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roninthorne
Jun 14, 2006, 3:48 PM
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Registered: Nov 27, 2002
Posts: 659
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I've had several inquiries about routes I had listed on the N. Fork Crags recently. Some of these lands were privately owned at the time I climbed there and developed lines. While I had access through negotiations woth the landowners, I was hesitant to assume this provided everyone with the same freedom. The nroutes were listed more in an effort to demonstrate that there is so much obvious rock waiting to be climbed in WV that there is NO reason to cram into Franklin, or Seneca, or waste your time in search of "secret crags" where you would likely find a chilly reception from the developers anyway.
There are routes on the N. Fork that are on NFS land, most of them on the northern end of the cliffband, near Smokehole Caverns, just south of Petersburg. There is also loose rock by the ton, yellowjackets, rattlers, copperheads, poison ivy and the occasional patch of broken glass from partying locals on the cliffband above. Congratulations! Before we turn them into conveience-store crags with self-maintaining trails, this is how most climbing areas begin.
Anyone wishing to add more detailed beta is free to do so, but remember that half the fun of exploring is working it out for yourself...
Keep adventure alive.
Sincerely-
Mike Gray
Ronin
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microbarn
Jun 14, 2006, 5:14 PM
Post #2 of 3
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Registered: May 12, 2004
Posts: 5920
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Is this area top rope or multipitch?
Also, I looked for information on the other suggested sites. WVclimbing.com does not seem to work. Am I missing something?
Thanks,
Dan
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roninthorne
Jun 14, 2006, 8:46 PM
Post #3 of 3
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Registered: Nov 27, 2002
Posts: 659
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The N. Fork Crags are cliffs mostly a half ropelenght tall, although some of them are MUCH taller. You can TR many of the faces with long enough webbing/anchors... there are anchor trees all along the cliffband's 23+ mile length.
If you camp or climb on the N. Fork, please obey all NFS rules for camping, i.e. out of sight of the trail. It is true that there are many hunter campsites that perch between the trail and the cliff, just as it is true that all of them are in violation of the NFS rules, and the ranger who writes you up will not care whether or not you created the campsite, just that you are occupying it.
Please do not ride your mountain bike on this trail, either, since you have to cross private land at several points and these folks have a serious grudge against bikes based on impact and encounters of years past.
(There is also a sign, on the 33W end of the trail, that CLEARLY states NO BIKES ALLOWED. Despite this, I see tracks on the trail on a regular basis. As with climbing, I am pleading with you here: Don't ruin everyone's access with your adolescent need to break the rules... ride somewhere else.)
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