New River Gorge
At the end of May I took my first trip out to West Virginia's New River Gorge for an extended weekend of climbing. The trip was a blast and the climbing was great. I meant to post a report sooner (I actually thought I had written something but can't find it) so I'll try to recall the details now. Fortunately I jotted some notes during the trip so I won't be completely making things up. Seriously, I did on-site a 5.13b...

Khanh, Agnes, Roger, and I convened at my house and managed to stuff ourselves and gear into Agnes's car. It took some doing. We had originally planned to use Agnes's new soft roof rack bag, but she backed off on that idea when she realized it sat directly on the roof of the car. Fortunately I spent a few years in highschool working at Mailboxes Etc. where I had to solve customer's 3D Tetris puzzles of cramming the most stuff in the smallest box for the cheapest rate possible. Oh, hours of Tetris itself probably helped too. We managed to stuff it all in - though Roger had to abandon some of the items he really didn't need. I don't think he had been on a camping/climbing trip before and just bought the biggest pack he could find and then stuffed it with everything that might possibly be of use. No matter, it all made it in without blocking Agnes's view out the back window. We were on the road somewhere late afternoon, perhaps creeping up on evening.

The drive was pretty long, seven hours or so. Khanh grossed me out by eating some yogurt that had been sitting out at room temperature the entire trip plus however long it took her to get to my house from work. American yogurt is "too sweet" apparently, so she normally lets the bacteria work on it a few extra hours to season it. Khanh and Roger spent a lot of time sleeping. I looked through guides to figure out where we should climb while Agnes drove. We made it to the camp site (Rifrafter's) after midnight and the owner showed us to our cabin. He bumped us up to the big cabin for free since it wasn't booked.

Thursday

Nobody seemed to agree with me that we should get up really early to squeeze in as much climbing as possible. We slept in a bit but were on the road at a decent time. We stopped at Burger King for breakfast because Agnes whined about it, I think. I ate at the cabin but figured I had some room left for french toast sticks. And a hash brown. And orange juice, of course. We were heading to Summersville Lake for our first day and were supposed to look for a dirt hill to pull off the highway and park behind. Khanh had been there last year so we were hoping it would look familiar. After driving way too long on the highway we decided we had missed it. We were probably 15-20 miles from Burger King at that point and it shouldn't have been that far. We turned back and eventually found it... right before Burger King. Too be fair to us, the book we had said dirt hill and this one was vegetated and blended with the terrain. Our book (borrowed from Kimmy) may have been a little out of date.

It was probably about 10AM by then and we were off to find the Excellent Buttress (at least that is what our book called it. Other guides - either online or that I have bought since that trip - don't call any section that. The climbs are just in the D.C. Memorial Boulder / Long Wall section. Some of the climb names were different too, so I'll use the ones from the online guide.) Hopefully we would do better on the trail directions than we did on the road. The hike wasn't too bad. Kind of long, but the terrain wasn't tough. It was probably half an hour from the car to the wall. We stopped to look at some of the sights though, like the far too difficult climbs on the D.C. Memorial Boulder. We had four days of climbing ahead of us and would quickly burn out trying 5.11 and harder climbs. Plus we probably wouldn't make it up them.

Our first climb was Personal Pronoun (5.9). I roped up and Agnes belayed. The rock was really nice, a type of sandstone. The texture made for easy gripping and I didn't feel the need to chalk my hands much on it. The first climb was uneventful and I was happy to have successfully on-sighted my first climb there.

Agnes tried a harder lead. In the book we had it was listed as a 5.10c. The guide I linked pegs it as Jesus is my license plate (5.10d) She fought her way up to the last bolt but was stymied by the last moves to the anchors. She lowered and I tried to finish it. I'm glad she did the work on the lower bolts to get me out of ground fall range since it was a pretty tough climb. I took a break at the last bolt to check out my options. I ended up going more right (she was attempting some moves toward the left of the anchors) and managed to finish it off. She re-climbed on toprope and was able to finish without much hassle when she went right.

When another group that had showed up after us finished with Chewy (5.10b) I jumped on it. The bottom was really interesting, I think the start was on the petrified roots of a tree. It looked like a root system at least. The curvy structure was incredibly strong and sharp. I actually found the climb pretty easy but a lot of fun - probably the best I climbed that day. It fit my height well and the moves were big and exciting but well within range. I had one pause while I led this one. The other group had forgotten to untie the figure eight on the end of the rope they were toproping Personal Pronoun with and it was out of their range. I climbed over to grab it and untie it. A bee attacked me and I instinctively whipped the rope at it. It was a really lucky swing because I connected and fired that sucker passed the faces of the guys waiting on their rope and straight into the dirt. I finished the climb without any more diversions.

The last climb we picked off in this section was Ingrate (5.9). We had actually looked around for the climb on and off unsuccessfully all morning, as did the other group. It was one of the few 5.9s in the area and I wanted to give it a go. I eventually found it starting on a big boulder. After leading it, I was glad I hadn't found it sooner. The first bolt was really intimidating for me and would have shot my mental state for at least the day if it had been the first climb. It starts on a big boulder but quickly moves to the right, no longer over the boulder. That meant, after a few quick moves, I was 15 feet or so off the deck with no protection clipped. The move to the clip looked possible, but it was a high step and looked like most of the stability was from leaning forward over the slanting wall. After a lot of backing off and false starts - during the first of which Khanh decided she needed to anchor to a tree since she was too light to stop me from hitting the deck on such a fall - I relaxed myself and decided I could do the move. It would be intimidating, but well within my ability. I went for it and made it. I finished the climb (with more breaks, I was still pretty psyched out) and left it as a toprope. For some reason nobody was inspired to lead it after my graceful display... Khanh and Agnes breezed up the climb and loved it. What was the problem? I tried it again on toprope, enjoying it much more than I had. Still, I am not sure I would lead it again.

There was one more climb in the area I was really drooling over, Under the Milky Way (5.11d), but I was nervous. I saw some other climbers having trouble on it and based on the rating, it would take me a lot of work and might be too intimidating. Still, it looked like fun, an arete right by the water. Plus the name was the title of a song by the Church, one of my favorite groups, and the song had sentimental value because my first long term girlfriend in highschool had introduced me to them. Maybe I was supposed to climb it. I decided it would be too much, especially on the first day of the trip. Some day...

We moved on to Narcissus cave. While the climbs in the cave looked amazing, they were not possibilities for us. Everything in the the cave was 5.12 or harder. The climbs along either side of the cave were stiff 5.11s. We went for the easy climbs to the right of the cave. Agnes jumped on Jeff's Bunny Hop (5.8) to start, and I pulled the rope and re-led it after her. It was a nice climb, fairly long and the rock had interesting shapes to it. I thought the bottom was tricky. I was pretty worn out by the top and glad to be there as my energy reserves were blown.

Khanh led Sniff the Drill (5.8) on our other rope. From the ground I thought it looked like an easier climb than the bunny hop, the bottom was more straightforward, but I was wiped out. I decided to play it safe and toproped it.

We hiked out and went back to the cabin. For dinner Agnes sprayed camping fuel all over the picnic table and we set it ablaze. I ran for my camera while others grabbed water, but the picture I snapped didn't do the flames justice.

Our target for Friday was Bubba City. I can't recall if our original goal was the Tattoo Wall, but I know we did look for the "second pullout" that the Bubba City guide addendum mentioned was the way to get there. We found a second dirt area after a cemetery, but the gas company equipment made us think we probably weren't allowed to park there. We headed back to the first pullout we came across around 10AM.

Our hike in brought us between Central Bubba and Bubba Buttress. The book we had only listed a few climbs in our range, and they all seemed to be trad when we actually checked them out. We contemplated what to do now. We wanted to get to the Tattoo Wall part of Sandstonia, but weren't sure where it was in relation to where we were. Khanh thought she was there on a trip but wasn't positive. I spent some time piecing together information from the book we had and various printouts from the web and decided on a direction to the wall. Khanh agreed that was the way they went last year. The second issue was "how far?" It sounded like a long way away, but Khanh had been there. We considered hiking back to the car (20 minutes?) to try to find the second lot and hike from there. We decided to hike along the cliffs. The more you hike, the larger your investment and the less you want to turn around. After an hour, you know it is an hour to where you started. You also know Khanh was wrong about having been there. What if it was just a little further? It has to be less than an hour to the wall, right? The hike back to the second lot was only supposed to be 15 minutes. How sad would it be to back off when we were almost there.

Closing in on noon I had resolved to hike all damn day if that was necessary. I would be too tired to climb anything if we found it, but I was committed. Fortunately, after a rough scramble through scree that was supposedly home to a lot of poison ivy (nobody broke out) we found a wall with some bolts. I checked the topography for Tattoo Wall and was tentatively excited. After checking a few more features I was happy to be there. About 2 hours after we left the car. Drenched with sweat and exhausted, we took a break before climbing.

I decided to go easy and jumped on Shady Lady (5.7) The climb was straight forwardand uneventful. It was a little damp from the night's rain, but not bad. I trailed our second rope and set up a toprope at the anchors of Lieback and Enjoy It (5.10d). Khanh re-led Shady Lady while I rested and Agnes worked Lieback and Enjoy It. She wasn't enjoying it, she flopped around a while at the first low ledge and made me glad we went with a toprope (video of one of her attempts). The climb was highly rated and the part after the low roof was fun. I think we were just to worn out to really enjoy it.

We moved on to some easier terrain. I jumped on a Mrs Field's Follies (5.8). This climb was amazing. It started with a 10 foot tall, 4 inch wide crack, moved into some slopey holds, had a great pull over a roof near the end, and was 95 feet tall! What more could I ask for? It was tiring, but I was determined to lead it all under my own power (no resting on the rope/gear). I took a little time under the roof - still my own power, but I could basically stand on a ledge - to figure out my approach, but I managed it.

While I was climbing, Khanh worked Geisha Girl (5.8). It was the same height and started on the same crack, but it moved left while mine went right. I pulled the rope on that one re-led it. I needed a break on it. There was a section that just didn't flow like the rest for me, moving out of a little left facing corner and back right onto the face. The feet/legs just didn't feel comfortable for me. I'll have to try it again someday with less hiking to warm up.

Khanh next took the lead on Bobby D's Bunny (5.6). It was a strange climb, starting with a crawl on a ledge under a low roof to the first real clip. I re-led it and don't remember much of it aside from trees. Someone caught me on camera getting a hand from a tree to stand back up after the crawl, and I had to move around a tree growing out of the rock in the middle of the climb.

We had a pretty full day and decided to get out while we had some daylight. Since we certainly weren't going back the way we came, we would have to try and find the right trail out to the second lot (which was an unknown distance from our car). As we found ourselves lost down a dead end in the rapidly growing dark, the rain came. It didn't take long to muster up a downpour and we were quite soaked by the time we reached the second lot. And, of course, it was the dirt area with the gas well. We walked along the road back to the car. I made it back first, I tried to go quicker and go pick them up. I wasn't quick enough, they made it back to the car by the time I had stripped off some wet clothing and was pulling out. I just took some video instead.

Before heading back, we wanted to hit a store. I wanted to buy some poison ivy treatment in case we did pick up something on the hike, as well as some gatorade and other groceries, and Roger decided waterproof boots were a good investment given his soaked tennis shoes. The first place we found was a Wal-Mart. The signs were all lit up, but the store was not actually complete. Further south on Route 19 we found a K-Mart. I stripped off my shirt and wrang it out before I went in, I wanted to look presentable.

We met Nicole back at the cabin. She was supposed to arrive the previous evening but crashed into a gaurd rail on the way in and had to stay in a hotel overnight to get things sorted out with her car during the day. Jen and Dave were due in that night, but weren't going to make it until late. We went to bed.

When I woke up in the morning there was a tent outside our cabin and I guy I didn't know looking at me from a minivan parked nearby. It was Dave, Jen's husband who I hadn't met until then. We all had breakfast, piled into the minivan and made it to Summersville Lake by about 10AM.

Even with all of the previous night's rain, the rocks were dry and in good condition. We headed all the way down to Orange Oswald Wall, part of Summersville Lake that Agnes, Khanh, and I hadn't yet explored. The area was neat; a rock face with a few feet of dirt to belay from before sloping down to the water. There were a few girls looking for an easy climb when we arrived, and a boat docked shortly after for a day of climbing. It must be fun to boat around the lake and pull off for climbing and swimming.

Khanh started us out on Souled Out (5.9) while Nicole led Chunko Goes Bowling (5.9). Dave followed up Souled Out, then I re-led it. I didn't like the way the anchor positioned the rope when others were toproping. It cut over a sharp ledge and the sandstone was pretty rough. I prefer to be overly cautious and discouraged others from toproping it, just lead.

The group of girls had finished up on Hippie Dreams (5.7) so Agnes led it. Jen belayed her and was next in line, so I belayed Nicole on another climb. Our guide didn't list it, but Nicole figured it looked easy. I thought it was between Hippie Dreams and Souled Out, but even the recent book I have doesn't list one there. Maybe I am off on the names... It started up on a ledge and was pretty slabby. I re-led it; the hardest part was probably getting up on the ledge and getting tied in to start the climb. The rock was so grippy and it felt like I could stick my feet anywhere. The whole surface was marked with wavy/circular shapes, erosion I guess.

Afterward I re-led and then cleaned Chunko Goes Bowling. I remember enjoying the climb but don't remember much of it. On the way I swung over to Vodoo Surfing (5.10b) and put in the first clip for Nicole. The start looked a little tricky and she wanted a leg up on clipping for safety. I was glad she wanted to lead it since I was pretty tired and probably wouldn't have. I did follow it on top rope and managed to climb without falling or resting. It is a lot easier when I don't have to worry about making the next clip versus falling. Around 3/4 of the way up I saw two lizards. Skinks maybe. They were chasing each other around the rock and I wished I could climb like them. The bottom of the climb was a little tricky, but my height gave me an advantage there. Jen ended up using an assist on Dave's knee and Khanh just got frustrated. At one point she yelled at me for giving her bad advice. Only trouble was I was belaying Nicole on Orange Oswald (5.10a) at the time and it was actually Agnes who had given the advice. I guess Agnes and I are pretty similar.

Nicole finished Orange Oswald. We borrowed a stick clip from some other climbers to get the first bolt, I think it was fairly high. I toproped this climb as well, and also managed to get it clean.

Back on the ground Dave saw something falling from above. Not rocks though, it was the skinks. Maybe I don't want to climb like them after all. When everyone finished up and cleaned the routes, we hiked the short way back to Narcissus Cave.

There were two guys coming down the very difficult Suicide Blonde (5.13b) when we showed up. Because of the route's overhanging nature, the guy rappelling down and cleaning was having a horrible time getting to his last quickdraw. We couldn't reach it from the ground. I guess they had been trying to clean the route for far longer than they climbed it and were ready to abandon the last draw. Instead we tossed him our rope. He tied in and I went up the hill and pulled him horizontally to the clip, using a tree for friction to hold him. We wouldn't be trying that climb.

Instead, Nicole zipped up Jeff's Bunny Hop (5.8) while I led Sniff the Drill (5.8). Though tired, I managed to get it clean. I was glad, since I only toproped it on Thursday. Everyone had their crack at it. Specifically, I remember lots of shouting for people to use the crack. I think Dave and Jen were pretty tired of hearing Agnes and Khanh suggest it, like they weren't using it by choice or spite.

I finished up re-leading and cleaning Jeff's Bunny Hop. I remember feeling really exhausted and unsteady on it. The first clip was tough and I think the third as well.

We hiked out by 8PM and were caught in the rain again. Fortunately it was nowhere as bad as Friday's downpour.

Sunday

Our last day at the New River Gorge. Because the drive home was around 7 hours, we weren't going to stay terribly late (even though Nicole really wanted to, given how her climbing had been cut short). The thought of getting back late at night, having to unload the car and put things away, getting a shower and some sleep and dragging myself to work the next day was not appealing. Another sign I am (becoming) a real adult I guess.

We decided to try Tattoo Wall again. There were plenty of easier climbs to enjoy after threee full days of climbing, and we shouldn't have to worry about getting lost on the way in, which might happen if we tried a new area. The hike in was uneventful - much shorter than Friday's.

I warmed up on the 40 foot Five-five My Ass (5.6). It was a fun lead, pretty easy. The toughest spot was getting on the face of an overhanging block. Most everyone had a crack at it - whether re-leading or toprope. Roger finished it, which I was happy about. He hasn't been climbing regularly, and I'm sure three days of climbing and hiking had taken a lot out of him.

Nicole led Bobby D's Bunny (5.7) but wasn't a fan of the climb. Jen was the last to follow it and was going to clean it (remove the gear and rappel down). This would be her first time cleaning a route, knowledge she picked up in a lesson the previous day at Summersville Lake. Cleaning really isn't difficult, but there are a number of things to remember and you don't want someone to try before they are ready. I don't want to see someone forget to clip themselves in before untying the rope. Agnes hung out at the top of Five-five My Ass to make sure Jen didn't miss a step.

There were a couple of nice climbs at the other end of the wall so I headed there. I started with Butterfly Flake (5.7). This was a beautiful climb. Mostly consisting of riding the edge of a massive flake - it was neat to peek behind the thing. We were running short on time by then and I think everyone that climbed it did so on toprope.

In the meantime Nicole wanted to try a little harder and much longer climb. On Khanh's recommendation she went with Geisha Girl (5.8). Since Nicole would be a while, I decided to run up Plumber's Crack (5.6). The description called it a Bombay corner. I have never heard the term before and couldn't find it online. At any rate, the heart of the climb was a corner that leaned back a bit to create a somewhat slabby face. There was a crack up the left side of it and it was a neat climb. Unfortunately I got lost after the second to last bolt. I started going left on a ledge until I realized the next bolt was out right. I had to backtrack a little and was glad it was such an easy climb. Back to the right and on route, I went over a little overhang then a short way to the anchors.

It was probably around 12:30 by then and it looked like the rain was rolling in again. A little sprinkle convinced Jen to put on her poncho. That was enough to ward away the rain on our hike out. She eventually removed her portable sauna in the woods on the hike out. Jen and Dave wanted to get going, but the rest of us decided to stop at the Chinese Super Buffet on the way back. The food was alright. My favorite food there didn't seem very Chinese though - it was basically creamed corn in a fried dough ball. I had four or five plates (then dessert) and was ready to get rolling. Even better, Roger bought.

The ride home was easy enough. Agnes and I drove while Khanh and Roger snored in the back seat.