North Carolina · Rock climbing · Pinnacle

Amphitheater

Amphitheater in North Carolina has 22 climbing routes across 12 grades.

Photo: bobistraveling, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

22 routes

5.7 – 5.13a

Sport · Mixed · Trad

Best time to visit Amphitheater

Best months: March–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
48° / 28°
Feb
51° / 30°
Mar
59° / 36°
Apr
69° / 45°
May
77° / 54°
Jun
84° / 63°
Jul
87° / 67°
Aug
85° / 65°
Sep
79° / 59°
Oct
69° / 47°
Nov
59° / 37°
Dec
50° / 31°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rural Hall, NC, 12.3 mi away at 960 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Amphitheater is a climbing area in North Carolina, about 3 miles from the town of Pinnacle. It sits close to a cluster of other climbing areas, and its route count and grade range make it a draw for climbers of different skill levels. The area has 22 routes, mostly sport climbs with a few mixed and one trad route. The YDS grade range runs from 5.7 to 5.13a, with a median of 5.10. A few of the named routes include Buzzard's Breath at 5.7, Pump Street at 5.10a and Black and Blue Velvet at 5.13a. For timing, spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons. Typical averages from the Rural Hall weather station, about 12 miles away, show October highs near 69°F with lows around 47°F, and April is similar. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet lower than the climbing area, so temperatures up high run cooler. The closest neighbors are Little Amphitheater and Three Bears, both about 0.1 mile away. Ledge Spring Trail and Pilot Knob Trail are hikes about 0.4 mile off.