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currupt4130
Nov 3, 2009, 8:39 PM
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Registered: Feb 7, 2008
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So like the title says, me and a buddy are heading to Old Rag Sunday. We're coming up from Va Tech early morning and want to get as much in as possible. From what I've read I'm not expecting to get more than a couple pitches in max. This is our first time going up there and I was hoping for some help getting to the area the quickest. I really want to climb Oh My God Dihedral, Strawberry Fields and some other stuff, most likely in the Reflector Oven.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
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west_by_god_virginia
Nov 3, 2009, 9:02 PM
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when you get to the parking area ask anyone in a park service uniform about the fire road. and show up early. that place gets mad crowded.
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cclarke
Nov 3, 2009, 9:21 PM
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Berry Hollow is the way to go.
See directions in the route database.
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notapplicable
Nov 4, 2009, 2:58 AM
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Berry hollow is definitely where you want to park and is closer if your coming from the south.
One of the biggest problems with the directions found most places is that they all assume you are coming from the north or the DC area. An easy way to find it from the south is just mapquest the town or Syria, VA and drive there. Once there take the right on to rt. 643, drive a short way and take a left on rt. 600 and drive till it deadends at the parking area. The White Oak Canyon parking is on the same road so when you see those brown signs you know your on the right track.
Click on the map below and then zoom in 3 times. Syria is plotted right on the intersection of 670 and 643. After the right turn on 643 (Etlan rd.), the first left is 600 and winds it's way up in to the national forest. That is the road you want.
http://www.mapquest.com/...y=Syria&state=va
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stevecurtis
Nov 4, 2009, 8:27 PM
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Easiest to use the higher parking lot. Go to summit. Several hundred yards after the summit there is a fork. Taking the right, unmarked fork past a bit of brush (vs the blue dotted slab), will save you 10 minutes of boulder hopping. After 5 minutes, you will rejoin the main train. Just past this fork, if you are adventurous, head off into the brush right and follow a way marked obscurely to the top of the reflector oven. There are two rap stations at the top. The one next to the boulder will get you to the base in three 70 ft rappels. The first station is easy to find. the second rappel is on a large ledge and hidden. If you use the rappels, you will easily spy Oh My God, and arrive 30 ft climbers right of strawberry. The upper route at the first rappel (above strawberry) is a very balancy 11 A.
Alternative to the rappels, hike further down the trail, and find the obscure branch on the right to the reflector oven. The branch is about 300 yards past the mention fork, and just before a tree with several trunks.
If you are up for 12a, the cracking and eagle are first rate. Good luck. If you want more info, stevenreedcurtis@gmail.com
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currupt4130
Nov 5, 2009, 5:23 AM
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Registered: Feb 7, 2008
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Thanks for the info. Unfortunately my buddy mis-spoke and we aren't headed there anymore. I'm dying to go this winter so the info is still very useful to me.
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