SDS on far right arete of zeus boulder. Traverse the lip up and left and top out at the finish of fulgora.

Paganish

Pastafarian

Hyperion Crack

Hades

Titan Traverse

Loose Canon

Zeus (Stand)

Fulgora (Stand)

Athos

Static Cling

Flying Spaghetti Monster

SHAZAM

Static Crack

Blue Jet

Old Time Religion

Frites & Cassoulet

Athos RIght

Fulgora

Russel's Teapot

Aftershock

Hyperion

Hyper Monster

Freedom Fries

Fulgora Extension

Athos Arete

Cronus

This problem was conjured up from the mind of Steve Lovelace in August of 2009. 

    Sit start on a phantom left hand crimp, and a negative right hand finger-chunk. Load up on the start, and levitate yourself to the seemingly good slot-type flake. Either match on this, or power out with one hand from here to the finish hold out of the lip.  

    After the first move this problem trends right a bit for the top out. 

This is the low start to "Flying Spaghetti Monster"... 

  Find the high start pinch to "FSM" and then look several feet below the pinch to find two tiny crimps.  

  The starting left crimp is about a half pad in width and sculpted into a pinkish colored dropstone, the right crimp is about a foot to the right and is a little less than a half pad. Find a foot, pull on, grab the higher crimp, and blast way up and back overhead to the start pinch on "FSM". Hang on and finish as per.

This problem is pretty good, although it is very short in comparison to the other lines on this face. 

  Look for the massive scoop low on the boulder to the right of Aethos Arete, and to the far left from Pastafarian. 

  This problem stand starts in the base of the crack ine that descends to the upper right of the top of the scoop. 

  Start at the lowest part of the crack and end at the Rhododendron that grows out of the upper jug at the top of the crack. 

  This problem has been climbed to the very top of the boulder, but please dont try this. The massive blocky portions are scetchy, suspect, and scary. Just end at the nice Rhodo, touch the tree, and hop down to safety. 

  You can also do this line, transfer to FSM, and top out there for a harder grade. 

  Additionally the sit start is an Olympus super project. Start matched in the very obvious jug at the base of the scoop and climb into the crack. If you do this please let me know!

Stand start left of Athos Arête and right of Cronus on large right hand side-pull and small left hand crimper (one of the start holds tends to flex a bit, be careful!). Move up crimps and rails to top out same as Athos arête.

SO LONG!!!! 

  20+ moves. 

  Start low as for "Aethos Arête" and climb the arête mid-way. When the arête breaks left, you will trend off to the right to a juggy section and join further right into the mid-face horizontal crack-line (first through a thin crimpy section) that runs to the right across the steep overhang. Keep going once you reach the jugs out right, move under the rhododendron growing out from the boulder above you, and keep climbing to the right.  

  Gain the massive jug just past the rhodo to the right, and work into the "Flying Spaghetti Monster" holds (crux). Once into the FSM holds make a big move to reach the upper massive jug rails for the top out. 

A true Grayson Highlands testament of steep bouldering and crimp strength brought to you by Matt Bosley on the last weekend in April, 2013. 

   This problem sit starts low/left under "Pastafarian" and "FSM" on good crimps, but climbs directly up with difficulty, into FSM to finish as per.

---Used to be V6 with eliminate beta before GHSP became a more well known area, so to be less confusing and in order to make this line a little more fun/straight forward, this is now v3/4.--- 

  Start on the diagonal rails, about chest high, with a left foot on a slopy toe piece under the incline. Use what ever holds that will get you to the right along the blunt arête to top out. 

  The sit start to this is possible and it would go as one of the hardest lines on the boulder (hard v11-12?)

Stand Start the Fulgora crack mid face at the small crimp/jug that is next to the right facing crack. Pull on and follow the crack up to the topout.

-such a great line!-    When looking at the main huge expansion of overhanging boulder awesomeness that is the Olympus Boulder, you will notice that it is actually made up of two huge boulder blades.  

  This problem climbs up the crack, mainly using the left arete, but all hand and foot holds are on. Top out by trending left to continue out the left arete. Top out at the apex of the front, top point of the left boulder face. 

  -Jay, thanks for bringing this to my attention, this really is a wonderful way to climb this and I'm glad to have it on here!

A very hard start to an easygoing line. This is a campus move out of an overhang off of a pencil thin crimp. I dont like this line and neither will you. It hurts and its one hard move to a way better, easy line. But the hold is there, so why not?

 Find the nice in-cut crimp rail at bottom of the vertical face which is the standard stand-start into the line for "Static Crack" (v1/2)...

 Look below this rail, down the overhang below. About a foot below the stand-start is a tiny gash crimp rail, the result of a broken flake that at one time was an awesome, more attractive, more fun hold before it broke . Match start from here and fire up with a campus move into the standard start. Finish as per the v1/2 line.

Stand start very high up (if you're shorter you will need to stack pads)on a large, diagonal rail for a right hand, and a lower small crimp for a left (since Aaron broke the good jug to start on).  

  establish feet and fire out left to a good gaston. Get established on a line of crimps and do a big dynamic move to an awesome jug bar. Top out through some more jugs. 

  I should add that a sit start is probably possible... It would add about 5-6 moves of painful painful V10 crimping. Go for it!

SHAZAM comes from the Captain Marvel comic book.    The acronym stands for: the wisdom of Solomon; the strength of Hercules; the stamina of Atlas; the power of Zeus; the courage of Achilles; and the speed of Mercury... 

  While you dont certainly wont need all of that to hike this rig, a bit of crimp strength and core sure goes a long way... 

  To start the problem, look on the 2nd massive boulder face of the two faces that make up Olympus. Find where "FSM" and "Fulgora" are and your in the right area. 

  Find the thin crack seam that runs along "FSM". To the right of this seam, at about head height are two thin, diagonal, staggered, slightly right facing crimps. to the right of these crimps is a baseball sized, light pink dropstone. 

  Stand-start on these small crimps. move right into a larger sidepull/pinch hold, and then gain the nice crimp above that.  

  From the nice crimp, make a large move up high to gain the crack line of "Fulgora", and finish as per "Fulgora".

Start to the right of "Blue Jet". the start is low, matched at a sharp, deep, long crimp rail at the base of the vertical face below the crack system, and above the overhanging portion of the boulder. 

   feet wherever you can find them (or just campus from the jug crimp rail up to the crack jug). 

  Toss up and right to anywhere positive along the crack.   Follow the good crack all the way right and then trend left with a good toss, ending up at the only clean top out above you. top out.   Grabbing the old pine tree is acceptable style since we would have to cut up all the beautiful old-growth moss for a silly top out move. Just use the tree.

sit start on the large chunk. heel hook the chunk and move up through the crimps to the ledge where one spot is very positive. toss from there up to a good ledge rail on the next "platform."   Get feet up on ledge and then find the horn/spike type knob on top and top out...

A long, tough traverse on one of the parks most frequented faces.

 Sit start on the huge chunk feature as per "Blue Jet" and off the start reach up to the first thin crimp. Trend right from there, staying on the tiny edges and nubbins low on the face (just above the steep, low undercut face). Follow this line of thin holds, traversing right, until you reach the massive jug lobe above the start for Zeus.

 Once on the big jug, climb up to top out from there.

(AKA French Fries & Soup)

 Sit start at the bottom of the obvious diagonal crack that runs from the top of the boulder to the bottom (far right of the boulder, same start as Fulgora). 

 START HOLDS: At base of crack is a diagonal crimp. Start there and use the edge of the crack directly above as a gaston

  Reach up to the next side-pull and gaston left into the higher crimp. Bump higher to the jug part of the crack to gaston (as per Fulgora still). From here, depart from Fulgora and work directly right through a horizontal crimp rail and a triangular pinch/crimp to a jug at the lip of the boulder. Hang on and top out.

Climb Athos Arete past the first crux slopey section, then head up and right on the steep juggy face to a long pull right at the top out. Highball!

Sit start at the bottom of the obvious diagonal crack that runs from the top of the boulder to the bottom (far right of the boulder).

 START HOLDS: At base of crack is a diagonal crimp. Start there and use the edge of the crack directly above as a gaston.

  Reach up to the next side-pull along the crack and gaston left into the higher crimp. Bump up higher to the jug part of the crack to gaston. Follow the crack to juggy glory above.

 ...the bottom seeps a little bit for a day or so after a good rain.

-The big start hold that made this line a v7 in 2010 totally broke off a few months afterward. This line was re-sent summer of 2012 and the first 2 crux moves make it v8ish - In 2019 a key foot broke making the line closer to the v9 grade. Time will tell with consensus. 

Funny name, great problem.   About 6 feet to the right of "Static Crack" and about 5 feet left of the blunt arete you will find a nice, kind, rounded ledge to match.  

  Post feet and toss up and right to a pocket. From this high pocket, trend left to gain the top out moves for "Static Crack". (Top out without the tree)

The most obvious start on the Olympus boulder:   -Hype would get 4 stars if the right hand crimps werent so damn small and aggressive. 

  Find the massive scoop out of the roof (below Hyperion Crack, to the right of Aethos Arête) and sit start here on the low jug (low right corner of the scoop below the overhead crack). Work up through compression moves using the slopey corner and the wicked fingertip crimps out right. Climb into the crack overhead. 

  Once at the jug at the top of the crack (at the little Rhododendron tree) head right into the high crimps of "FSM", make the big move to the jug/s overhead, and top the boulder out. 

  -NOTE: This line was NOT climbed with a knee pad... I dont know if it would actually help but it may(?) take several grades off?? I have no clue. By all means use one, but this is grade is applied to this line without one (I never felt the need to ever use my knee or that it wouldve helped). 

  Also: please dont climb up direct above the Rhodo. This will hurt the nice tree and the blocks above look sketch. Make the hard right moves into FSM and embrace the difficulty. 

Matt Bosley put up this GHSP test-piece on the last weekend of April 2013. 

  This sit-starts at the big jug for "Hyperion" and off the start traverses to the right to link into "FSM" and finishes as per. Proud, crazy hard, crimpy, and steep!

"Freedom Fries" (V10) was put up by NC strongman Dan Horne on July 28 2014. This line is a longer addition to the Frites traverse sequence: "Starts about 4or 5 feet to the left of frites on two crimps that make up a face in the rock with a cobble being the nose and a flake the mouth. Traverses into frites."

Dan Horne also started as per Freedom Fries(V10) but finished into the classic "Fulgora"(V8) top. Yet another cool line variation on Olympus!

-really fun-   When looking at the main huge expansion of overhanging boulder awesomeness that is the Olympus Boulder, you will notice that it is actually made up of two huge boulder blades, the left being set forward more-so than the right.   on that left blade, you will find the Athos Arete traveling along the proud right corner of the left boulder.  

  -Note: this should be no surprise, but the right boulder is off... Rephrased... Just climb the arete. Use common sense.- 

  sitstart at the very bottom on a good stretch of ledgy laybacks, and with a jammed right foot and a left foot on a jib. move up to a smooth bulge hand, followed by a hard set of moves beyond that, all with a jammed right foot.    move through several good, juggy, hand moves and heel hooks as the arete trends left. follow higher to more good hands and rest if needed. move to the highball feeling top portion through good hands and top out wherever you feel good at the top, even traversing more to the left and useing the rail below as feet.

Cronus: The leader of the Titans, who overthrew his father Uranus only to be overthrown in turn by his son, Zeus. 

  -This one is around the corner to the right of the Zeus Arête. 

  Stand-starts high (stand on a folded pad) on a good crimp rail. Get thin (smear) feet and blast up high and left-ish to the next good hold. Follow through to the massive break...   -Note- the large block that sits atop the break shifts ominously. You can chance it and go direct over this, or traverse right to better ground for the easy top out. Your call. 

  -The opening move could go at V5, let me know what you think. 5-6, either way its a great line! 

One of the most impressive boulders in the Southeast. 

 Olympus is massive. This boulder is one of the largest in Grayson Highlands State Park. It is also likely home to some of, if not the most difficult lines and projects found in the park. Along with all of these complements it too has the shortest and easiest approach, and nearest restrooms and a drink machine.... it's got it all (with a grade range from V1-V12 to keep you busy!). This boulder stretches nearly 100 feet or more in length. It has two sides; the first you come to is short and has a shallow overhanging bottom leading up to a vertical top-side. As you walk along this side the height grows in height until you get to the arête where the overhang is above your head you top out at about 13 or 14 feet. Around the corner past the arête the face become massive and steep. It also continues to become taller, reaching 20 feet in some places. Along the front main 45 degree face you will find that the center has a large crack which separates Olympus into two faces. For problem clarification I state "left or right" blade or boulder.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Olympus Boulder