Climb up to the overhang, then head right and up on good holds.

The Nose

Descent Route

Little Devil

Cranko

Conroy Wasn't Here

Lawrence's Last

Cornice

Tiparillo

Top of the World

Cornice - Var: Cornice Direct

Darius Green's Flying Machine

Cornice - Var: unnamed

First Blood

Crank Up

Crankarmadillo (AKA Cranky Climber)

Start on the ramp leading to Crank Up - at the roof climb up and right, finish by climbing the face to the top.

Start: 100 yards downstream from Armbuster and 30 yards downstream from Right Cheek (Cornice).   Scramble down a series of ledges.   Note:  This is the best descent route for the climbs between Conroy Wasn't Here and The Nose.

Start same as Cornice. Climb up the wall and follow the thin left slanting crack through the bulge.

Start same as Crank up - climb the left crack.

Start: Below a shallow chimney and left facing corner 35 feet left of Cornice.   Follow the chimney and corner up the wall.

Start below a large chimney 15 feet left of the Cornice - climb up the cracks and through the chimney.

Start in the corner, climb up into the chimney section, then bust a move out the big roof on good holds. Feels like the Gunks for a brief moment.

Start same as Crank up. Traverse left for 15 feet along a prominent horizontal crack until below a small overhang. Step to right around the overhang and climb the face.  Formerly known as Close but no Cigar..

Climb through the large overhang at the crack in the overhang.

Start 15 feet left of Lawrence's Last, below several flakes in the bulging wall - climb the bulging wall using flakes and small handholds to gain a ledge. Finish by climbing the thin face above the ledge.

Start: Same as Cornice.   Climb face to overhangs.

Start: 5 feet right of a left facing corner and 30 feet left of Cornice.   Climb onto a narrow ledge below the bulge. Using flakes, climb the bulge and continue up and right through the overhangs.

Start on the ramp below two parallel cracks in the overhang wall - climb the right crack

This combination is for climbers who lament the shortness of Great Falls routes.Climb up Crankup (5.10), traverse 6 feet left to the top of Cranko (5.10). No fair resting on the top. Downclimb Cranko until you are standing on the ledge that leads left to the Tiparillo traverse. Traverse left and finish on Tiparillo (5.11).

Cornice is the next section of the main gorge downstream from Bird's Nest. The top of the cliff is just a few yards off the river trail and there is easy access to setting up all the top ropes. The climbs here offer a variety of difficulties. The actual climb named Cornice may be the single best moderate climb in the Potomac Gorge.

The Nose

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Cornice