Routes : North America : United States : West Virginia : Roped Climbing : Seneca Rocks Region : The Panhandle : The North Fork Crags
The North Fork Crags
Climbing Sections:
- Lion's Head (2)
About The North Fork Crags:
| The prominent band of horizontally-bedded Tuscarora sandstone that runs along the east rim of Germany Valley from the Rte 33W into Judy Gap all the way north to Smokehole Caverns. Average height: about 110 feet. Bolted and mixed routes, trad and aid lines. Long hikes in, hideous scree and brush thrashing at the base; multi-ton mousetraps waiting in midface, greenbriars, stinging nettles, yellow jackets, rattlesnakes, copperheads, poison oak and ivy, deerflies, no-see-ums, and chiggers are just a few of the attractions youll encounter new-routing or repeating lines here... but there's never a line or a crowd, and the potential for new lines is almost limitless. No topos, no beta on ratings, FAs, hardware, approaches or escapes. Rock quality varies wildly in short distances, and routefinding is challenging at best. |
| Nearest town or city: | Germany Valley |
| Directions: | For fast access to existing routes, drive N on 28/55 from Seneca to where the obvious cliff bands come down to either side of the road. Park at the turn-out on the W side of the road and hike up either side. There are about a dozen bolted lines on the East cliffs, half that on the W side. No beta on grade, quality of hardware or stone, FA or current conditions. To reach the rest: Park at the trailhead on 33, above Judy Gap (near the chain-link enclosure and antennae) and start hiking north. Or, drive up Smokehole Road from 28/55 East, near the caverns, and park at the first trailhead. Secure or take ALL valuables (there have been break-ins here) and hike to the rim. All approaches listed are AT LEAST two miles. The entire ridge, from 33 to Smokehole Road, is approximately 23 miles, almost all of it containing rock of some size and form. The same layer of rock also ascends the western ridgeline on the north end of the valley, but quickly degrades and vanishes into the crumbly choss towers seen high above Cabins and Smokehole Caverns. Still, there are some good things, down low, on this side, too. |
| Latitude, Longitude: | |
| Access Issues: | |
| Camping: | Free |
| When to Climb: | |
| Quantity of Climbs: | Lifetime |
Forum Discussions (1 posts)
| Subject | Author | Replies | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Changing lands, changing hands | roninthorne | 2 | Jun 14 2006, 8:46 PM |
