Deep End
The Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve and The Miller Fork Recreational Preserve
The Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve (PMRP) is a 750-acre region owned and maintained by the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition. The PMRP contains over 400 sport and traditional rock climbs from 5.6 to 5.14c with potential for hundreds more. This is the largest direct land acquisition ever made by climbers and permanently secures access to a significant amount of climbing in the Red.
The Miller Fork Recreational Preserve (MFRP) is a 309-acre region owned and maintained by the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition. The MFRP also contains over 400 sport and traditional rock climbs from 5.5 to 5.14+, with potential for still more.
The Red River Gorge Climbers' Coaltion is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to ensuring quality climbing opportunities for the recreating public by promosing responsible climbing. The historic PMRP and MFRP purchases represent the RRGCC's dedication to ensure quality climbing opportunities on public and private land. The purchase and operation of the PMRP and MFRP are made possible solely through private donations and volunteer efforts. Current yearly expenses including the property payment, legal fees, and maintenance are close to $30,000. All donations made in support of the RRGCC and its land are tax deductible. Volunteer contributions in the form of trail work or pro-bono professional services are also welcome. Please visit rrgcc.org for more information.
Rules of the PMRP and MFRP
Before climbing at the PMRP or MFRP you must sign a liability waiver, online at: https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/51c2134a209ee/web/. Other rules and guidelines for the Preserves are as follows:- Please climb responsible and follow Leave No Trace practices.
- All dogs must be leashed or under control of their owners.
- Stay off tagged projects and do not touch or use any project ropes, draws, or other gear.
- Stay on established trails and do not mark or damage tress or other vegetation. Approval by the RRGCC is required prior to the establishment of any new crags or trails.
- No hunting, trapping, digging for archaeological artifacts, or operation of motorized vehicles off established roads is permitted.
- No open fires are permitted due to the oil extraction activity in the area and the enormous threat of forest fire in a region of numerous oil wells would pose.
- Overnight camping (no long-term camping) is permitted as long as it is not in a climbing area, along a trail, or near any oil equipment. Please remove all refuse and bury human waste.
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Directions to Deep End
From the parking area cross the large creek. Follow the main road and take the second road on your left as you would for serenity point, cooper's cove etc. Continue on this road past the trail for Serenity point etc. Cross a small creek and continue on the road. Walk up a steep hill affectionately called peanut butter hill to reach an oil pump. 100 feet past the oil pump you will see an obvious trail on your left. This meets up with the cliff near The Abyss, Adult Swim, etc. Routes 1 through 4 will be to the left of this starting off a 5 foot wide ledge. Latitude 37.694021,Longitude -83.668794Wall Sun: Shade
Route | Spray | Name | Type | Grade | Quality | Length | Picture |
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0a |
-1 | Let's Get Stupid | Bouldering | V0 |
|
10 | 0 |
Tall arete on far left near Behind the Green Curtain. |
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0b |
-1 | Temple of Onan | Bouldering | V1 |
|
10 | 0 |
Face to arete just behind the start to Muckraker. |
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0c |
-1 | PTO | Trad | 5.10b |
|
80 | 1 |
This green line is located directly to the left of Behind the Green Curtain. If you find yourself clipping the chains on this one, you might be one of the most psyched climbers in the Red River Gorge. Thin mossy hands leads to a rest before a burly but dry crux pulling a small roof on good hand jams, with one last surprise waiting for you at the anchors. Equipped by Max McLaughlin |
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1 |
-1 | Behind the Green Curtain | Trad | 5.10a |
|
65 | 0 |
Walk left 2 minutes through the gully below the ledge hosting sport routes 1-4. Work up the initial dihedral left of two steep unlisted bolted lines, then change corners and hand jam the nice upper dihedral. |
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1a |
-1 | Tsunami | Sport | 5.13a |
|
50 | 1 |
Walk left of the ledge routes about 100 feet until you reach a small amphitheater hosting several sport routes. This is the line of glue-ins just left of the obvious arete on the right side of the wall. A jump start to three bolts of 5.10 jugs leads to several hard boulder problems with a good rest between. A slam dunk dyno to a mailbox slot tops off this bouldery line. |
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1b |
-1 | Muckraker | Sport | 5.12c |
|
50 | 1 |
Climbs the obvious arete right of Tsunami. |
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1c |
-1 | Low Standards | Trad | 5.8 |
|
20 | 0 |
Short splitter hand crack 50' right and uphill of Muckraker. |
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2 |
-1 | Silicosis | Sport | 5.11d |
|
70 | 1 |
Start on far left side of the ledge from a ramp. Pull a tough height dependent dead point to start and climb to the top on mostly good holds. |
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3 |
-1 | The Cough | Sport | 5.10c |
|
65 | 1 |
Start from a pile of cheater stones and cruise through jugs to the anchors. |
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4 |
-1 | Lichenosis | Sport | 5.11a |
|
70 | 0 |
Another pumper complete with a bulge at the 4th bolt which has the strong possibility of motivating a take. Hang on if you can to reach the giant hueco at the last bolt where reprieve can be found. |
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5 |
-1 | Natural Ice | Sport | 5.11b |
|
70 | 0 |
Head left from the main wall to the large ledge where several lines begin. This is the first line on the right. |
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6 |
-1 | Green Room | Sport | 5.12b |
|
65 | 1 |
Pull a low boulder problem then continue up through vertical terrain to reach an overhanging headwall. Study the crux holds carefully, make your left-right hold decision, and go with it. |
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7 |
-1 | The Guillotine | Sport | 5.13b |
|
75 | 1 |
On the opposing wall left of The Abyss is a pair of lines on the vertical to overhanging wall. Precarious movement leads to a roof where creative footwork is crucial to holding the swing while slapping for the good hold. Equipped by John Flunker in 2013. Anchors have chains and Q-links to lower/rap from, and 2 permadraws now exist in the roof section. |
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8 |
-1 | The Abyss | Sport | 5.12d |
|
90 | 1 |
Just left of Adult Swim is this sustained masterpiece which leads through a large roof where a long reach will dictate your effort level. Unclipping the fifth and skipping the second fixed chain will reduce the rope drag. Perma-draw equipped. |
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9 |
-1 | Adult Swim | Sport | 5.13a |
|
90 | 1 |
This is the middle steep line on the main wall. Begin with high iron oxide edges then pull up into a nose-feature where the difficult climbing begins. Crank through a few bolts worth of pocket tweaking to reach a well needed rest before the steep headwall. An onsite killer awaits before the last bolt. |
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10 |
-1 | Heavy Seas | Sport | 5.13b |
|
75 | 1 |
A boulderer's dream, matey. Gain a no hands stance at the second bolt then take on very difficult moves through pockets and small crimps to the roof without broaching. Enjoy calm currents to the chains. |
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11 |
-1 | Knuckle Sauce | Sport | 5.12a |
|
75 | 1 |
Starts on the left facing arete leading to the vertical face above. Technical climbing on edges and pockets with good rests. |
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12 |
-1 | Half Mast | Sport | 5.11b |
|
55 | 1 |
The obvious fin arete. Negotiate a low bulge with awkward moves at the first bolt to make a somewhat sketchy second clip. Take on the face making use of the rounded arete when possible. The longer your reach the less chance of needing to leave the comfort of the arete for more difficult crimping on the face. |
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12a |
-1 | The Salty Dawgs | Sport | 5.9 |
|
55 | 1 |
Shares the first bolt with Half Mast then veers right on glue-ins up the brief slab section to a secondary ledge. Cruise up the jug-covered face and pull into a small alcove at the top. |
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13 |
-1 | Peeping Tom | Trad | 5.8 |
|
65 | 0 |
This is the juggy dihedral which leads to an open offwidth near the top. Begins just right of Half Mast. |
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14 |
-1 | Pool Boy | Sport | 5.10b |
|
75 | 1 |
This line starts the same as the line to the right but heads straight up past a low two-finger pocket crux. Near the middle pass a tempting ledge to the left and run it out on big holds to the next bolt where the moves get even bigger. |
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15 |
-1 | Fluffer | Sport | 5.10a |
|
70 | 1 |
When the approach trail meets the cliff walk right and around the corner from the main wall to locate a pair of lines right of a sharp arete. This is the rightmost line. Negotiate a slightly dirty start to gain the face which begins with technical thin climbing and leads to larger holds on steeper terrain. |
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Please select a grade
Climber | Lead | Attempts | Date | PM Climber |
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Climber | Date Projected | PM |
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Whoa.. you're green behind the ears!
How about taking a quick tour or getting up to speed with the Spray Wizard?
Thanks but don't I'll be alright. (all gumbies' famous last words)
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