By saxfiend
Administrator
From Atlanta, GA
May 7, 2007
| Mike -- I know almost nothing about climbing in Virginia, but I get the sense there isn't much. I have heard of Old Rag, not sure how far it is from Alexandria.
The good news is you're not too far from the great climbing in North Carolina; there's a lot of areas there worth the drive for a weekend. Probably the closest to you would be either Stone Mountain or Moore's Wall.
JL |  |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 7, 2007
| Mike-
Just to the east of you is Great Falls, bunches of toproping and short trad and sport lines. Not a destination, but it'll do.
An hour to your west Crescent cliffs exist but it is only enough for maybe one or two days.
Your best bet for awesome climbing it Seneca Rocks (trad) or drive to the New River Gorge (long drive, maybe 4.5-6 hours) | |
By reddirtgirl
May 7, 2007
| Mike Lydon wrote: I havent climbed anywhere on the east coast...I just moved from the colorado front range to Alexandria Va...any suggestions for a weekend from here? Mike
my deepest sympathies as well...
At least you're near a decent gym... (SportRock Alexandria) which you could use to help keep you in shape. SportRock Sterling is less crowded. I usually go to Earthtreks in Rockville b/c I am very close to the beltway & it's the least complicated to get to. Traffic can be a bitch for all three (395, 66/Toll Road, 495/270, respectfully of the aforementioned gyms).
The key to climbing locally in DC is to schedule your day around traffic/rush hour (which is basically 3:45-7). Carderock & Great Falls are better than nothing. It's all top roping on schist (bleh, but better than nothing).
Old Rag is pretty good (granite!). I can't think of much over 1 pitch off the top of my head. Long approach (which many se as a training hike). Unfortunately not all the climbs are easy to find. If you go much later in the year than right now, it can be really bushwacky. Many of the climbs are slab & crack. It doesn't get any better than this 1.5 hrs from Alexandria.
Seneca is 3 hrs away. Worth going to to maintain oneself on trad.
The New is 5 hrs away. Trad & Sport.
Gunks are 5+/- hrs away... I95 b/t DC & NJ/NY can be sucky driving. But a day pass is $15 & annual is $85.
Daks are 9? hrs away... worth visiting!
NC is 7-9+ hrs away- longer routes.
Haven't checked out NH yet- definitely looks worth visiting. Southwest flights are relatively cheap.
There's all sorts of little stuff like Sugarloaf in MD, Little Stony Man in VA but.... I'd prolly just go to Seneca instead.
I have never flown cross country so often since I started climbing... It's been hard to climb back east since my 1st trip west. I got back from Utah limestone & sandstone a few weeks ago & almost started crying when I climbed in the gym the next day b/c it was so miserably crowded.
Thank goodness for Jetblue weekends to Red Rocks or JTree/Tahquiutz/Suicide (via San Diego). The time spent doing that over a weekend is about the same as a trip to NC.
So as to not be a total bummer, here's a pix from Old Rag (Oh My God Dihedral...10 something):
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By reddirtgirl
May 7, 2007
| ps- no sport lines at Great Falls. I can't imagine bolts in that schist. And the theft potential could be a rumor but most people don't use pro to set up top rope anchors.... I use long static lines w/ bowlines around trees. Nothing to steal that way. | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 8, 2007
| The Perigrin closure sign now states that Main cliff, Rumney is open, is that true? I was under the impression that the closure lasts longer... | |
By Jake D.
May 8, 2007
| Falcons moved to the Summit cliffs.. main cliff is on. The closure for the summit cliffs will be the regular length | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 9, 2007
| Great that climbing is open. Too bad they moved, hard to believe that they moved for any other reason than climbers. | |
By Jake D.
May 9, 2007
| We were all talking about that this weekend.. hopefully they moved on their own. At least it's pretty quiet way the hell up there so maybe they will like it better | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 10, 2007
| As of 5-10-07 Pawtuckaway is totally filled with black flies and they know how to bite!! | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 11, 2007
| Be Aware if you are going to P-way from Deerfield/Concord area that Deerfield road is closed because of the flooding that happend 3 weeks ago. Repairs are underway but won't be completed for 2-3 more weeks. There is a well-marked detour on a dirt road that adds 10-15 min. | |
By Jay Knower
Administrator
May 11, 2007
| Man, with the black flies and the washed-out road, I won't be going to Pawtuckaway any time soon. | |
By Fred Keith
From Portsmouth & North Conway, NH
May 22, 2007
| BTW...beware this weekend. After the rain...a little warm weather...time for the Jungle Juice 1000 | |
By Fred Keith
From Portsmouth & North Conway, NH
May 22, 2007
| Best places?
Daks -or- the Mt Washington Valley. Lots of great "other" crags in both locations with some excellent smaller gems. | |
By BrianWinslow
From Concord, NH
May 22, 2007
| Hey I did an evening session out at P-way tonight and two noteable things that I should mention. 1. The bridge is passable when coming from and exiting to Deerfield. It's not completely fixed but it's open again. 2. The bugs were minimal. I have no idea why but I've been out at P-way in the bugs for many years and tonight they were the least bothersome I have ever seen them in May.
I didn't think the bugs were all that bad at Rumney either so I'm hoping to get up there this weekend. Not sure about the warmer, humid weather but I'm going to guess that it won't be too gross yet. Lots of options I think and you probably can have a good day just about anywhere you want to. | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 23, 2007
| Thanks for the beta Brian | |
By Fred Keith
From Portsmouth & North Conway, NH
May 23, 2007
| Good point Brian.
It's been too cold at night so far. | |
By Alan Emery
From Lebanon, NH
May 24, 2007
| To answer to OP, for a quick fix, Pickledish Hollow ... nobody around and many trad/TR stuff to do.
Sport - Rumney
Trad- Cannon, Cathedral, Whitehorse and other small crags in the Whites bouldering - down the street.
Bugs were not bad at Rumney today! | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 25, 2007
| YEEEE HAAAAAAA!
Cathedral this Saturday, can't wait to sink my teeth in for the first time this year. | |
By stevecurtis
From fairfax VA
May 30, 2007
| old rag is great. I've been doing new routes there 11s and 12s. Contact for information. Steve | |
By Ladd Raine
Administrator
From Plymouth, NH
May 30, 2007
| Old Rag in Virginia can/should be coversed about in the Southern States Forum | |
By shear
May 30, 2007
| locally. all the hidden gems of western mass. you name it, we have it here.
for longer weekends and trips: Rumney, daks | |
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