ClimberMayJune2020

58 may–jun 2020 http://www.climber.co.uk

This far-from-easy route takes a striking

30m overhanging line through some

highly improbable rock; it’s another

five-star route. Working back into the

middle of the crag there is absolutely no

shortage of quality routes such as Gene

Wilder (5.12d), Death by Chocolate (5.13a),

Divine Punishment (5.13b) and Buttercup

(5.13c) all being popular testpieces.

Farther along Bald Rock Fork Road is

Sore Heel Hollow wherein there are a

dozen crags. Individually they are some-

what smaller and less grandiose but collect-

ively they contain an absolute wealth of

excellent climbing and classics. Running

clockwise: The Gallery, Shady Groove,

Bronaugh Wall, Purgatory and North 40 are

the pick of the crop, all are easily visited

during the same day with minimal effort.

The Gallery is the biggest of this

collection and you’ll almost certainly drop

in there more than once. Classics abound

Starry Night (5.12a), Random Precision

(5.11b), Gold Rush (5.11d), Mosaic (5.12c),

Break the Scene (5.12a) are all excellent

on the left-hand and centre sectors. Out

right though are 27 Years of Climbing

(5.8) and A Brief History of Climb (5.10b)

both are not only striking but amongst

the best routes of their grade in The Red.

Shady Grove is next in line; routes

there are pumpy affairs. Anyone looking

to break into 12b should head straight for

Far from God (5.12b), long and pumpy but

with great rock, good holds and better

rests it’s a classic even if it’s very soft

at the grade. Bronaugh Wall, just five

minutes farther on, is smaller but very

varied and thoroughly worthwhile. Right

of centre is a gently overhanging wall

with two absolute corking routes side-by-

side; Two Women Alone (5.11a) and Like

a Turtle (5.11b). Yarding up the ‘dinner

plate’ jugs on these routes is a total blast,

although when they run out at mid-

height on the latter it’s a bit of a shock.

Purgatory and North 40 are the farthest

crags in the Hollow, situated on opposite

banks they couldn’t be different. Purgatory

is home to Lucifer (5.14c) once the hardest

route in The Red; it’s short but viciously

fingery. By the way, Believer (5.11b) and

Special Boy (5.11c) are, as the guide

suggests, very good, they are total

sandbags though. And for those with

time on their hands and strength to go

with it, Hellraiser (5.12c), Paradise Lost

(5.13a) and Dracula (5.13b) are all five

stars. Finally, North 40 has two stonking

routes to go at, namely; Amarillo (5.11b)

• an amazing pocketed wall – and
  Samurai (5.12b) a ‘stop-you-dead-in-
  your-tracks’ cruxy flake-crack.
  Drive-By and Bob Marley Crags, located
  half a mile beyond Sore Heel Hollow, are
  two more excellent crags. Drive-By Crag
  especially has an excellent spread of
  routes in all grades from 5.10 to 5.13. It’s a
  justifiably popular crag for many climbers
  but that does mean queuing for routes
  at busy times though. The vert walls on
  the left are home to numerous classics:
  Fire and Brimstone and Breakfast Burrito
  (both 5.10d) are just about passable as

destination

8 The Zookeeper (5.14a)
a short and powerful line
at The Zoo Natural Bridge
Area packs a mighty
punch.

6 Golden Touch (5.13b)
at the Motherlode is one
of Buckeye Buttress’s
classics and follows a
fantastic looking line
straight up the red and
orange wall.