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dylfoot
Sep 17, 2009, 10:39 AM
Post #1 of 7
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Registered: Sep 22, 2008
Posts: 13
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As a recent college grad with no true ambitions, except to climb and figure out what my true ambitions are. I posted up in the little college town of Athens, Ohio. Athens is in the western outskirts of Appalachia and offers some of the most appealing landscapes in the whole state of Ohio. Athens also has great proximity to world class climbing areas on the East Coast.
New River Gorge, WV - 2.5hrs
Red River Gorge, KY - 3.5hrs
Coopers Rock, WV -2.5hrs
Southern Bouldering - ~8hrs
plus much more that I've not got the chance to explore.
My trip report has to do with the New River Gorge, though. My climbing partner and I started to indulge in Wednesdays with West Virginia and began midweek, day-trip cragging. 3 months of going to the New at least once/week equals to about 15 visits. Each trip brought us to a new cliff line with different routes. The amount of developed climbing in the New is amazing and more is being bolted. Trad lines accompany the sport crags and the routes seem limitless. The type of climbing at the New will keep you on your toes (quite literally); the dead vertical sandstone faces made me down-climb, plan my attack, execute and send. After this summer, I feel like climbing is finally giving back as much as I've put into it. Our relationship is better than ever.
The climbs are amazing, but so is the town of Fayetteville, which is the main hub for dirtbags turned locals:
The gear store, Waterstone Outdoors, provides the best shoe selection I've seen and most of those guys that work there are the reason more lines keep going up every week.
Diogi's Mexican Restaurant is the place to eat dinner and if you don't have a date you can sit with your dog. Plus, they have beer on tap and some damn good coffee.
Cathedral Cafe is the breakfast joint, they seem to have a whole section devoted to climbers. I get the 5.10, which costs $5.10.
Pies and Pints offers gourmet pizza and a quality beer selection, good luck gettin served if you're not of age, though.
Camping is available and Roger's will put you up for 6 bucks a night (I think) and he'll make you coffee in the morning. Not to mention, Roger's place is a 5 minute hike to Kaymoor, one of the best crags at the New.
So, next time you're in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia take the time to go to the New. Stop by Waterstone and buy a sticker, go down to the Seven Eleven Wall and climb "First Steps," then take it all in and let your relationship with climbing and the culture around it flourish. Maybe you'll fall in love and decide to become a Fayetteville local.
Did I mention there's a river if you're into paddling?
And tons of bouldering, too?
And DWS? (although it's frowned upon)
And a bad ass new skatepark and freeride park under construction?
Anyway, maybe I'll see you there, I'll be the owner of that three-legged-dog that runs at you barking like crazy.
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sonso45
Sep 19, 2009, 11:57 AM
Post #2 of 7
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Registered: Aug 31, 2002
Posts: 891
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I loved NRG, gotta get back soon. Nice story, really highlights the area.
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rockandlice
Sep 20, 2009, 11:14 AM
Post #3 of 7
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Registered: Dec 12, 2008
Posts: 622
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dylfoot wrote: Anyway, maybe I'll see you there, I'll be the owner of that three-legged-dog that runs at you barking like crazy.
Haha. I'm up there mid-week often myself. I'll be sure to say what up if I come across your three legged friend.
Oh, and for the record, the carnitas at Giogi's is THE dish to get there.
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j_ung
Sep 21, 2009, 12:18 PM
Post #4 of 7
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Registered: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 18681
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Dylfoot, on behalf of the locals, thank you for the kind words! Ask Oscar to make you a crab chimichanga. Pure bliss, I tell you. 
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steinmethod
Oct 1, 2009, 9:31 AM
Post #6 of 7
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Registered: Aug 3, 2007
Posts: 123
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will keep this in mind next time at the New... :)
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currupt4130
Oct 5, 2009, 6:02 PM
Post #7 of 7
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Registered: Feb 6, 2008
Posts: 515
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The New is my favorite place to climb. Hands down. I'm not local but I'm there enough to know a good handful of people living at Rogers and have used my guide book enough that the cover finally tore off. Can't wait for the new one.
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