up the lead on a climb like this?) The final pitch starts off with a few thin crack moves that quickly give way to lower angle rock with enormous jugs. Climb through a slot, then aim for the top and sit back and enjoy the view. In order to descend you need to walk along the top until you can scramble down the gully on the backside of the buttress. Don’t put you rope up just yet because there is one short rappel before you can get to the ground.

Gear:

Standard free climbing rack (This climb can be done with all passive gear), one 60 meter rope.

Guides/Topos:

Selected Climbs in North Carolina, Lambert & Shull, 2002

The Climber’s Guide to North Carolina (3rd Edition), Kelly, 1995