Look for dime-sized crimpers on a relatively smooth face. At the crux, beware of the Devil's Pocket--a smooth inverted paramid about halfway up.  It's good for a foot and nothing more.

Lead This?

The Flake Face

Mister Green Jeans

Oh My Achin' Head

Pickin Pockets

Chimney

Fire Tower

Christmas Crack

Nameless Arete

Pharaoh's Revenge

The Corner Arete

Mickey's Mantle

Box Lunch

Lady Fingers

Tinkerbell

Jumpin' Jeff Flash

Unnamed 7

Three's A Charm

Pillar

Foton's Finish

Posey's Pass

Steeples

Street Fighting Man

A Little Help From My Friends

Kodiak Arrest

Marginal Monster (M&M)

Squat

Post Nasal Drip

The Nose

Hard Days Night

Exit Stage Left

Whip Me, Beat Me

Etheral Cathedral

Dirty Dancing

Face Of A Phantom

Nine to Five

Elephant Crack

Kiddie Crack

Boobs

Five Nine Arete

Night of the climbing dead

Captain Hook

Tim's Route

Warp Factor

Burly Girls

USS Comfort Arete

Buckets

April Fools

The Flake

Cashmere

My Little Pocket Frog

Captain Crunch

Bubba

Stumbling Block

Micro Gulley

Snake Bit

Trivial Pursuit

Climb the arete past horizontal breaks and positive holds to the top.

The Flake Face begins on thin and reachy face moves which become progressively tougher through the middle of the bulge. It ends with a nuanced and balanced mantle-ish move over the bulge. Once you gain the top of the bulge/shield and can move comfortably, the climb is essentially complete. 

  This route feels harder than 5.11 until you unlock its mystery crux in the center of the shield/bulge. Definitely demands some accuracy and a bit of crimp strength.

Starts beneath a boulder jutting out near the top of the wall. Climb up to the boulder, passing horizontals and short cracks. Continue up the short face above the boulder to top out.

Most people step around the first roof, but its worthwhile.  The second roof is good and has a huge jug, making it easy.  The grade really comes in on the climbing after the second roof.  The crux for me was about 3/4 of the way up.  Not exciting for southern hardmen but a good lead for the more novice folks.  Watch out in the summer for insects/poison ivy on the first roof.

Though the "chimney" is off-width, the highly-featured corner in which it resides means that you won't really need any off-width technique to climb it. A pleasant, albeit short, climb.

Start about 30 feet left of "Elephant Crack" and face climb to a small ledge.  Head right towards the large roof but then traverse back left on the way up.  There's a nominal roof here to go over then pick your holds to the top.

Great crack climb, that evolves into easy face climbing above the short crack.  

  Work into crack and throw a solid left handed jam in crack and use features in crack to work feet up to a smear...throw your right hand to a high crimp just outside of the crack on the right wall.   

  Try not to put a cam in your best jam spot. 

  According to Tindell, its "harder" if you stay in the crack, but I have never done it that way.

Easy climbing through three short roofs. Then, pull the last roof via underclings to the lip finish with stout crimps up the namesake featurless arete to the top.

Start same as Lady Fingers in the fun broken crack system.  Pull up onto the ledge and take the right route.  Don't go out all the way to the big roof.  You will see some nice incut jugs marking the route.  One of the easier 5.9's at Palisades becasue of good rest positions.  Not sustained like Lady Fingers.

great route, one of the best at Palisades.  Crux is pulling through the 3rd small roof onto the face.  After that, some 5.10 face climbing to the top.  The initial roofs are small and not hard to pull.

For full value, start underneath the roof. Lunge out to the edge of the roof, and mantle onto the face. Mellow face climbing leads up to a steeper section and another crux at the top.

Another Palisades sandbag (rated 5.7 in the guide), Box Lunch is a fun challenge on lead. 

  Easy climbing on horizontals leads to a thin face about two-thirds of the way up.  A jagged vertical crack in the face is the crux; look for a great captured nut placement here.  A generous horizontal crack provides a good rest stop after the strenuous crux move, as well as a vital placement to protect the finish.  Move up on slopers to the top.

Nice climb that shares the same start as Pharaoh's Revenge.  This one is a little more sustained than most 5.9's at Palisades.  Took me a few tries on the top part.  Not exactly sure if the upper left flake is part of this route or not, but either variation is 5.9.

Climb up to an obvious undercling, snag it and step up to pull the small overhang.Then pull the second roof to the top.

not hard climb.  takes pro well.  if there is a crux its down low.  the rest of climb is a 5.5 romp to top.

Step off the ledge you are on and trend right under a small blocky roof section. Once under these small roofs trend right till you see a water run. Pull up over into the water run and go straight up to the top.

Climb past the small right-facing flake right of Jumpin' Jeff Flash.

Crux is pulling onto top part from the horizontal ledge.  The climb is an excellent top rope for folks not yet ready to lead it.  One of my favorites because of the sustained top part.  Much easier than Lady Fingers at the same rating.

Diagonal up and left across the face to meet up with the right-facing corner. Follow the corner to the top. For bonus points, when the corner is about to angle off to the left, continue straight up over juggy overhangs. (It's still 5.6.)

A steep, blocky start leads to more civilized climbing along a finger crack, which finishes at the ledge below the right side of the roof. Exit right around the roof, past the precarious-looking flat rock.

thin corner crack system to the left of the route Jumping Jack Flash (crummy 5.8).  Start under roof of the block and work left into corner and layback up till route eases.  Follow crack straight up through roof system.  At roof, have a hard mantle to top out on sloping dirt finish...real easy to pitch off trying to flounder over top.  Easy to bail to Jumping Jack Flash to your right.

Start at the bottom of the staircased ledges (same as Warp Factor), at the top of the staircased ledges angle right up and out right of the roof.

Cruise up a broken crack system to the ledge at the top.  Search for a hold on the ceiling of the flaky roof, and then lean out and go for it.

Great moves and epic fun the whole way! 

  Clamber onto the ledge above the trail. Start up the face above to a toaster oven-sized block below the first overhang. Reach to the obvious jug above the overhang -- gear is available in a horizontal up and right from the jug. Work your way over the hang and into a nice rest in a shallow left-facing corner. Plug in some gear, then move up and right to a pedestal ledge and more pro. Continue working right and up till you're below the corner. Feeling the pump yet? Lunge up to the corner, and then finagle your way up the corner to glory. 

  To descend, a short walk-off climber's left will bring you to the descent gully on the left end of Meditation point.

Climb the off-width crack in The Dark Side Wall left of Lady Fingers and Face Of The Phantom.

Great route, very physical working up through the "inverted staircase." Crux is working out from under the "inverted staircase" through a roof split by a crack.  After pull through that, arrive at a nice stance then easy 5.6 climbing to top out.  This is one of the longer routes at Palisades.

The Nose starts about 5 feet right of Post Nasal Drip, and climbs the overhanging "Nose", then finishes up the large overhanging crack.  This route and Post Nasal Drip finish together.   

  Start directly underneath the "Nose", climbing a steep but easy and juggy detached block under the nose.  To save strength for the crux you can start a few feet to the left and climb up the little gully and come up the back side of the detached block.   

  Once on top of the block, get ready for the crux.  Stand all the way out on the tip of the block and transition to the "Nose".  Get both hands in the horizontal on the "Nose" and swing out over the overhang.  Get your feet up and throw for a blind 2-3 finger pocket up on the left side of the "Nose".  Once you have the finger pocket, it eases up some, but it is sustained and steep until you're over the chicken head feature.  From there, it's 5.6 to the top.

Climb a left facing crack and do some nice face climbing to the top.

This route has the same start as Cashmere, but traverses left instead of through the roof.  The crux is probably the first couple of moves on the traverse at the top.  It requires a relatively long reach for a foothold.

Climb a large, left-facing flake to a small overhang. After the overhang, step left and up to a nice rest before the "inspiring" exit through a large slot in the final roof.

Face climb into the shallow left facing corner, follow this up to roofs, moving up and left for the desperate, dirty top out.

Lieback the obvious crack. Finish just right of the overhang.

Stand start. Climb through good holds down low and pull hard through overhanging buldge. Then some really nice face climbing to the top.

Climb a crack in a right-facing corner, past a roof, to the top.

At 5.6 in the guide, Elephant Crack is probably the most sandbagged route at Palisades.  The gear placements on the face are small and not easy to find, and the roof traverse is strenuous with good potential for an unpleasant pendulum fall.  This is an excellent route, but not a good choice for novice leaders. 

  Starting on a slightly slabby face, climb to a corner under the roof.  Underclinging the roof, traverse right about 25' to an outside corner and escape up the rain gully to the top.

Obvious left arching crack ( Hands ). Nice to train beg. trad.

Face climb upwards on reachy horizontals until under the roof. Crux is pulling the roof, in the vicinity of the groove. From here, moderate climbing on jugs to the finger crack and face finish goes to the top. Bail right and surf the flake after the roof if squeamish.

Nice yellow face. really nice face moves to a left arching overhang to the top.   Pumpy face, and overhanging section.

Climb up to the right to a small roof, pull itvia small undercling and finish with hard face climbing.

Climb the face just left of the arete. Reachy moves to crimps and horizontals take you past a few small overhangs to the top.

Follow a staircased ledge, angling left. Proceed up the face and out the roofs above. 

  Good route but Posey's Pass just to the left is more entertaining.

Climb over a buldge to a nice ledge, move to the left about 7 or 8 ft. and continue with some steep face climbing.

Start just a bit right of Snakebit.  Climb up through slightly overhanging ground.  Getting established under the roof was the crux for me.  Thin holds here lead to a surprising pocket and slopey holds to pull the roof.  Cruise to the top after that.

Easy but fun, Buckets is a nice route for first-time trad leaders, or a toprope for new climbers.  It's also a good warmup for some of the harder routes at the crag. 

  The start on Buckets is the only section of any difficulty.  Climb the face with little pro to a ledge about 10' up.  From here, good holds and lots of placements for pro lead to the top.

Last route on End Rock. Climb through an overhanging face to a small roof, pull the roof and continue on to the top.

meat of the climb is working from the left facing corner crack, up and over the left facing "flake." Once on top of the flake, have a balancy move and then its a run to the top.  Great route.  One of the must dos at Palisades

Easy climbing leads to a nice easy roof.  

  Climb the crack to the base of the roof above. Load up the horizontals with gear and long slings. Work those feet up as you hand-over-hand out the large horizontal flake. Once fully extended, have faith and reach around to huge, hidden jugs. Cut loose and pull up onto the easy face above the roof. Climb this to the top.  

Start climbing just right of Christmas Crack. Good holds on slightly overhanging rock take you up to a big horizontal -- enjoy it while it lasts. A couple of tenacious moves take you to the namesake pocket, then claw your way to the top.

Start atop a blocky terrace under a low roof. Pull this roof, and work the broken crack to the top.

Mellow face climbing, mostly on jugs. Brief. Starts in the same corner as Chimney, but then heads out almost immediately onto the right face and trends upward and slightly to the right.

Climb into the slot, then over the "stumbling block" via cracks on either side. Continue up an easier crack system to the precarious-looking flat rock at the top.

Gain the large horizontals above the low roof (you may have to jump). Climb up and through the shallow and thin micro gulley to the bolted anchors at the top.

Moderate face climbing leads to small roof moves.  Good TR to setup at the same time as Cashmere, if you have a few folks with you.  Leading any of these routes (NOTCL, Date with Death, etc..) in this area seems somewhat serious because of run-out and the potential fall from any of the roofs.  Crux is just somewhere on the face, depending on height.

Good route.  Scamper up some easy ledges to a crack pinched in by small roof.  Throw some pro in crack and power up crack..this is the crux.  Once over, have about 15' of easy slab with a crack to place pro.  Arrive at roof with little alcove to rest and place pro.  Throw in some big pro and pull roof. Not to hard to set up TR but need some webbing.

Fun face climbing leads to a steeper section beneath a small roof with a crack. Pull the roof and head for the top.

If you're looking for a pleasant spot to bring friends new to climbing, Alabama's Palisades Park is a great choice. 

  Located not far from Birmingham, Palisades is a Blount County Park with a nice little cliff line running just below its parking lot. There's a good range of climbing difficulty, ranging from easy 5.4 up to roofy 5.12. Almost all routes can be easily top-roped without leading, and most have permanent anchors, so it's a perfect place for a beginner's first outdoor climbing experience. And if you're just getting started on trad, Palisades is an excellent training ground; routes like Buckets (5.5) offer easy leading and plentiful protection.  Be aware, though, that the grades tend to be sandbagged; Elephant Crack (5.6) and Box Lunch (5.7) are not for the novice leader. There's no sport climbing at Palisades; no bolting is allowed. 

  All climbers must register at the park office and buy a $5 climbing permit (good for three days) or a $35 annual permit. From the parking lot, head for the cliff top near a picnic pavilion and scramble down a fourth-class gully/chimney to the base of the cliff. 

  If you need a map of the routes, the park office will supply you with one.  Otherwise, the Dixie Cragger's Atlas is a good resource for routes at Palisades.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Palisades Park