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

Tag Archives: New River Gorge

All Sorts of “Newness” at the New River Gorge

All Sorts of “Newness” at the New River Gorge

I’ve been to the New a countless number of times over the past few years, and the best part about it is that it never gets old!  No matter how many times we head up there, no two trips are ever the same, and this weekend was certainly no exception.  In fact, our weekend was chock full of “newness” – a new climbing season, a new drive, a new friend, lots of new routes, new gear, and of course a new hit list to work with.  Our trip started on Friday afternoon, when Cragbaby and I picked Steve up at…Read the rest of this entry →

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Can’t Get No “Satisfaction…”, so just “Lieback and Enjoy It”

Can’t Get No “Satisfaction…”, so just “Lieback and Enjoy It”

Finally!  A weekend at the New that wasn’t soaking wet!  After we indoctrinated Christie into Southern culture by taking her to Chick-Fila for the first time, we arrived at the Mountain Lake Campground in Summersville just after sunset.  Everyone set up their tents while Canaan waited in his carseat on our picnic table.  After about 10 minutes I realized he had fallen asleep gazing at the moon 🙂 After a slightly overcast start to our day on Saturday, we ended up with a bright, sunshiny (and humid…) day at last! We had a great group – big enough to be…Read the rest of this entry →

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Rainy Mornings + Sunny Afternoons = More Than You’d Think

Rainy Mornings + Sunny Afternoons = More Than You’d Think

Well, the weather forecast may have looked significantly better this time compared to the last time, but of course it isn’t a trip to the New without a little rain, right?  Steve, Canaan, and I arrived 7 or so on Friday night, which gave us plenty of time to set up our tent and cook some dinner before it got dark.  Canaan really enjoyed walking around the campground before bedtime – apparently he thought it was hilarious and cackled with laughter for at least 30 minutes.  I’m still not really sure what was so funny, but of course a baby’s…Read the rest of this entry →

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When it Rains, it Pours…

When it Rains, it Pours…

Since Canaan did so well a couple of weeks ago at the New, we decided to get up there again this past weekend.  We took our friends Marc and Marie, who are gym regulars that are relatively new to the outdoor scene.  We thought it would be great fun to head a little further north to Summersville Lake, a pristine blue mountain lake that doesn’t feel like it should belong in as benign a place as West Virginia.  The best part about climbing on a hot day in Summersville is the post-climb dip into the lake.  I went out the…Read the rest of this entry →

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C-Squatch and “The New” Invasion

C-Squatch and “The New” Invasion

After several weekend weather woes, we were finally able to get Canaan up to the New River Gorge for his first multi-day climbing/camping trip.  We decided it would be best to go up during mid-week as to figure out the logistics of bringing a baby to the crag without also having to battle all the crowds of Memorial Day weekend.  We convinced our friend Scott to be our third man/guinea pig under the stipulation that we wouldn’t stick him with the job of baby-watching. So, with as rain-free of a forecast as you can hope for at the New River…Read the rest of this entry →

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