From Washington DC metro area, outer loop of beltway:
Take exit 49 to merge onto I-66 W toward Front Royal/Manassas 21.7 mi. Take exit 43A to merge onto Lee Hwy/US29 S toward Gainesville/Warrenton 11.5 mi Take the US29 Bus/US211 W exit toward Luray/Warrenton/US-15 Bus 0.2 mi Merge E Lee Hwy/US-211 W/US-29-BR S Continue on US-211 W/US-29-BR S 1.8 mi Turn right at Frost Ave/US-211. Continue to follow US-211 27.0 mi Turn left at Berryville Pike/US-522 0.1 mi Turn left at Main St/US-522. Continue to follow US-522 0.7 mi Turn right at Fort Valley Rd/VA-231 7.3 mi Turn right at Sharp Rock Rd 1.2 mi Turn right at Nethers Rd 2.2 mi
Large Parking lot will be on left. There are also ~10 parking spots at the trail head. Parking fees may be required unless you have an annual SNP $20? or NPS/America-the-Beautiful $80 pass.
Fun, varied, grippy granite. This route is an overlooked classic, even for Old Rag. My memory of the crux included knock-kneed funky stems and tips locks with good gear pulling out of the chimney to my immense relief-my good piece was the grey TCU. Worthwhile and fun. ...[more]
Old Rag is a jewel in the rough. If you like granite, here's a quiet little piece of Joshua Tree tucked away in the hills of Virginia. This area is hard to beat if you like trad routes on good rock and don't want to drive to the New and fight the crowds from NoVa (Northern Virginia) on the weekends. Fall and Spring are great; summer is something you are better off not finding out for yourself-NEVER COME HERE IN SUMMER! Black flies, Stinging nettle FORESTS taller than you and thicker than the Rhodos in North Carolina, searing heat, hungry bears-the list goes on. Winter can be cold, but on nice days you can get sunny 50 degree days that remind you why it's good to be alive. If you live in Virginia and haven't been here yet, you are missing out. I spent ten weekends climbing here and still haven't touched the potential. Oh My God Dihedral, Banana Crack, Bushwhack Crack, Strawberry Fields, The The, and Mosaic are classics worthy of any amount of hiking. Eric Horst's guidebook is the best resource, although you'll still be bushwhacking and getting lost regardless. Once you've been there a few times it's easy to get where you're going and a fun challenge to find the more obscure walls. A great area with a good balance of moderates and a few testpieces; old school ethics make this a wilderness treat.
You know, it's not *THAT* bad in the summer. I've climbed at the PATC wall in August and while it was sweaty work, it's a lot less crowded than Seneca or Great Falls... but if you have the choice, heading to North Carolina or the New would probably be a better idea. I think the Sunset Slabs are manageable in summer as well, if memory serves.
Climbing at the Reflector Oven or God's Area in summer would be a great way to get heat stroke, however. Those and the other gems at Old Rag are certainly best appreciated in winter. One of the more memorable trips I took up there was after an ice storm -- the trees near the summit looked like they were growing lead crystal place settings when the morning sun hit them. Quite likely the best winter climbing area anywhere near Washington, DC, but an adventurous spirit is required.
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