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

Category Archives: Hidden Valley, VA

CragKid on the Sharp End!!!

CragKid on the Sharp End!!!

Despite the rocky start to our climbing year, our family has been trying hard to make up for lost time the past few weekends, and it’s been refreshingly awesome. Typically by this point of the year we are tired of melting off the rock and ready to exchange our climbing gear for paddleboards and kayaks. But after all the spring clovid closures, we have been far less picky with conditions than we usually are by mid-June! Not to mention, the weather has been seasonably tolerable, especially up at Hidden Valley, which is where we’ve spent the past couple of weekends.…Read the rest of this entry →

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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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Labor Day at Hidden Valley

Labor Day at Hidden Valley

I’m not sure what the climbing conditions are like where you are, but around here it is still pretty hot and sweaty.  That was probably the biggest factor influencing our decision to head to Hidden Valley this past weekend.  Other factors included avoiding the throngs of people flocking to the Red and the New for the holiday weekend, as well as wanting to do some recon for the Hidden Valley Travel Beta series posts I’ve been doing. The good news is that we had success on all fronts – decent temps, crowd avoidance, and recon.  (Oh, and speaking of that,…Read the rest of this entry →

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Best Sport Climbs Hidden Valley – 5.10 and Under

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Now that you’ve got the basic crag beta down for Hidden Valley, it’s time to decide what routes you want to try.  The best part about Hidden Valley (aside from that 4000′ elevation!) is the wide variety of grades spread all around the cliff.  This post will zero in on the lower grades – those of you looking for 5.11 and up recommendations will have to wait!  But for now, here’s plenty to get started on. GREAT FOR NEW LEADERS STALLION 5.5 –  Both of my children like this one!BUTT FACE 5.6 – Easy slabbin’ with plenty of bolts.LEISURE SUIT 5.8 –…Read the rest of this entry →

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CRAG PROFILES: Hidden Valley

CRAG PROFILES: Hidden Valley

Well, if you follow me on Instagram (@cragmama), you may have noticed the poll that went up last week about which crag to feature on the blog next – Hidden Valley or the Red?  It was a tight race, with the winner going back and forth numerous times before finally settling on Hidden Valley.  If you were hoping for the Red, have no fear, that Travel Beta guide will hopefully be up before your fall projects start calling.  But for now, read on for the travel beta for family climbing at Hidden Valley. First off, let it be known that…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN