Rock climbing in Arkansas - JP Fitness Forums

Jean-Paul · 10-16-2002, 11:02 PM

I live in Little Rock Arkansas, and one of the exciting things I discovered, most unexpectedly, being a climber from Colorado, was all the wonderful climbing areas right here in the Natural State. If you are from the area or close to the state looking for some good areas to climb, here is the skinny on Arkansas...

First the spots closest to Little Rock. The most popular, accessible, and unfortunately also crowded area is Shinall mountain, which is the mountain with all the radio towers on the top. There are probably about 20 routes ranging from 5.7 to 5.12. My personal favorite is a 5.10b route called "lumberjack", which is so overhung that you can climb it on a rainy day and stay dry! There is also a TON of bouldering problems you can work there, so it is a great place for developing climbers. All the routes can be set up on top rope or as sport routes.

Another close one is below Rattlesnake ridge and it is called West Pinn (for W. Pinnacle), which is about a mile west of Pinnacle Mountain. It is about a mile hike to the spot, and it is hard to find unless you go with someone who has been there before, but it is rarely crowded, and there are about 10 really good routes. Routes there range from 5.6 to 5.11b. The popular 5.11 is called "local legends", but I unfortunately cannot claim to have climbed it. I am too heavy to get much higher than 5.10 -- to be totally frank. There is a great beginner route there called "chicken head"... it is a 5.8 with a great crux that is not really difficult, but looks intimidating, so it is a good confidence builder. The crux is a big overhang that requires a heal hook to get over it. There is a challenging 5.9 called "Bo-Diddley" that has a much harder overhang, and a big crack that you have to do a fist cam and a layback. What makes this one harder is that it has about 3 crux-moves in a row. The toughest one I have done there is a 5.10 route called "rainy day". It also has a consistent level of difficulty with several crux moves in a row, right from the start. Really there is only one place to rest on this one. All of the routes are easy to set up on top rope or you can climb them natural pro.

Another close by climbing area is not nearly as accessible as it used to be, because an old guy bought the land and made it off limits unless you came as a guest of the one guy who knows every route there like the back of his hand. I think his name is Mike, but it has been a while so I may be wrong. It is called Brock Mountain, and it is right outside of Batesville. I only mention it because if you can go it is really truly worth it. It is my personal favorite place to climb in the state. It is a hollow (small canyon) that has over a hundred routes, going from 5.6 up to 5.13. It is absolutely beautiful. The cliffs are from 50 to 65 feet on average, and most of it is bolted and anchored. It is where I learned to sport climb under the instruction of that Mike guy I told you about. He is a great climber, and an awesome teacher/motivator as well. I enjoyed way too many routes to tell you my favorite. If you want to climb there you have to track this guy down though, and he also makes a great guide for the area. He can match you up with the best route for your ability level.

The most popular spots in Arkansas are Sams Throne and Mount Magazine. They both have easily over 500 routes each if not much much more. You can always find a route at either place. Sams Throne is better if you like sport climbing. Many of the routes are bolted, and most can be set up for top rope. It really reminded me of the set-up in Pentatente Canyon in Colorado, if any of you reading this are familiar with it. Sams Throne is located in Newton County, which actually has some more climbing areas as well. If you go to a local outfitter you can find route books on almost every good local climbing area in Arkansas.

Magazine is different... the routes are harder, taller walls (if I remember it may even have a 2 or 3 pitch route, but don't quote me on it), mostly trad (natural pro), and the rock is different the the sand stone most of us Arkansas climbers are used to. I think it was granite. All I know is that it tore my fingers up a lot in comparison to everywhere else I have climbed in the state. I have only climbed there twice though, and not for over a couple of years. It is a great place to climb though. It is even referred to in many climbing magazines on a regular basis.

There used to be a few other great places to climb that were popular, but all it takes is one dumb redneck to get drunk with his buddies out at one of these places and decide to show off and climb one of these unassuming routes in their cowboy boots and realize that he has gotten in over his head. The knee-jerk reaction to every climbing death in this state is to close the area down to climbers! Climbing is one of the safest sports (ironically) you can do -- safer than driving to work everyday -- and all it takes is one idiot who should easily qualify for one of those Darwin Awards to ruin the fun for everyone.

Well, I don't mean to rant. I guess there is still plenty of places to climb. It's just that you hate to be kept out of a great climbing area once you know about it.

If you are from the area and you have some other cool climbing spots you want to share please reply to this post. If you are out of this state and want to tell us about your favorite climbing areas in your area, please create a new topic about climbing in [your area] and tell us all about it. Climbers are some of the coolest people I know... always willing to help and happy to meet other climbers. That is why I think I have really embraced it as a sport. Needless to say, it is some of the best exercise you will ever get.

Climb ON!

Jean-Paul Francoeur

Michelle · 11-05-2002, 10:13 PM

Just out of curiousity ... I've only been climbing indoors. Do I need to train any special way before heading outdoors?

Jean-Paul · 11-06-2002, 10:47 AM

Climbing inside is good training for climbing outside because you can work on specific moves or set up problems that you may encounter on real rock. You definitely need to get outside though. I promise you this, if you enjoy climbing at all, you will find that you prefer climbing outside 10 times over. After all, that is what it is all about in the first place.

Jean-Paul · 01-30-2003, 10:41 PM

Taken on "smokin' and chokin'" at Shinall Mountain. 5.9

poopy pants · 04-21-2003, 01:37 PM

JP, is there anything you DON'T do?

Jean-Paul · 04-21-2003, 05:20 PM

Tony, this isn't me but actually one of my body-doubles!

AEAbed · 05-12-2003, 07:59 AM

Hey, JP...it's your long lost climbing brother from another mother. I love the body double...who is the dude?

We have an addition coming to the Abed climbing family (due in Sept)....hope he likes to climb....perhaps Uncle JP can teach him to climb like he did for his old man. Stop looking at the screen in disbelief and write me back.

AA

climbergal · 05-15-2003, 05:57 PM

Just wanted to let all of you climbers in the Little Rock area know that an indoor climbing gym is coming to Little Rock! Little Rock Climbing Center will open this July. Keep an eye on www.littlerockclimbing.com for info and pictures of the walls going up. There will be 4,000 square feet of top ropes, lead climbs and bouldering. Contact me at melissa@littlerockclimbingcent er.com for details.

Jean-Paul · 05-15-2003, 06:04 PM

Melissa... What can I say but

It is ABOUT FRIGGIN' TIME SOMEONE OPENED A CLIMBING GYM IN LR!!!!

(JP jumps up on his desk and does an Irish jig!!!)

Melissa, are you from LR? Where is the gym going up? Please keep us posted in here, and feel free to use this forum to talk about it.

climbergal · 05-22-2003, 02:39 PM

I've talked to JP, but thought I'd go ahead and post some more info about the new climbing gym. Little Rock Climbing Center will be at the corner of Bowman and Colonel Glenn, just west of the Rave Theaters. We are hoping to open July 7, 2003. The climbing walls are going to start going up very soon and we'll post some pictures on the website so everyone can see the progress we're making. Membership info will be on the website soon. Hope to see everyone there in July!

Jean-Paul · 05-22-2003, 02:52 PM

Melissa, I think you should post this as its own topic so you draw more people in to see it. Just click the NEW TOPIC button, then put up ALL of the info that you put into this thread in the body of the text, then hit submit and you are there! I want to see a lot of business going your way so you stay open forever... that way I can always have a place to climb. YAAAAY! YOu just don't know HOW MUCH you have made my year!