Bouldering in the Red

Bouldering in the Red

by Chris Chaney

Around the first of the year, some new boulders were discovered and developed by locals in the Red River Gorge. The majority of the problems are in the V1-V3 range and are of high quality. The big plus is that the area is just off the road and is very accessible. If you're familiar with traditional climbing in the Red, you'll know the area as Lower Small Wall.

To get to the roadside boulders from Slade, leave the Mountain Parkway at Exit 33, turn left, and at the three-way intersection turn left again. Drive about a mile and turn right onto Route 77. Follow this through Nada Tunnel and cross the steel bridge across Red River. From the steel bridge it's almost exactly six miles to the pull-off. Park on the right, a little past a mossy boulder that's on the left. There's a wilderness area sign on the left a few yards beyond the pull-off.

To get to the main boulders, hike to the sign and then angle back left above the bank. You'll see a grayish boulder that's a few yards back from the road - this is the Weasel Boulder.

To get to the main cliff and the older bouldering, hike through the main cluster of boulders and follow a drainage on the left to the main cliff. You'll come out near the route Dicey at Best, a large, orange dihedral that starts from a ledge with a few moderate problems up to it.

The Weasel Boulder - This is the boulder you can see from the road.

1- The Weasel V3 - Start on the main downhill face and deadpoint from two opposing sidepulls to a rounded crimp near the lip. Campus through the top out.

2- Right Weasel V2 - Follow some right facing sidepulls just right of The Weasel. Beware of the small boulder behind you.

3- Barrel of Monkeys V2 - Begin down low, just right of the previous problem and pick the best holds through the concave section of rock.

4- Garden Weasel V1 - Walk around the corner to the right and locate a rounded flake on a low angle face. Start on a good hold under the slab and follow the flake to the summit.

Stump Boulder - Walk uphill and locate a pocketed boulder with a large evergreen stump grown through it.

1- Grimace of Coolness V2 - Sit down start, right of a holly tree. Angle up and right to the apex of the face and top out.

2- French Feet V3 - Right side of the same face; same ending. Start left hand in a good pocket and right hand around the corner on a pinch.

The Bowling Pin - Just past the Stump Boulder is this obvious pointed stone.

1- Seven-Ten Split V0+ - Begin on a bucket and deadpoint for a sloper/gaston.

2- Gutterball V0+ - Variation to Seven-Ten Split. Mantel the bucket hold and top out.

Aptly Named Boulder - Behind the Bowling Pin is a pocketed overhanging boulder.

1- Aptly Named V1 - Classic traverse with a top out. Start low under a roof near the right edge of the pocketed face, just right of a large tree. Move up and then traverse left to the uphill corner of the same face and top out at the apex of the boulder.

2- Podracer V0+ - Start same as Aptly Named, but go straight up through the weird alcove and top out.

3- Perpetual Motion Machine V1 - Begin left of the tree, under the bulge, and trend up and slightly left over some rounded holds to the top out right of Aptly Named.

Toob Sock Boulder - Keep walking east from Aptly Named Boulder to a small slabby face just a little downhill.

1- Hiccup V0 - The low angle arete on the right side of the face.

2- Toob Sock V0 - Slab problem just left of the corner. Arete is in. Variation: Toob Direct V0 corner is out.

The Keeper Boulder - From the Stump Boulder walk left around the stump. This is the next (and greenest) face you'll see.

1- The Keeper V0 - Follow distinct features up to the top out, right of a small tree.

2- Ate My Bait V0 - Left end of the face. Short.

Necktie Boulder - This is the next boulder to the left. Steep pockets.

1- Unnamed V? - Undone problem near the left end of the boulder.

2- Mexican Necktie V? - Project to the right of the small boulder.

Slopey Joe Boulder - Trudge up the small hill to a level area below a short but wide boulder.

1- Slopey Joe V3 - Start far right on a hanging flake. Traverse left, topping out either at the next problem or five feet further left.

2- Easier Said Than Done V2 - In the center of the boulder, start low on a pocket for your left hand and a sidepull for your right. Climb straight up and top out.

3- Speakeasy V1 - Start same as previous problem but head right after the second hold and top out to the right.

Toob Amplifier Boulder - Behind the Necktie Boulder is this large rock.

1- Holding Pattern V2 - Climb the arete between the slabby face and the steep face. V3 if you don't use the pocket on the face to the right. Bad landing.

2- Toob Amplifier V? - Project. Start same as previous problem but traverse and angle up the face to the right. Top out at the highest point of the boulder. Bad landing.

Lost Dart Boulder - Walk left from the Dicey at Best area of the main cliff to a leaning pinnacle known as Lost Dart. Just downhill are two boulders. On the furthest downhill face is a lone problem called Stretch Armstrong that goes at V2. Start low on two crimps and deadpoint for the positive lip of the boulder, mantel up and follow the low angle arete to the top.

Hierarchy Boulder - Hike up to the main cliff and walk left until you see an open grassy area before a couple of large boulders and a very sharp fin-shaped boulder. The fin-shaped boulder is the Hierarchy Boulder.

1- Hierarchy V1 - Classic boulder problem. Figure out the weird start and follow sculpted crimps to the top, just right of the large tree.

2- Love Hurts V3 - Next problem right of Hierarchy; very balanced and sequential.

DAB Boulders

Near the route Dicey at Best are some smaller boulders. The tallest sports a lone problem called Reverb that's in the V2-V3 range. Start on the right side of the pointed face and head up without using the arete til the very end.