Almost any climbing superlative for a route could be used to describe Straight and Narrow. First climbed by Tom Howard and Bruce Meneghin in 1977. Tom described attempting the line in 1974 with Alex Holden, Alex wasn’t feeling well on that first attempt and it was several years before conditions allowed to finish the route.

The route climbs really well and the pitches can be combined in several different ways to either separate or link crux sections. In this Route Report I’ll describe the crux’s but not necessarily how and where to break the pitches up.

Finding the route at Shortoff is relatively easy. Getting there due to the treacherous nature of the descent gully is another matter. The hike up Shortoff Mountain is about a mile and half steady uphill hike til you arrive at the obvious spring pipe with fresh water dripping out right onto the trail. This is a great place to fill up your water bottles, don't forget your filter, and stash anything you don't need for the climb on top.

The spring pipe also marks the top of the descent gully. Make your way down mostly 2nd class terrain with the occasional 3rd class step. You’ll scramble your way down the sometimes wet gully and approach shoes definitely increase your security on the way. Once near the bottom there are a couple options to overcome the last bit of the gully. There's a large hemlock tree with a sling to rappel 90’ or skiers left in the gully there are some 4th class steps and chockstones that can be descended by a fixed hand line.

The rappel tree near the bottom of the descent gully.

Once at the bottom walk the cliff base South, or down river following the trail that is close to the cliff. The trail is easy to follow but uneven. As you walk the base it's hard to not constantly look up and see all of the crack and corner systems above you rising for 350-400 feet above you. Passing by the Tilted World, Julia, Little Corner, and Maginot Line, dreaming about yourself climbing everything in sight.

Once you've walked far enough around the buttress the Big Corner will come into view. Thomas Kelly described this as the biggest dihedral in the state of North Carolina in his guidebook. It’s hard to miss.

Just to the right of this big corner on a perfectly flat wall is a crack system coming down the ever steepening wall. It’s hard to take in all of the feature upon first glance because it seemingly goes on forever.

This is Straight and Narrow.

The first bit of the climb is a slabby start and the crack is wide so climbing on the face to the right and left of the crack is the way to go. The protection is easy and plentiful, and passive gear works really well on this climb.

You’ll want to stop somewhere before the first crux section and there are several places to choose from with ample ledges for a belay.

The first crux section is marked by an arcing left facing corner. Turning the corner to gain the face is a well protected affair but be sure to extend the slings to keep the rope drag manageable. The holds are positive and relatively easy to use for the grade. Once established on the face there's another small piece of gear that you can place in a pod. I used an orange number 3 Metolius master cam but a pink tricam might also work ;). From here it's one or two more moves at the grade until you reach a ledge and get a chance to catch your breath.

Looking “Straight” down at the first crux with the small orange cam.

Up ahead is the next crux where the wall turns slightly past vertical. Following the crack that is now pinched down to a seam you’ll have to make steep and balancey moves. As you get into the crux you'll be happy to find a solution pocket that allows the placement of a larger sized cam or tricam. Clip the rope directly to the piece and you'll have it at your waist for the crux move. Step up and grab the weird chicken head type feature and move your feet up again. A hard pull deposits you on better holds but still in steep terrain. If you want to short-circuit the protection beta then having a number 9 or 10 stopper on a quickdraw really helps here. The placement will be obvious and in your face. From here the wall is still steep for another 20-30 feet but the holds get better and better.

After making your way to the top of the wall there's a great flat spot to stop and take your shoes off and have a snack. The views of the southern part of the Linville Gorge dropping off into Lake James are the perfect way to cap off one of the best climbs of the grade in the state. It truly is a magical climb that is great for any climber on a day out looking for some adventure.

Route Report: Straight and Narrow 5.10a

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