Upper Tier
Near Bear Creek
- 22 routes
- 5.6 – 5.13a
- Trad · Bouldering · Mixed
Best time to visit Upper Tier
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° / 31°
9 wet
Feb
57° / 33°
8 wet
Mar
65° / 39°
9 wet
Apr
75° / 47°
9 wet
May
81° / 56°
9 wet
Jun
87° / 64°
9 wet
Jul
90° / 69°
10 wet
Aug
88° / 67°
10 wet
Sep
83° / 61°
7 wet
Oct
74° / 49°
7 wet
Nov
63° / 38°
7 wet
Dec
55° / 33°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sanford 8 Ne, NC, 13.8 mi away at 262 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Upper Tier is a climbing area in North Carolina, about 3 miles from the town of Goldston. It sits close to several other climbing spots, with Hound Ears, Desperado Wall and The Main Wall all within a tenth of a mile. The area offers a range of styles, with 22 routes in total, including 10 boulder problems and 10 trad routes. The YDS grade range runs from 5.6 up to 5.13a, and the V scale covers V0 to V2. Among the named routes are Doctor's Orders at 5.6, Rachel's Tears at 5.9, and Shiloh, a sport route at 5.13a. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Sanford put October highs around 74°F and April highs around 75°F, while July averages a high of 90°F. Paddlers can head to Bear Creek, about 4 miles away, and Rocky Bluffs Trail is roughly 6.5 miles off for a hike.
Routes (22)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Haw River Boulders
~22 min drive
Haw River Boulders in North Carolina has 10 bouldering routes across 7 grades.
Carrboro/University Lake boulders
~41 min drive
12 bouldering routes at Carrboro/University Lake, North Carolina.
Eastern Region
~52 min drive
Eastern Region in North Carolina has 8 bouldering routes across 5 grades.
North Cary Park Boulders
~54 min drive
North Cary Park Boulders in North Carolina has 9 bouldering routes rated across 8 difficulty grades.
Raleigh area climbing
~59 min drive
Raleigh area climbing in North Carolina has 2 routes.
Lake Raleigh Boulders
~1h drive
16 bouldering routes in North Carolina spanning 12 difficulty grades.
NC States Campus
~1h 2m drive
NC States Campus in North Carolina has 2 climbing routes with bouldering and trad options.
NCSU Traverse Wall
~1h 2m drive
NCSU Traverse Wall in North Carolina has 7 climbing routes with bouldering and trad.
Piedmont Region
~1h 14m drive
12 bouldering routes in North Carolina's Piedmont Region range across 9 difficulty grades.
Bold Moon preserve boulder
~1h 16m drive
Bold Moon preserve boulder in North Carolina has 5 bouldering routes.
