COVID-19 Climbing Guidelines: The Red River Gorge in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Muir Valley, and all RRGCC-owned property - which includes Miller Fork Recreational Preserve, Bald Rock Recreational Preserve, and Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve - request that you follow the guidelines outlined on each website if you choose to climb during this time. See links above for more details about each climbing area.
I am often asked why I stopped at the ledge on this route rather than continuing up to where Tom placed the top anchors. The answer is simple: I didn't have a drill and the original anchors were two wired stoppers in the crack on the ledge. I am not sure who placed the intermediate bolts. My wired stoppers were the only gear I had with me that would get me to the ground in one piece.
Grant Stephens
5/31/2005 - Word is that one bolt of the first set of anchors is no longer there. Two stories I know of...someone removed the bolt by hand, and someone whipped off it and it pulled.
my first .10 trad route and it scarred the living daylights out of me. i almost fell twice in that top 20 feet. got to the anchors and i was shaking uncontrollably, i was scared i wouldn't be able to clip the anchors. lots of fun :)
my first .10 gear lead as well. first set of anchors is still missing a bolt, but I don't know why you would stop there anyway. I think the 10a part is the from the 1st achors to the ledge at the second anchors. To the first anchors 9+?
I never should have gotten on this route. It was rated a 9+ back then and I nearly died. Fell from just below the anchors to within about 4 feet of the ground. Pulled three pieces; a #10 or 11 stopper at around the halfway point saved me. This was in 1994, maybe. Wow, that's a long time ago!
The first set of anchors is missing a bolt, but the best climbing is definitely above it. I hope no one adds a bolt, so it will force people to go to the top anchors. Five star classic, takes good pro the whole way.
*Please type the spam-prevention code you see in the image above into the box below before submitting your comments.
Spray
Attempts
1 Go
2 Goes
3 Goes
4 Goes
5 Goes
6 Goes
7 Goes
8 Goes
9 Goes
10 Goes
11+ Goes
Unknown Goes
Date Sent
-
Route details are copyright Ray Ellington, John Bronaugh, and other Red River Gorge climbers. Climbing is an inherently dangerous sport. The information in this guidebook is subject to error and should supplement never replace common sense and caution, competent guidance and instruction, and actually being outside. One should be especially cautious on matters of route length, descent type, and number of bolts (especially since such things do change occasionally).
Comments