In 1984, rock climber Rob Robinson had questions.
Not “Should I tie a double bowline or a figure-eight follow-through?” kind of questions, but philosophical and logistical, game-changing questions.
SCC president Matthew Gant traverses the roof on The Dank Tank (5.12a) at Deep CreekHe had just discovered a colossal hunk of sandstone in Prentice Cooper State Forest that he knew had epic climbing potential. “Nobody had even fathomed what was here,” says Robinson while reflecting on the find.
But as he stared at the gray and tan rock face that would come be known as the Tennessee Wall, questions kept bubbling up. Should he tell other climbers or keep it to himself? Would the state allow climbing there? How would climbers get and keep access to the wall?
In 2007, climbers faced those same questions in an area near Soddy-Daisy known as Deep Creek and after years of hard work and innovative problem solving they believe access to the crags at Deep Creek represents the same kind of paradigm shift as Robinson’s historic find.