Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Scouring the hills...

I've been devoting a fair amount of my leisure time to exploring the state parks in the northwest portion of South Carolina. There is climbing to be had in this region -- I'm quite convinced of it. SC has largely been overlooked as a potential bouldering destination, in part because some of the prominent rock formations are officially closed to climbing. Whether or not all forms of climbing are prohibited is less clear. As far as I can tell, there is no explicit language forbidding climbing in the parks' "Rules and Regulations." I suppose I'll parse language and chat with the rangers when the time comes. But presently, I'm really enjoying the exploration. Plus, my middle finger is in a state of disrepair, and I don't think I'll be climbing for another couple of weeks. So I might as well hike.

I've had the most fruitful outings at Table Rock State Park, and have included some pictures of the rock. The granite here is immaculate. Where potential lines exist, they are astonishing.
Too bad there's no rock in SC
Yes, there are worse fates than poking around the woods in search of boulders.

3 comments:

deleted user said...

ryan, I have always thought there might be potential at Table Rock. It is a bit of a hike maybe? I cant remember from what I saw on the internet but your pictures look incredible. email me if you can with some beta. I maybe headed out that way soon and would love to check it out. have fun exploring! jamie
jamiecemerson@hotmail.com

Ryan Brazell said...

Definitely a bit of a hike. Most of what I've found is between two and four miles in, and pretty spread out. However, those gaps between small areas might fill in once the leaves fall and visibility improves. I'm headed back up there in a couple of days to check out some other potential areas and honestly assess access. I might make a few crude maps. I'll keep you updated as to what I find.

Mannphoto said...

... when you should be training on granite patina! :)

psyched for Bishtown!