North Carolina · Rock climbing · Morganton

The Underworld

Underworld, The in North Carolina has 9 climbing routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad styles.

9 routes
5.6 – 5.13
Sport · Trad

Is Underworld, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Underworld, The, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Underworld

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.

  1. Jan

    45° / 24°

  2. Feb

    47° / 26°

  3. Mar

    55° / 32°

  4. Apr

    64° / 39°

  5. May

    71° / 48°

  6. Jun

    78° / 57°

  7. Jul

    81° / 60°

  8. Aug

    80° / 59°

  9. Sep

    74° / 53°

  10. Oct

    65° / 42°

  11. Nov

    56° / 31°

  12. Dec

    48° / 27°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC, 6.6 mi away at 2,850 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Underworld is a climbing area in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, within the Grandfather Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina. The land is managed by the Forest Service, and the area sits right alongside Gold Coast Cliffs, about a tenth of a mile away. The Underworld offers nine climbing routes, with seven of them sport routes and two traditional. Grades run from 5.6 up to 5.13, with a median of 5.12b. Among the named routes are Satan's Glory (5.11d, trad) and The Dark Angel (5.12b, sport), and the open project Deal with the Devil is rated 5.13. Summer and early fall are the warmest times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Spruce Pine run from highs around 81°F in July to about 74°F in September, with lows near 59°F to 53°F. Other climbing lies close by at The Camel, about 0.7 miles away. Table Rock Summit and Conley Cove are hiking options within a mile, and Linville Falls Campground is roughly 6 miles off.

Routes (9)

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