Climbing in the New

Evan on a climb at Butcher's Wall.

This weekend rocked. Friday afternoon I drove back home, stopping by the Corner Store to get some ground beef. I got home and washed/waxed my car. Then grilled burgers with Stilton chunks inside, mmmm. After dark I photographed a distance thunder storm (see photo below). I went to bed and awoke at 5am to meet Chad in the Sunnyside parking lot. We loaded all our gear into my car and tore off to Harrisonburg to meet up with Evan & Jess. Unpon catching up with them we loaded all our gear into their 84' Volkswagon Vanagon and started the 3 hour drive down to the New River. When we got to Fayetteville, WV we noticed the back of the Vanagon was covered in oil, so the rest of the trip we made sure to feed it plenty of oil, hoping it would last the weekend. I bought some 5.10 approach shoes at the climbing store in town. We got lunch in Fayetteville and then headed over to Roger's Campground; on the Gorge rim, near Kaymore. We went climbing at Butchers Wall from the rest of the afternoon. After Climbing it was beers on the side of the road, then more beer in Dirty Ernie's parking lot, and then ribs at Ernie's, followed by more beer. Went back to Roger's and hung around the climbing folk for awhile. Then selpt under the stars. In the morning Chad and I went on a trek down to look at a climb called "Latic Acid Bath" one of the hardest at the New. Then we hiked up a extremely steep dried river/ waterfall up to the rim.

Scaling up a dried up river that starts at Roger's on the gorge rim & cascades 900 feet down to the New River.

Then we all went to an awesome little resturant for breakfast called the Cathedral Cafe. After an great meal we went to Beauty Mountain to climb, then it was a drive over to Rat's Hole on the Maury River. We swam in the crystal clear blue waters. Climbing and falling off into the water. Dinner was the best pizza ever at Pie's & Pints. Although we got yelled at for drinking our own beers under the table, luckily we finished them before they asked us to throw them out. Hungout back at Roger's talking with climbers. In the morning we drove back to Harrisonburg.

Me, cruising along, just before the New River Gorge Bridge.

Evan and Jess went back to Sterling. Chad and I ate an Panerra Bread. Then drove out to Franklin, WV. We climed at River's Bend and swam in some of the clearest river water I've seen. Then it was back to Harrisonburg. It was the 4th of July so there was a parade in town. We ate some local BBQ and got lemonade from a stand. On the way back to Rapp we got a call from Chad's friend Mike, inviting us to a private party on the roof of the Patagonia store in downtown Georgetown to watch the fireworks on The Mall, from the roof. But with all odds against us, it was impossible to pull it off, damn; oh well. Regardless it was a incredible weekend. The New is amazing; almost as amazing as the grip on my 5.10 shoes.


I snapped this photo of some Woodville Lightning, on Friday night.

Quotes for the weekend:

"I've decided most of the important decisions in my life on a coin toss." - Chad

"Danger!" - Everyone