Foster Falls Climbing

Foster Falls is a major destination for sport climbing in the south. Near the town of Jasper (just west of Chattanooga), it features high-quality sandstone and challenging climbing in a pleasant locale. Though you might want to stay away in the hottest or coldest seasons, Foster's season is pretty much year-round.

If you're just getting started as a leader, you can hone your skills on a few easy routes like Gravity Boots (5.7) or Jacob's Ladder (5.8). But the real fun at Fosters begins at 5.9 with favorites such as Ankles Away or Twist and Shout, and doesn't stop till you get to the ferociously overhung 5.13 routes in the Bunkers sections. There's a little something for everyone at Fosters.

Amenities include camping (fee-based), picnic facilities and bathrooms at the parking lot. There's also hiking trails if you need a break from climbing, and in the summer you can cool off in the pool at the base of the falls.

For routes not covered on MountainProject, the Dixie Cragger's Atlas by Chris Watford has much of the content or else Chatt Steel by Micah Gentry would the definitive guidebook for Foster Falls.

The sections listed below run from right to left as you face the cliff, starting from where the trail ascends to the cliff from the suspension bridge at the base of the falls:

• Main Wall (5.9 - 5.10c First bolts)
• White Wall (5.11b - 5.13a First big wall, kinda White)
• So What Area (5.9 - 5.12b Nearby left of White Wall, has left arete)
• Crime Buttress (5.9 - 5.12c Black and Orange, has left arete)
• Right Bunker (5.10d - 5.13c First big roof)
• Left Bunker (5.10c - 5.13c Second big roof)
• The Dihedrals (5.8 - 5.12d Immediately after the second big roof)
• Jimmywood (5.8 - 5.12a Starts shortly after wooden sign "climbers trail only" along low trail)
• Gutbuster Area (5.8 - 5.13b Around the next high-up pointy roof cap_
• Sanford Wall (5.9 - 5.11d Golden face climbing with left and right aretes)
• Rocket Slab (5.5 - 5.12c First slabby lookin' slab)
• Rehab Slab (5.9 - 5.10a Left facing wall with a few mini roofs)
• Snatch Wall (5.11a - 5.13b Starts overhung, capped by large pointy buttress)
• Red Light District (5.8 - 5.13b Massive right facing corner between two walls)
• Music City/The 5.9 Area (5.8 - 5.12c)
• Wall of Useless Conflict (5.7 - 5.11d)
• Paradox Wall (5.7 - 5.11b)
• Dog Boy Village (5.9 - 5.12c)
• The Great Roof (5.8 - 5.13d You know..)
• Castle Cliff (5.10d - 5.12c)