Category Archives: Climbing

Posts about…you guessed it – climbing! Trip reports, anecdotes, and musings about my favorite recreational pasttime.

New River Gorgeous Fall Climbing!

Oct 28 2015

It’s been 7 years since the CragDaddy and I first visited the New River Gorge (way back in the pre-kid era of our marriage.) Since then we’ve spent hundreds of weekends up there, in all seasons of the year and all kinds of weather…but NONE were as beautiful as this past weekend! The intensity of the fall color this year was absolutely breathtaking – vivid yellows, vibrant reds, and spectacular oranges. It was as if Someone, in the 5 days we’d been back in Charlotte, had taken a paintbrush to the entire landscape. Even just hiking in to Endless Wall had a…Read the rest of this entry →

NRG Round 1: Endless (Not Sendless) Wall

Oct 21 2015

After a month of unseasonably wet and humid conditions, we were starting to think fall climbing season would never get here. But this past weekend was about as good as it gets, condition-wise. The air was cold and crisp, but the rock was still warm – one of those magical times where you can climb pretty much wherever you want, without having to chase sun or shade. In other words, any excuses for not sending are your own fault! Now when it comes to climbing grades at the New River Gorge, there can be some inconsistency, but the general consensus is that…Read the rest of this entry →

Red River Gorge: Rocktoberfest 2015

Oct 14 2015

Every time our family makes one of our biannual pilgrimages to the Red, we always vow to spend more time there the following year…but somehow we never manage to drive past the New more than twice. (That being said…2016 is the year!) But what we lack in quantity we usually make up for in quality, and this year’s Rocktoberfest weekend was no different. We rolled into town Thursday night with just enough light to make camp, which we set up at the very back corner of the property, as far away from the event shenanigans as possible! On Friday we split time between Driveby…Read the rest of this entry →

NRG Craggin’ Classic

Sep 23 2015

Last weekend was the first official weekend of fall, and for climbers in the Southeast, that means it’s time for the Craggin’ Classic at the New River Gorge! This NRG event is actually just one of a series of climbing festivals held across the country each fall. The Craggin’ Classic Series (organized by the American Alpine Club), is a chance for climbers from all over to get together and play around on world class rock, all in the name of community, education, stewardship, and fundraising. This was my 2nd time working this event for Trango/Tenaya (first time was back in 2012),…Read the rest of this entry →

Humidity + Humility = Reality at the New River Gorge

Sep 10 2015

This weekend marked our first climbing trip back on the east coast since our big Wyoming adventure (summed up here, here, here, and here.) And while it felt good to be back on familiar stone, the CragDaddy and I both took a giant dose of humble pie (served dripping in humidity!) “You know we’re going to get pummeled at the New this weekend, right?” I’d joked to Steve last week. After a week of rest and a couple of bouldering sessions at the gym, we were still talking about the glory days of our vacation, where both of us had climbed harder…Read the rest of this entry →

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