The Access Fund Adopt-a-Crag day at Griffin Falls in 2003.
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Brandon Lemoine crimps down on the Breakfast Wall.
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Ken Pitts in the late 1970's plugging gear on a crack at Griffin Falls.
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Griffin Falls is a small sandstone cliff line that runs perpendicular to Interstate 59 near Collinsville in northeast Alabama. Many of you have caught glimpses of it as you drove south to boulder at Horse Pens. Griffin Falls is of course best known for it’s falls, a beautiful cascading drop of about 40, feet smashing in to boulders down below. The cliff line is private, but the land owner has graciously allowed climbers to use the land. There are a few good traditional and sport climbs here, in particular, Knife Blade Crack (5.9). Too bad this finger locking delight is not a wee bit longer.
There is no camping or drinkable water source in the area, so bring plenty as this crag can get hot at times. All supplies can be obtained in nearby small town of Collinsville or Gadsen. Griffin Falls faces east, so mornings to mid afternoon are great in the winter; awful in the summer. Spring time is particularly nice when the water fall is still pumping and buckeye trees bloom red and the may apples are found in the forest.
The small dirt parking area is a popular site for dumping of garbage, dead animals and teenage late night frolicking. Don’t be surprised if the area smells, and be careful when you step out of your car. Please bring a trash bag and haul off a little trash and the climbing trolls will smile on you as you climb all day. A yearly cleanup during the Access Fund Adopt-A-Crag Day is conducted by the SCC to help keep the area relatively clean. Guide book information is available in "The Dixie Cragge’s Atlas by Chris Watford at callwild@atlanta.com.
- Griffin Falls Tips
-Car pool to minimize traffic in the small parking lot.
-Haul some trash out with you as you leave.
-Respect the rights of local landowners.
-No camping in the area.
-Help out with the yearly cleanup of the area.
Recommended Routes to drop your rope in front of:
Knife Crack (5.9)
Power Windows (5.11b)
Grace under Pressure (5.10 cd)
Second Cup (5.11a)
Romano's Crack (5.10 c)(if your feeling randy)
Related Access Articles:
Directions and more info on Griffin Falss can be found in Chris Watford’s Dixie Cragger’s Atlas, www.dixiecragger.com a climbers guide to Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia available for sale at and many fine outdoor retailers. The Dixie Cragger’s Atlas provides extensive route guide information and is highly recommended for any outdoor climbing enthusiast.
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Copyright © by The Southeastern Climbers Coalition All Right Reserved. Published on: 2006-01-24 (3410 reads) [ Go Back ] | 
