The Citadel Climbing

This digital The Citadel climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your The Citadel days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

**50% of the revenue from this guide is donated to the Southeastern Climbers Coalition**

Special thanks to the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, Adam Henry, Bob Cormany, Craig Stannard, Jake Slaney, Daron Harris, Christy Wood, Chris Harris, Chris Watford, Rob Robinson, Andrew Traylor, Michael Hanks, Maurice Reed, John Barr, Anne Shields, Brad McLeod, Gus Fontenot, Nathan Steele, and Kanaan Crutchfield for helping make this area what it is and securing permanent access to a very special place.  Meagan Evans, Kate Hanes, and Caleb Timmerman with the Southeastern Climbers Coa... Show more

This digital The Citadel climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your The Citadel days smoother, safer, and more dialed. **50% of the revenue from this guide is donated to the Southeastern Climbers Coalition** Special thanks to the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, Adam Henry, Bob Cormany, Craig Stannard, Jake Slaney, Daron Harris, Christy Wood, Chris Harris, Chris Watford, Rob Robinson, Andrew Traylor, Michael Hanks, Maurice Reed, John Barr, Anne Shields, Brad McLeod, Gus Fontenot, Nathan Steele, and Kanaan Crutchfield for helping make this area what it is and securing permanent access to a very special place. Meagan Evans, Kate Hanes, and Caleb Timmerman with the Southeastern Climbers Coalition worked tirelessly to make public permanent access to the Citadel a reality, so thank them when you see them. Thanks to Cal Graffeo for creating the maps and helping with kiosk signage. The information in this guide is the culmination of many climbers helping to clean, climb, and verify grades of problems. Many more have surely been lost to moss and lichen over the years. This guide is a living document, so if you have information regarding problem names/grades that are not listed in this guide, please submit them in KAYA and/or send pictures and info to George Evans at ghevans90@gmail.com. JOIN AND DONATE TO THE SOUTHEASTERN CLIMBERS COALITION! 50% of the revenue from this guide is donated to the SCC. When visiting this area: - Park in designated areas, avoiding parking on the side of the road or in the old parking area near the tall low angle slab. - Pack it out - don’t trash the area - leave it better than you found it. Show the local community that climbers are a user group that makes places better. - Don’t be a nuisance - leave the bluetooth speakers at home and be kind to non-climbers/locals visiting the area. Make a good impression. - Brush your ticks - if you need ‘rookie stripes’ to climb your mega proj, make sure they’re gone when you leave the boulder. - Dogs must be leashed and controlled at all times - If Fido can’t be stopped from digging, barking, and running on the pads, leave him at home. Don’t leave dog poop for others to drop their pads in… - No fires or camping - there are primitive options nearby and tons of AirBnB/VRBO options in the area. Avoid areas that are off property. - If it is not covered on the map, it is outside of SCC property boundaries and should not be visited. This currently also includes the Pearl (across the road). - Climb smart - rock climbing is an inherently dangerous sport. Use pads and spotters. The grades and lines in this guide are suggestions and are not guaranteed to be correct so use your best judgment and climb within your abilities. - Keep pads and feet on established trails and durable surfaces - don’t create spider trails by shortcutting to your proj and don’t smash plant life with your pads. ACCESS HISTORY Native Lands: Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East), S'atsoyaha (Yuchi) source: Native-Land.ca The Southeastern Climbers Coalition (SCC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving access to outdoor climbing areas in the southeast for present and future generations. The SCC acquired the Citadel Boulders in 2023 to conserve this unique climbing area and open it to the public for climbing access and passive recreation for generations to come. The iconic Citadel Boulders were secured thanks to hard work from local volunteers and with support from Access Fund, Riverview Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, and the Georgia Alabama Land Trust. By all our powers combined, our climbing community was able to gain access and preserve the Citadel Boulders. Fort Payne locals remember the property as Citadel Rocks, a local attraction owned by the Eberhart family in the 1950s. The land was later owned by the Klatt Family. Ernest F. Klatt "Ernie" diligently worked from a young age as a migrant farmer in exchange for land so that he could build a better life for him and his family. The Citadel held a sentimental and special value for Ernest's daughter, Elsie Winchester and her family, as Earnest loved the incredible rock formations here. The Citadel also has a long history of climbing dating back to the late 80s and early 90s. Many legendary southeastern names can be found on first ascents throughout The Citadel. SCC welcomes the public to enjoy the rock climbing, hiking trails and natural beauty of this area. Access is offered in accordance with the Alabama Recreational Use Statute (Alabama Code 35-15-1 et seq.). If you choose to enter this area you are voluntarily choosing to assume all risk of personal injury and/or property loss.