This new line (bolted spring 2017?) is the easiest sport route at Summersville, and possibly in the entire NRG region. Not sure what the first ascensionist named it, but our family has been calling it On Top of the Milky Whale because it really does feel like you are on the back of a great white whale. The clean rock has light green lichen patterns that seem almost bioluminescent. The route has a purity that reminds you of the nearby Under the Milky Way.

On Top of the Milky Whale

This is the bolted route to the left of Chewy. Do not confuse this route with the 5.9 around the corner— Ragged Reaction. It’s easy climbing up to a couple stopper slab moves around the 3rd/4th bolts. Work a little left on the slab at the 3rd bolt and then move right to pull onto the ledge after the crux. There’s usually a bail carabiner on it, perhaps because people think it’s the 5.9 to the left.

Bombardino

Very delicate climbing. Starts tenuously and doesn't let up. Requires a bit of patience and observation. Right hand gets to hold the arete most of the way up. If you're tired of looking at the rock just lean out right and you'll see the lake.

Ragged Reaction

Start on the large ledge about 10 feet to the left of the Under the Milky Way arete.  Climb up and right aiming for the first bolt.  From here either climb straight up or head out to the right a bit and traverse back left using very small but positive crimps, aiming for a nice horizontal in the middle of the face.  Continue to climb straight up to reach the last bolt using very positive holds, thin and technical but much easier than the previous terrain.  Approaching the last bolt starts to get harder again.  Very positive small holds, tricky footwork.   After clipping the last bolt, the climb is not over, the holds are no longer positive and the shuts are very difficult to clip unless you climb all the way up to grab the ledge above them.  If you clip the shuts with draws already hung, it is much easier and it eliminates a difficult move (possibly the crux).

Six Dollars

Seven Minutes of Heaven

This route has a very intense crux, the rest is fairly mellow comparatively.  Start by climbing up to reach the overhang and clip the 2nd bolt.  Find the undercling to the right of the 2nd bolt and use the very tight horizontal pockets to reach the bulge and make a powerful move to a positive hold to the right of the 3rd bolt.  From here, it's mostly positive crimps to the top.  Just before the last bolt, there's a long reach to a really positive flake.  The upper section can be a bit dirty.  This route is not listed in the Cater guide, 3rd edition.

Stone Cold Dixie

Make a strange 1st move and crimp your way to a hand jam rest. make another equally hard deadpoint/dyno then setup for the crux, work out left on undercling deadpoint for a side pull and then make tenuous moves up the crimpy flake with the pump clock ticking. Make some final moves that go at 10+/11- but with pump feel like 5.13, grab the clipping jug way up right and clip those anchors...man that climb was hard.

The crux of this climb is very insecure and involves traversing on bad underclings with bad feet then deadpointing without letting your feet slip.

Flirting with E

Start by climbing up the arete, making some bouldery moves to gain the ledge under an overhang.  At the overhang, clip the 3rd bolt and figure out which way to go to gain the 4th bolt (crux).  From here, the climb eases up as you proceed over a clean face making use of very positive holds.   This is a hard onsight.  Figuring out whether to go right or left at the crux is not obvious.   This route could benefit from more traffic to clean it up a bit.

Fifty Fifty

This is a face route that starts just right of the Fifty-Fifty arete, then trends left to pull a small roof and gain the face above.

Minimum Overdrive

Start by climbing up a low angle pillar for about 20 ft to reach a large ledge to the right of the arete where you can clip the first bolt and begin the climb.  This ledge can also be reached by walking up to the right of the pillar and scrambling up to the start.  The first method is recommended.

Start by climbing up the arete to reach the second bolt.  From here, the next moves are on the face to gain the 3rd bolt.  Face climb straight up passing the 4th bolt and diagonal up and left to reach the shuts.  The crux is the thin moves above the 4th bolt.

No Way, Jose'

Slightly overhanging...

Big moves between big holds makes this climb a great 2nd climb of the day, to further warm-up and get into the lead head-set

There is a deadpoint before you reach the first jug off a weird sidepull rail.

Chewy

The route is bolted less than perfectly, stick clipping the first is a good idea if you are just pushing into the grade. The route is good if you don't mind the bottom portion being less than great. The movement in the middle makes the route worth doing.

Quarryman's Hands

Note: I have not done this route, but I felt that enough people were confusing this route and Flirting with E to warrant an entry.

From mikesironcladbeta.blogspot.com:

"The route starts off with a bit of 5.11 climbing before the crux, a super thin section at 1/3 height. The climbing up top is great. Check it out and help keep it clean before the black dust settles back in. It’s a great route."

Articulated

from the edge of the ledge, climb up a right facing flake and thin crack.

Flight Path

Start in the middle of the short wall with a large, detached right-leaning block. Face climb trending up and left to this block.  The block does take gear if you're so inclined.  Navigate through the block by either hand-jamming or mantling up onto it, then a few more easy moves take you to the anchors.

On the Porch

Under the Milky Way takes the blunt arete that marks the left end of the Long Wall.  Perform a bouldery move to get started (nice to have a good spotter or stick clip), then continue up sustained and technical moves to a crux high on the route.  Bolted anchor.

Under the Milky Way

Very sustained crimping and long moves make the pump on this climb substantial.

Crimp and pull your way up this climb tat occasionally wanders off the bolt line.

Stemming the right corner is off-route.

Maximum Overdrive

Crank an easy boulder problem on the left, or deadpoint for a finger slot on the right, then pull to jugs and clip the first bolt.  Continue up the wonderful face and fight the pump to the anchors.  Don't try to clip the chains too soon - you'll miss the jug.

Going Ballistic

The leftmost route on the short wall. Fun little warm-up.

Rocky Top Hilton

Start by climbing up a flake system with excellent holds to reach the roof.  Clip the bolt in the roof, grab the excellent jug at the lip and crank up finding small but positive holds to eventually reach a jug (crux).  From here, diagonal up and right a bit over giant flakes and make a mantle move to reach the shuts.  The beginning and end are quite easy for the grade(probably 5.9 or so).  The roof is the business and coolest part of the route.

Spice

Slightly overhanging climb with big moves between good holds. The crux of this climb comes right at the anchor, amke sure you traverse a couple moves right then move to the anchor, otherwise I think the climb is more like 5.11-.

This climb is the most classic warm-up I have ever done. For that reason I always warm-up on this one...Super Classic

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Routes in The Long Wall