Grasshopper Hill

We left Red River Gorge at noon and arrived at Stonefort in Tennessee around 5pm. Everybody had told us about Stonefort (or Little Rock City as it was originally called) and recommended boulders that we should check out. The area has had lots of ups and downs with times when it was fully prohibited to go climbing there. The rocks always were on private land. At some point a golf course was put up right next to the rocks and not all golfers were huge fans of the boulderers...but at some point a compromise was found and climbers were charged a fee to get into the area. Two years ago, the golf course and some additional land around it was up for sale and a group of climbers (and investors) bought the golf course including the rocks, which ensures that bouldering will stay permitted! However, it still costs 9$ to get in.

The area is worth it though. The rock is finest quality sandstone, the approaches are easy and short, and there is an abundance of 5 star lines! The area certainly fulfilled or even exceeded all expectations!

My goal was The Shield, a very famous line that follows a shallow slopey crack through an otherwise blank rock face. I knew that I was probably not fit enough to climb it and the conditions were at 28 °C not exactly prime, but I tried it nevertheless. I could not climb it, but I really liked the two sessions on it. I wish I could return in slightly colder temperatures some day...

We stayed the nights at Chester Frost Park, which is about 20 minutes away from the area. The camp site was really beautiful, next to a lake, where we went swimming in the morning and after returning from a day at the rocks.Read more