The Vaporizer
The hardest climb catalogued at Southwest Corner.
- 5.12b
- grade
- Trad Gear
- style
Is The Vaporizer open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name The Vaporizer, 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 The Vaporizer
Best months: September–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
42° / 24°
14 wet
Feb
46° / 26°
13 wet
Mar
54° / 32°
14 wet
Apr
62° / 39°
13 wet
May
69° / 47°
14 wet
Jun
75° / 54°
15 wet
Jul
78° / 58°
17 wet
Aug
76° / 57°
16 wet
Sep
71° / 51°
12 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
11 wet
Nov
53° / 32°
11 wet
Dec
45° / 27°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Highlands, NC, 3.5 mi away at 3,850 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.
This route represents the upper end of the grade spectrum at Southwest Corner, where 14 climbs have been catalogued ranging from 5.8 to 5.12b.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Dallas Epperson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Pumpkintown
~42 min drive
Pumpkintown in South Carolina has 4 sport climbing routes with 3 difficulty grades.
Photo: Dallas Epperson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Main Wall Left of Center Buttress
~42 min drive
Main Wall Left of Center Buttress in South Carolina has 14 climbing routes.
Photo: Dallas Epperson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Knobtopia Wall (Main Wall right of Center Buttress)
~43 min drive
Knobtopia Wall (Main Wall right of Center Buttress) is a climbing area in South Carolina with 6 routes.
Photo: Osajus Photography, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Looking Glass Boulders
~43 min drive
Looking Glass Boulders in North Carolina has 4 bouldering routes.
Left of main southeast face
~0 min drive
Left of main southeast face in North Carolina has 15 climbing routes on mixed and trad.
Southeast Face
~1 min drive
Southeast Face in North Carolina has 22 trad climbing routes spanning 14 difficulty grades.
Granite City
~4 min drive
Granite City in North Carolina has 10 bouldering routes across 7 grades.
Laurel Knob
~12 min drive
Laurel Knob in North Carolina has 86 climbing routes across 28 difficulty grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad styles.
107 Boulders
~14 min drive
107 Boulders in North Carolina has 38 bouldering routes.
Big Green
~14 min drive
Big Green in North Carolina has 29 climbing routes across 16 grades, offering sport and trad options.
