As we drove through the gate, Brian recognized a former co-worker who's first question became the route name.

Climb up face to large pine tree.  Rappel.

Are You Still An Alcoholic?

The Catbird Seat

The Kitten

Address Unknown

Return To Sender

Upper Gully

Flight Of The Bulldog

Puff Daddy Sits Out

Miss Emmylou

This stellar face/crack combo starts just right of the obvious bolt ladder project.  Two starts: either fire directly up the cracks (5.12) or clip the bolt out right and angle up and left to better cracks.

Insignificant little pillar with lines up left, middle and right.  Line from the top looks good and hard.

Pull the small overhang to a lone bolt, invisible from below.  Traverse left along horizontal to Catbird belay.  Rappel.

Follow the line of bolts to a good horizontal then cut left to Catbird belay.  Rappel.

Not a good route but the only way to the upper wall.  This alone makes it worthwhile.  From cul de sac at top of approach gully climb the low angle wall to the right.  Best way is to stop and belay when you hit the woods to the right of the large boulder.  Follow the trail around right and tunnel through a cool cave to reach the upper wall.  It was on the FA of this route that Brian came face to face with the crag's namesake.  We found some of its scat and sent it to NCSU lab.  The results came back-  big cat!

Climb the really steep first left facing dihedral on the upper wall.  Derek dropped my Bosch from about 50 feet up and it lived up to its name.  From top, head left to find the rap station.  Two ropes are mandatory to get down.

The best line here in the wall full of 4 star routes.

P1- Climb a cracked slab to an alcove. Crank out left on flaring jams to a small belay ledge. Large camalots useful.

P2- Climb obvious crack/corner to roof band which is pulled on the right. Belay at ledge.

P3- Pull last roof on left to summit. Belay at tree back from edge. Find summit rap station down and left. Two ropes mandatory to get down.

At top of gully is a crack on left wall.  Follow this a short way to a ledge and belay.

P2- Follow short but stellar hand crack to bomb bay chimney to ledge.

P3- step left and surmount short face and follow moss hummock covered left facing dihedral to summit.  Rap bolts are located on rim a bit to the right.  Double ropes are mandatory!

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Cougar Crag