BETA PHOTO: Major Seneca features to aid in locating routes
Description
Located in the Monongahela National Forest, Seneca Rocks is best known for multi-pitch trad climbs and stiff old-school ratings. The rock is formed from white Tuscarora quartzite, which feels much like sandstone. Bring your helmet since some of the rock can be loose at times. Many moderate routes exist on Senca Rocks, and the wildly exposed summit pinnacle can be obtained by several 5.2-5.5 routes. This makes Seneca a popular destination for trad climbing on the East coast.
Camping can be had at either the Seneca Shadows campground (1 mile east of Senca Rocks on RT 33), or Yokum's Princess Snowbird campground in the town of Seneca Rocks.
Gear and guides can be found at the Gendarme and Seneca Rocks Climbing School or at Seneca Rocks Mountain Guides. Food and beer may be purchased at Harper's Country Store or Yokum's, both located in the town of Seneca Rocks. The Front Porch restaurant, located above Harper's Country Store serves pizza, sandwiches and salads. The restaurant does not serve beer, but you may purchase beer in the store below and bring it upstairs to drink with your meal.
Getting There
Seneca Rocks is located at the intersection of Route 33 and 55, east of Elkins, WV.
Two separate routes that when linked together make for a classic outing. Begin on the Snake Face just left of the arete formed by it and the Face of a Thousand Pitons. P1: Climb the steep corners up to a nice ledge at a bolted anchor.P2: Step off the belay and climb the right-facing flake up until reaching a thin crack out left. Follow this up past a dirty face to the top of the wall....[more]
Steep, sandbagged, and occasionally scary. What's not to like?
By Ladd Raine Administrator From: Plymouth, NH May 3, 2007
For folks heading down to Seneca for the first time: Don't trust pitons-many were placed during WWII as training and they aren't great placements. Lots of loose rock! Wear your helmet. Be in awe of the voluteers that built The Stairmaster!
About pitons - there are a few new ones here and there, you can tell they are new because the eyes are not rusting off them and aren't completely part of the rock. For example there is a very helpful newer piton on Conn's East at the crux of the second pitch. I'm pretty sure this was a replacement for an old one that was unsafe to clip, however many people clipped it anyway.
The 4-U Restaurant is a decent place to get breakfast when climbing at Seneca. The prices are cheap and it's only a few miles south of Seneca Rocks on Route 33.
By Ladd Raine Administrator From: Plymouth, NH Dec 13, 2007
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