Gorsuch Switch
- 12 routes
- 5.2 – 5.7
- Top Rope · Bouldering
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Nov
- best months
Gorsuch Switch is a climbing area in Maryland, about half a mile from the town of Salopha. It sits right next to the Erebor climbing area, which is just 0.1 mile away, and it makes an easy pairing with other nearby crags and trails. The area has 12 routes, split evenly between bouldering and top rope. The bouldering runs from V0 to V4-5, and the top rope routes range from 5.2 to 5.7. Some of the named routes are Toy Crack (5.2), Snow Flake (5.4), and Groovy Corner (5.7). Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cylburn show May highs around 73°F and October highs around 66°F, while July averages climb to about 86°F. Within a few miles you'll also find the Nest A and Jam Boulder climbing areas, the Wood-Marr (HoCo Thru Trail) mountain biking route, and the Switchback Trail for hiking.
- EreborRock climbing0.1 mi
- Nest ARock climbing1.3 mi
- Jam BoulderRock climbing1.5 mi
- Wood-Marr (HoCo Thru Trail)Mountain biking2.1 mi
- Switchback TrailHiking2.2 mi
Tall Poplar TrailHikingPhoto: aparlette, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)2.3 mi- Liberty ReservoirLake fishing5.8 mi
- South Branch Patapsco RiverCanoeing7.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Friction WallRock climbing · ~17 min drivePhoto: Jstuby, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Rachel Carson Conservation ParkRock climbing · ~22 min drivePhoto: John Brighenti from Rockville, MD, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
North side of riverRock climbing · ~25 min drivePhoto: Jstuby, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Murray Hill Road BouldersRock climbing · ~26 min drivePhoto: Jstuby, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- EreborRock climbing · Next door
- The NestRock climbing · ~2 min drive
- Nest ARock climbing · ~2 min drive
- Levitation BouldersRock climbing · ~3 min drive
- Jam BoulderRock climbing · ~3 min drive
- Woodstock RockRock climbing · ~7 min drive
Best time to visit Gorsuch Switch
Best months: April–June and August–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
42° / 27°
Feb
46° / 28°
Mar
54° / 34°
Apr
66° / 45°
May
73° / 55°
Jun
82° / 64°
Jul
86° / 69°
Aug
84° / 67°
Sep
77° / 60°
Oct
66° / 49°
Nov
56° / 39°
Dec
46° / 31°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cylburn, MD, 15.1 mi away at 235 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
