Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Best Hidden Valley Sport Climbs 5.11 and Up

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Time for the final round of Hidden Valley recommendations – this time for 5.11 and up.  And guess what – fall sending is almost here!  So if you are in the market for some good projects, this list might be a good place to start.  While the moderate routes can get quite crowded on good weather weekends, you’ll find that the queues drastically decrease as the grades increase. GREAT “FIRST OF THE GRADE” CANDIDATES ROADKILL 11a – A little pumpy, but straightforward, and you get a good rest once you pull the roof. GRISTLE 12a – I know lots of…Read the rest of this entry →

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Low Gravity Days at Hidden Valley

Low Gravity Days at Hidden Valley

For anyone that is interested in beta for sending the steeps at Hidden Valley, VA, here it is – 1.  Climb back to back 3 day weekends at the Red River Gorge.  2.  Go to Hidden Valley and try hard.  You won’t walk away empty-handed, I promise! Our climbing schedule this month was planned out in detail very far in advance completely impromptu based on the weather, but it seemed to really work for us.  After all the steep climbing we’ve been doing lately, I decided I wanted another shot at Gristle 12a, a route I’d tried once before back in April.…Read the rest of this entry →

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Camping, Climbing, and Salamanders!

Camping, Climbing, and Salamanders!

Our family has been eagerly, yet anxiously awaiting the start of the spring camping season.  Eager because we love waking up in the woods…anxious because there’s one member in our family that loves being awake in the woods so much that she refuses to go to sleep.  However, now that nighttime temps have gotten up in the 50’s, staying in a cheap motel seems like an unnecessary expense.  So off we set on Friday afternoon, aiming for Hidden Valley Lake, a serene gem hidden high on a ridge above the town of Abingdon, VA.  Had stocked all the necessary items…Read the rest of this entry →

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