I pulled onto Doc Howard Road, into a familiar little parking area. One of the local dogs ran up, begging to be pet as I unloaded and stretched after the four hour drive, nipping a little bit too hard on my hand and losing its head-scratch privileges. The hike to South Clear Creek is easy by almost all standards of approaches, and I could feel the rain falling through the canopy of trees. As I walked, I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was that it all worked out for me to be in Tennessee, hiking along a cliff, instead of at home, working the busy holiday season. When the forecast showed rain, and my original partner for this excursion fell ill, I thought that was it for my little trip. But someone I’d never met, other than on social media, encouraged me to come anyway. And so I hiked on out, to meet someone that would hopefully be a new friend, and not just an awkward acquaintance. Though it would be hard to have anything other than an incredible experience at the Obed Wild and Scenic River.
I reached the climb down into the more “wild and scenic” portion of the approach, recognizing classics and projects to be had. Stephen King’s Library, one of the largest roofs I’ve ever encountered gave me a brief break from the rain, and was still astonishing in size. Beyond the library, I arrived at the large amphitheater that housed the iconic lines Boo Yah and Addiction to Friction, to meet Lohan and Danny.
The two friends were on winter break from their respective universities, making time for projecting and exploring new routes throughout the beautiful gorge. Having arrived mid-afternoon, the little bit of light that was left was spent trekking back and forth between their projects, Boo Yah (5.12c) and Roughin’ Up the Suspect (5.13c). Both Danny and Lohan came desperately close to sends as night fell, but we left without any tops that day. Hiking out, the full moon put on a show that we broke from our conversation to stop and stare at through the fog. We drove into camp at the Lilly Pad, passing Del and Marte’s home and brewery, idling through the puddles that led to the quiet campground. On a weekend, the brewery would be filled with conversation and laughter, maybe a Tennessee or SEC football game, music, and good beers brewed in house, maybe even brewed with the hops grown across the driveway. But that Monday night, it was dimly lit, with not a soul to be found.
Danny Poceta spanning the gap on the crux of Boo Yah on our first day.
Within an hour of our arrival, tents were pitched, chili was warmed, and the hotdogs were covered and devoured, with plans for the next day ready to go.
As I settled in that evening, I remembered back to my first Obed outing. We had spent the better half of a morning at Stephen King’s Library, warming up on It, a fun but short 5.10 that provided a good introduction to stemming in a corner with plenty of holds and feet. Right next to It, we worked Pet Sematery, another short route leading to the large roof. The well-protected 5.11a is hold after hold of sloping goodness, and is the first portion of a longer, more difficult option, Rage (5.12c). Rage takes the climber on a horizontal trip that is longer than the vertical ride up Pet Sematery, testing your core tension and heel-hooks.
If sloper-jugs are your thing, Pet Sematery is definitely one to check out! David Smith works the fun route on a warmer October week.
I laughed thinking back to our first route of that first trip, Best Seat in the House. Beautiful route, enjoyable and simple 5.9 climbing. Andrew led the route and at the 5th bolt we heard an unearthly screech, and it startled us all. We looked a little more closely, and Andrew informed us that there was a large, defensive, hissing bat in the jug above him. Moving forward, we all climbed the route, preparing for the loud noise the bat would emit as we neared it, creating our own “bat-beta” as we avoided the best hold on the entire route. I shudder a little even know, remembering the bat screeching in my ear at the last moment on my own ascent, in a way that allowed me to feel the air from it’s mouth on my face. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of myself for not jumping off the wall when it surprise attacked me.
Fall foliage surrounds David on another fun route, Double Feature, which opens up with a dynamic move to a fantastic jug at the first bolt (stick clip recommended).
I recalled my view from the top of Spawn, a five-star 5.10b/c, enjoying banter with my friends as they climbed up to my anchors where I was shooting from, and taking in the fall colors on display from my spot above the trees. Down the trail at North Clear Creek that same day, we relished in the adventure of finding the camouflaged Squeeze Ledge and ascending two extremely exposed routes, Eve’s Drop (5.11a) and Lillian’s Arête (5.8). We spent another day running up and down Lilly Bluff classics. We danced our way through the deceptive Tarentella (5.10a), and took a laid-back approach to Rocking Chair (5.9). Heresy (5.11c) proved to be the crowd favorite, leaving the technical crux to your vertical skills and handing you the red-point crux while you navigate the long roof.
Towards the top of Spawn, a five star moderate, Ryan Cavender threw a high heel and casually blew through the final few bolts.
Our last day we visited the Lilly Boulders. A five minute hike downhill led into a beautiful area filled with boulders, flanked by rhododendron and pines. After a week of sport climbing, we played around on moderates like the sloping, Buddha’s Belly (V3), and the overhung, Hooker (V4). While out, we also had the opportunity to entertain a small school group on a field trip as park rangers taught the children about the Obed’s history and wildlife, and the chaperones inquired about our favorite brews we had at the Lilly Pad.
Andrew Weaver heel-hooking his way through the appropriately named, "Hooker," a fun V4 at the Lilly Boulders.
Spending time thinking about my first trip to the Obed as I listened to the natural symphony surrounding me, I couldn’t help but be even more convinced that it was a special place.
Eggs, turkey pepperoni, Sriracha, and a mug of coffee. Warm breakfasts on cold mornings can make all the difference after leaving the safety of your sleeping bag. The hike back to South Clear Creek was as easy as the night before, maybe even easier because I wasn’t alone. The rock was dryer, a bit kinder as far as conditions went, and we all felt like Lohan’s project, Roughin’ Up the Suspect, would go down. The 20 year old crusher from Georgia was intent about leaving with a send. It would be his hardest of the grade, while Danny projected Boo Yah, a 5.12c requiring a massive iron-cross move.
After warming up in Stephen King’s Library, Lohan went to Roughin’ Up the Suspect, worked the crux once, failing at a similar place to the previous day, just at the dead-point iron-cross move that frequently made him cut feet. His second attempt, he flew through that crux for the first time, and during a move to jugs always made so casually, he flaked off the wall. His third go (and another trip back and forth between the projects) the crux shut him down once again. At that point, the mental game became the difference between him going away with a send or a fall. He knew the moves well enough to make them in his sleep individually, but couldn’t piece it completely together- until he did the next go, slapped the anchors, and sighed the biggest sigh of relief and whooped for joy! It was the familiar emotional swing climbing can provide, leading from disappointment, to surprise and disappointment, to euphoria of a new conquered route. Lohan conquered it, just as the golden hour of the day came to a close, and the mist of the night began to rise up from Clear Creek.
Lohan Lizin, a climber you've yet to hear about (perhaps), nails the crux move of Roughin' Up the Suspect, and in the meantime shows off his back muscles.
Ending the day on such note called for celebration, and we did just that at a local eatery, destroying plates of quesadillas, chips and salsa, and taco salads. When we returned to the sleepy campground, we walked to the brewery, just to see if we had any company for the evening. And when we discovered it was just us, we sat down on the windy porch, talked about life and passed around the guitar and the camera, laughing about the day that was over, reliving the send, and looking at a few photos from the day. It was a nice, restful end to the day, especially as we had a full day at Tieranny Wall awaiting us.
Danny exits Body Count at the Tieranny Wall.
Because that’s what climbing is about. Making friends out of strangers. Eating a warm breakfast on a chilly morning. Trying hard and failing time after time until you find success once! Celebrating success. Safety (third). And remembering that there’s more to life than climbing.
Danny and Lohan enjoying the last view of the Obed before we packed it up and headed our separate ways.
Why aren’t you at the Lilly Pad this week? Enjoying the silence of a mid-week trip, or finding the large community of a weekend at the Lilly Boulders or South Clear Creek. Make a trip down there, or up there, listen to the sound of the guitar and your laughter. Take a walk with Big and Monster (the Lilly Pad pups), and hear a tale from Del and Marte. Mix those with the taste of good beer and the scent of the crisp, cool Tennessee air.