COVID-19 Climbing Guidelines: The Red River Gorge in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Muir Valley, and all RRGCC-owned property - which includes Miller Fork Recreational Preserve, Bald Rock Recreational Preserve, and Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve - request that you follow the guidelines outlined on each website if you choose to climb during this time. See links above for more details about each climbing area.

Phantasia

Grade Trad Mixed Sport Total
5.9 8 - 10 18
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Directions to Phantasia

USFS
This wall is in property owned by USFS. Be respectful.
From the parking lot of the Junior Williamson Rest Area in Slade, turn left (north) on KY 11, drive 0.1 miles under the Mountain Parkway overpass to a "T" intersection with KY 15. Turn left (east) and continue for 1.5 miles, then turn right (north) on KY 77. This highway is also known as "Nada Tunnel Road", and you may see a street sign so designated at this intersection. Drive 4.4 miles through the tiny town of Nada, through the tunnel, and over the steel bridge (stay right after you cross the steel bridge) to the intersection with KY 715. KY 77 curves left near an old barn while KY 715 continues straight. Follow KY 77 around to the left, past the barn on the right and uphill for 1.0 miles to a pulloff on the right just beyond a right curve. Across from the pulloff on the left is a wall close to the road. Hike up the short approach to the base of the wall where you will see a roof about 20 feet up. This is the first route Creature Feature. To access the routes further down the wall, it is best to walk back down the road to a smaller pulloff. Across from the pulloff, look for a plated face. Hike toward the plated face via faint trails.

Wall Sun: Unknown



Click the column heads to sort. Hold shift to sort on multiple columns.
Route Spray Name Type Grade Quality Length Picture

1

 Creature Feature Sport 5.9+
 
 60
This is the firt route encountered from the end of the approach trail. Look for a plated face with a roof about 20 feet up. Climb up to the ledge beneath the roof, pull the lip and continue to the top on jugs. Steepness:

2

 Twinkie Sport 5.12a
 
 80
Walk around the corner about 150 feet to the right of Creature Feature and up a steep section to a flat area of rock. You will see two bolted routes ascending the steep face. This is the route on the left. Climb the slab to the overhang to the anchors. Steepness:
 Tags
pumpy-1 : steep-2 : fun-4 : classic-1 : beautiful-2

3

 Phantasia Sport 5.12d
 
 85
This is the bolted route 10 feet right of Twinkie. Climb a technical slab to a full recovery beneath the overhang. Race out the overhang on decent holds but don't get your hopes up because they quickly turn to crap. Bust out to a right-hand gaston to make the second last clip then recover for the last few moves to the chains. Steepness:

4

 Luck's Up Sport 5.12b
 
 65
Follow a trail for about 200 feet to the right and around the corner from Phantasia to an overhanging section of the cliff. Several feet right of a corner is this bolted route ascending the greenish face. Boulder the first few bolts then continue through sketchy blocks, moss, and damp holds to the chains. Say goodbye to this section of the cliff because you'll probably never be back. Steepness:

5

 Count Floyd Show Sport 5.11b
 
 70
This route is located about 15 feet left and around the corner from Creature Feature (left of the approach trail). Climb up to the low ledge to start. Steepness:

6

 Creep Show Sport 5.10d
 
 70
This is the bolted route 10 feet left of Count Floyd Show. It begins on the same low ledge. Steepness:

7

 Pogue Ethics Sport 5.10b
 
 80
Either walk far to the left of the previous climbs or take the alternate approach described in the directions to the wall. Look for a bolted line near an arete on a buttress with plated features. If you take the alternate approach, the route will be at the end of the approach trail. Steepness:

8

 Perverse Intentions Sport 5.10a
 
 40
This is the bolted route directly left of the left-facing flake Grand Bazaar. Steepness:
 Tags
vertical-3 : sharp-2 : short-2 : pockets-2 : pile-1 : contrived-1 : shady-2 : juggy-5

9

 Grand Bazaar Trad 5.10a
 
 65
This route ascends a wide, left-facing flake about 200 feet right of Pogue Ethics and directly right of the bolted line Perverse Intentions. Steepness:

10

 Le Petite Bazaar Trad 5.5
 
 25
This route climbs a short, shallow dihedral about 100 feet right of Grand Bazaar. Steepness:

11

 Bobsledding Trad 5.7
 
 60
This route is located left of the alternate approach. Locate a rockhouse about 50 feet left of Pogue Ethics. Climb the crack in the rockhouse to a ledge. Steepness:

12

 Lord of the Flies Sport 5.9
 
 40
This route ascends the bolted face about 75 feet left of Bobsledding. Steepness:

12a

 Over the Flies Trad 5.5
 
 40
Climb the crack between Overlord and Lord of the Flies. Steepness:

12b

 Overlord Sport 5.10b
 
 0
Walk to the left of Lord of the Flies around the corner to another bolted route. Steepness:
 Tags
technical-2

12c

 You Got Served Trad 5.8
 
 60
Climb handcrack to a left leaning Offwidth flake. Steepness:

13

 Attack of the Sand Shark Trad 5.9-
 
 70
Walk to the left of Lord of the Flies around the corner to a dihedral with a roof at the top. Climb the left crack to a ledge, continue up the crack and rap from manky webbing below the roof. Or bring a knife, some fresh nylon, a few quick links and fix that shit. Steepness:

14

 St. Alfonso's Trad 5.7
 
 80
Walk 25 feet left from Attack of the Sand Shark to locate a wide handcrack. Climb the crack to a ledge. Steepness:
 Tags
hands-1 : fists-1

15

 Tomfoolery Trad 5.5
 
 40
Walk around the corner 40 feet left of the previous route to this layback crack. Steepness:

Comments

10 comments {add your own comments}
1
camhead said on June 25th, 2008
2
kimandbob said on July 9th, 2009
On July 4, 2009, John Benningfield onsited (FA'ed) a new trad route on Phantasia Wall located between Lord of the Flies and Overlord.
3
JohnBenningfield said on July 19th, 2009
To the left of Lord of the Flies before you go around the corner to Overlord, there is a 45 ft. left pointing flake. This crack starts with two hand sized cracks that lead up into an off width. Chicken wing up the crack. Climb out onto the face where the flake leans left overhead. Finish on the ledge, and rap off the same anchors as Overlord. This is about a 5.6+ to 5.7 and 50 ft. tall. I would give it a PG rating because of the loose rocks and breaking holds. It was pretty dirty. This climb was not in the book I have, and the party climbing next to my wife and I could not find it in their literature either. If this crack is already named, please let me know; otherwise, I want to name it "Look Out Alex Super Tramp" because of the 10 lb rock that came out of the crack and almost hit my dog.
4
babymagic said on April 19th, 2011
i know the exact one your talking about. i dont think it is named.
5
hamsco said on February 27th, 2014
The crack is "You got Served" It is in the wrong order on the list. Done in 2004
6
Reambo said on May 25th, 2014
Several of the climbs don't seem to be in correct order, had to refer to guide book diagram to figure it out. Stunning scenery in this area of the gorge, going back down to the road between the various routes would rob you of the neat forest trail.
7
Anonymous said on October 30th, 2014
Hi I don’t know if i make my comment at the right place… I did Twinkie last week and i noticed the the anchor was very worn, even dangerous !! Thank Nicolas Hudon
8
Anonymous said on June 8th, 2017
I'm looking for information on the big crack 18 feet to the left of Overlord. It starts as a chimney and narrows to wide fingers up top, with some good hand jams in the middle. I climbed it on 6/3/17. It was extremely dirty and I was breaking off lots of weak sandstone on the bottom half. I posted pictures and called it Trogdor's Crack on Mountain Project (because I hate unknown route). I'll be happy to change it when we can find accurate information on the climb. Thanks, Scott Baird
9
Ascentionist said on June 9th, 2017
I don't know the history, but I'd bet its been climbed. I know around the time Overlord was bolted there was some interest in that section of cliff and reports of various grunge routes being "FAed".
10
DrRockso said on November 20th, 2019
If anyone is headed out here bring a breaker bar with a 9/16'' 6 sided socket. Several routes including Pogue ethics and overlord have been rebolted but the old bolts still need taken out. Overlord also has an anchor bolt which needs tightened.