Shortoff Mountain
Shortoff Mountain in North Carolina has 60 climbing routes across 24 grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.
- 60 routes
- 5.6 – 5.12b/c
- Trad · Mixed · Sport
Is Shortoff Mountain open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Shortoff Mountain, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Rainbow Springs Road closed for reconstruction
Agency closure covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Closures in anticipation of Hurricane Isaias
Agency closure covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Siddie Fields Day Use Area closed for improvements
Agency alert covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Pisgah National Forest Driving Safety Alert
Agency alert covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Shortoff Mountain
Best months: March–October. 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
45° / 24°
Feb
47° / 26°
Mar
55° / 32°
Apr
64° / 39°
May
71° / 48°
Jun
78° / 57°
Jul
81° / 60°
Aug
80° / 59°
Sep
74° / 53°
Oct
65° / 42°
Nov
56° / 31°
Dec
48° / 27°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC, 8.9 mi away at 2,850 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Shortoff Mountain is a climbing area in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, part of the Grandfather Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness. The climbing here is spread across a range of grades, with 60 routes on record. Most are traditional, and the YDS grades run from 5.6 to 5.12b/c, with 5.10b/c as the median. A few mixed routes and one sport route, Desp-arete, round out the mix. Dopey Duck is a traditional 5.9, and White Russians Gone Bananas is a mixed 5.11a. For timing, typical averages from a nearby weather station at Spruce Pine put July highs around 81°F with lows near 60°F, and September cools to highs in the mid-70s. Winter is cold, with January highs around 45°F and lows near 24°F. Shortoff - Upper Wall lies just 0.1 mile away. The Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail and Pinch-In are both about 1.6 miles off. Linville Falls Campground is roughly 9.5 miles away.
Routes (60)
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