Locate this route on the right side of the amphitheater

Welcome to the Machine

The climb starts relatively easy with some somewhat delicate traversing back and forth up the face. Nothing spectacular, but still pretty fun. Right when the climb gets a little steeper, the first crux comes with a big throw between two good holds. It isn't too bad if you remember to try hard. From there, work your way up a bit further to the last bolt. Here is where the real fun starts. Hopefully you aren't too pumped. Power through the awesome V5ish boulder problem with a side pull, some nice crimps, a gaston, and a sloper to a pretty exciting finish. Once you stick the jug after the sloper, you've made it!

Druelin' Banjos

Actually pretty okay, but super chossy. Wet, mossy and rusty bolts. Recommend on gear. It's a shortcut to the trail if you top out and bush whack. It saves the trip going all the way through the crag if your on this side of the cliff.

Little Boy

Generator

This route has great movement throughout and is pretty sustained.  The climbing is much better than it looks from the ground.  Make your way up the vertical face passing a couple of tough moves along the way.  Next you will encounter a good rest jug just before a series of powerful crimpy moves through an overhang.  Clip the last bolt and prepare for a long reach or more likely dyno for the anchor clipping hold.  Yee Haw!

Herbivore

A great overhanging route that can be used for a warmup (or project) before attempting some of the more steeper routes on the Vision Buttress. The route has some very textured holds that stay dry and crisp during the most severe rain showers. Moderate, but steep climbing leads to a sequential crux involving a poor layback to a jug before clipping the anchors.

Shazam

Climb through the sustained steepness heading for the ledge (way up there) for a full sit down rest. Now thug your way through another roof and into... 

  Formerly called Little Duke

The Odyssey

This neglected line dances up a nice slab to a slightly overhanging arete.  The rock is solid and clean, and the moves are fun.  Definitely worth doing. 

  Easy moves up a slab lead to a slight runout with some 5.9+ crimpy/balancy moves before you reach the second bolt.  Pull over a small overlap using slopers to a no hands rest out left beneath the upper arete.  Pumpy moves lead right around the arete and then back left to the chains.

Polka Freak

30 feet to the left of the descent ladder.  Climb up into the overhanging corner.

Alternator

On the left, pull onto the steep Jug-filled headwall

Thermal Underwear

A short and steep route with standard long pulls on good holds up an overhanging face. You may want to climb it a few times if you want to try any of the harder routes on this wall.

Placebo Effect

Pull to a hard move in a "mini dihedral" feature. Pull a few more bolts to another small crux involving bad undercling options. Climbed sustained moves until you hit...yes another fun obed roof to pull over. Couple more bolts will get ya to the anchors... if you still have the juice.

The Journey

Climb the mellow ledge system to the high first bolt. Continue through big reaches to mostly good holds to the top. Fun!

Java Man

One of the few moderates at Y-12. Mantle past the first bolt before heading up to the rest of the route. I very fun overhanging roof section brings you to a vertical face that leads up to the chains just below a small roof. This route can stay dry during a rain shower.

Spider Up My Crack

The guidebook description says, "Considered to be one of the best 5.12 routes in the South." Climb a face with small edges then pull the short roof. A fun diagonal rightward climb brings you to two rounded features. Climb a few moves and look up to see a jug. Spend a second deciding how many points off does it take to lundge for it. Once you execute, keep on truckin until you realize you need to bring out the guns one last time.

Barbwire and Lingerie

Climb the obvious diagonal crack just to the right of Tapeworm. Top out.

Atomic Bomb (aka Thunderbolt)

This route is usually overlooked. But the crux is steep on nice rock with a few powerful moves.  

  With more traffic this would clean up and be a much nicer route. Could use new bolts.

[Redacted]

The guidebook describes it as "worth the walk." This is a lie. It is a filthy choss pile. I personally broke multiple holds prior to the third bolt and bailed there.

Fruit Boosters

Touted as a bit dusty in the guidebook.  More like completely covered in powder mold from top to bottom with some big, scary, loose flakes just below the roof.   

  I am no stranger to a little dust, or choss.  However, this was the dirtiest pitch I have ever done.  Needless to say, I bailed just below the roof and have no plans to try it again. 

  Anyways, here is what I know of the route. 

  Pull 5.11- moves through a grungy steep section to a very dirty, mold covered 5.9 slab.  If you have allergies or are worried about contracting a respiratory disease, try not to breath as you paw through spore covered edges and side pulls to reach a sandy horizontal with death flakes above. 

  Although I am not exactly sure what happens above this point, the route steepens and most likely contains the crux.  However, the rock didn't seem to be improving. 

  Worst route I have been on at the Obed.  Not recommended.

Six Digits

Start 30 feet to the left of Six Digits. A bit chossy at the start, some pretty fun climbing up top.

True Grit

A beautiful long line and awesome route with a great face section followed by an overhang before reaching the anchors. Take advantage of the rests before taking on the overhanging upper section. For bonus points tackle the overhang directly over the bolts instead of opting out left, it's well worth it! 

  Beware of the deathblock around the middle of the route before taking on the overhang. Your left foot just wants to stand right on it. 

  Dries quickly after a rain shower.

The Immortal KB

Climbs up a wandering face to a ledge and roof.  Climb through the roof, and up the nice arête above. 

  This climb would be pretty classic if it had some more traffic, but it's still a bit dirty.

Shoot em all

Good steep rock to pull down on. 5.12c to the lower anchors, a boulder problem gets you to the top anchors

Glow in the Dark Bambi

This little steep bastard is stout! Easy enough getting to the crux and then one big move to a right hand to a full on dyno to a bad left hand crimp where feet become scarce. Try to stay on the wall, and start moving out right where the climbing "eventually" eases up before the anchors.

Aftermath

If this weren't located next to Born it would get all the traffic. Truth be told this is probably a better pitch of climbing. Its a lot more sustained for sure. It lacks the position Born has but the rock is consistently better and its way pumpier than Born although not quite as hard.  

  Get on this one. You'll love it.

The Vision Lives on

Thermal Voyager

Climb the crack to the right of Herbivore.  Dude like the name sake suggests this thing is dirty... and always wet.

Dirty White Boy

About 40 feet to the left of Generator in the dihedral corner crack. Really fun climb.  Pretty chill for the first part of the climb and then it gets cruxey toward the top. Often wet. Bring a few BD 3 and BD 2.

Hijacked

Just left of Herbivore. Low power crux to enduro moves on quasi-slopers. You could probably use different beta, but it's always super fun.

Carnivore

One of the most amazing pitches at the Obed.  Steep fun laybacking takes you up to and out a roof to an overhanging prow. Crafty body position gains you a no hands rest after the roof. 

  Prepare to bear down for a 5 or 6 move boulder problem on some of the tweakiest tweaks at Obed. This V5 (or so) sequence blocks entrance to some of the biggest jugs on the super steep and way exposed prow. I recommend mantling up over the anchors for a sit. It was onsighted by Katie Brown and she hardly broke a sweat.

Born on the 4th of July

Another shorty, with an awesome crux that looks improbable (may still be for anyone in the sub 5-ft range). Right in the middle is a blank section of rock with a massive move that has just the right position to set you up perfect for the huge move you are about to do. Once you get through that it's not over so don't let your guard down. It may be short, but it's stout and very fun to say the least.

Red Alert

Start on the right side of the shelf. Pull up onto the lip from under a big roof.

Thermal Detonator

Start as the first four bolts of tapeworm and split right, going up through the yellow flake and large black roof. 

 This thing is really phenomenal with fun memorable cruxes connected by strenuous rests. One of the best I've been on! Face climbing on gear.

Years in the Making

Climb the right side of the vertical arete. Make a move around to the left side where you will be greeted with one more bolt and the crux

Atomic Garden

Start with 20 feet of 5.10+ hand/finger crack that leads over a small roof to a huge horn at the base of a very pretty, overhanging wall.  Big pulls on large, flat holds with the occasional jug brings you to an awkward sit-down rest in the middle of the wall, just before the crux.  Setup on a small, roof-capped crimp and make one hard move to gain better holds below the second crux.  When your forearms are ready, cast into a very cool sequence of sidepulls and liebacks just below the anchors. 

  This route had a couple of glue reinforced holds.

Tapeworm

Okay Climbing, but this is seriously chossy. Bolts rusted and I would recommend doing it on gear.

Fat Man

Great shady climbing area with some super steep testpieces.  Named for one of Oak Ridge's nuclear reactors.  A great crag name.  Bring some atomic firepower for these routes.

The Southeastern Climbers Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving climbing areas in the southeast for future generations. SCC members and volunteers are climbers from Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Arkansas and elsewhere who have joined forces to preserve access to climbing areas in the region. The SCC raises money to purchase or lease climbing areas from private landowners. The SCC is a local grass-roots organization dedicated to preserving climbing areas in the South. The SCC works hand in hand with other climbing advocacy groups like the Access Fund, as well as public and private landowners such as state and national parks, other land trusts, private businesses and local families. Without SCC, many of the climbing areas you enjoy today would not be available for public use. Your financial contribution, however big or small, helps sustain the work of the SCC. SCC preserves climbing areas for current and future generations in the Southeast. We do this through acquisition, stewardship, and community, so that all climbers can enjoy equitable access to the outdoors. We believe all people should have the opportunity to explore the vast natural landscapes in our region. We do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, or any other identity and we will not tolerate prejudice on our properties or within our organization. We believe the outdoors is for all people to enjoy without fear of discrimination and we will continue to work to ensure public protected climbing areas exist in perpetuity.

Description

Protection

Routes in Y- 12