Middle Finger (backside)
Middle Finger (backside) in North Carolina has 7 climbing routes across 5 grades.
- 7 routes
- 5.5 – 5.11b
- Mixed
Best time to visit Middle Finger (backside)
Best months: February–May and September–December. 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
53° / 32°
10 wet
Feb
58° / 36°
10 wet
Mar
65° / 42°
11 wet
Apr
74° / 50°
10 wet
May
81° / 58°
11 wet
Jun
88° / 67°
12 wet
Jul
91° / 70°
13 wet
Aug
89° / 69°
11 wet
Sep
83° / 63°
10 wet
Oct
74° / 51°
9 wet
Nov
64° / 41°
9 wet
Dec
56° / 36°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gastonia Muni Ap, NC, 7.2 mi away at 797 ft. The station sits about 600 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.
Middle Finger (backside) is a climbing area in North Carolina, about a mile from the town of Mountain View. It sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking spots, with the Middle Finger Wall, The Fortress and Main Climbing Areas all within about a tenth of a mile, and the Backside Trail just as close. The area is known for its mixed climbing, with seven routes on record, all rated between 5.5 and 5.11b on the YDS scale. The hardest of them, Pick-A-Dilly Prow and Prick-a-Digi Ow!, are both 5.11b, and Pick-A-Dilly Prow was first climbed by Wes Love and Ben Fowler in 1987. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Gastonia show October highs around 74°F with lows near 51°F, and April is similar at about 74°F by day and 50°F at night. That station sits roughly 560 feet lower than the climbing area, so temperatures here run a little cooler. For more time on foot, the Rocktop Trail and Tower Trail are both about 0.4 miles away. Paddlers can find Long Creek about 5 miles off.
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