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Pirate's Cove

W Virginia > New River Gorge… > Summersville (G… > Summersville Lake (main)

Description

Roped climbing at Pirate's Cove is only accessible when the water is down during the late fall/early winter, typically early October through early May.  Check water levels here:  Summersville Lake

Getting There

Pirate's Cove is located climber's left of the Coliseum.

From the Main Parking Lot:  

HIKING DIRECTIONS:  From the parking lot, follow a wide gravel trail past the gate for 1-2 minutes, when the trail splits at the base of a hill, trend right and up to the top of the hill on a dirt road.  As of 2023, there is a temporary DANGER Equipment Crossing sign at the top of this hill. Continue along this rocky dirt road down the hill for 10-15 minutes, this trail eventually ends up at Pirate's Cove, home to awesome winter bouldering and the classic Mutiny, 5.11d.

WATER APPROACH:  In the summertime, the approach to Pirate's Cove can be paddled or boated easily from Salmon Run Boat Launch.  From Salmon Run, at the end of the "No Wake" zone, paddle under the bridge and hug the cliff line as much as reasonably possible with your craft of choice.  Pirate's Cove, AKA traditionally known as "Bastard's Cove", is a beautiful waterfall cove with striking overhanging walls.

Routes from Left to Right

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Pirate's Cove in May when the water's high. You can see Jake starting the traverse (5.9) with Jess and Liz watching.
[Hide Photo] Pirate's Cove in May when the water's high. You can see Jake starting the traverse (5.9) with Jess and Liz watching.
Liz looking sketchy...
[Hide Photo] Liz looking sketchy...
Pirates cove in May 2007.
[Hide Photo] Pirates cove in May 2007.
Jake halfway through the traverse.
[Hide Photo] Jake halfway through the traverse.
Pirates cove waterfall area
[Hide Photo] Pirates cove waterfall area
This wall to the right of the falls has several nice lines around 5.12.
[Hide Photo] This wall to the right of the falls has several nice lines around 5.12.
Behind the Water Fall
[Hide Photo] Behind the Water Fall
Pirates' Cove in November when the water is down.
[Hide Photo] Pirates' Cove in November when the water is down.
summersville
[Hide Photo] summersville
First trip and loved it.
[Hide Photo] First trip and loved it.
DK making his way up the right side of the falls.
[Hide Photo] DK making his way up the right side of the falls.
Blunderbuss (5.12c) Matt Fanning, Katharina Fritzler 2018
[Hide Photo] Blunderbuss (5.12c) Matt Fanning, Katharina Fritzler 2018

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Andrew May
Westminster, CO
[Hide Comment] Looks like a pretty sweet place to DWS!
Does the water ever get very warm? Jan 30, 2009
Ladd Raine
Plymouth, NH
[Hide Comment] The water gets to 70 degrees. It is incredible. Feb 3, 2009
[Hide Comment] Hey Ladd, what is the current "legal" status of DWS at Summersville? Heard hefty fines being issued if caught. True? Feb 4, 2009
Ladd Raine
Plymouth, NH
[Hide Comment] Yes fines are being given, if you do climb do not be caught and do not fall. if is only illegal to "jump or fall into the water from above 6 feet in height" they do not specify climbing as illegal, just falling. Feb 4, 2009
[Hide Comment] "...they do not specify climbing as illegal, just falling."

Classic. Feb 5, 2009
jesco Baldwin
East Lyme, CT
[Hide Comment] bring your a-game...or else. May 27, 2009
[Hide Comment] Just currious, has anyone heard any factual storries of climbers being fined for falling on a dws route here?

I have climbed 3 times here since the ban and have never been talked to and all the other climbers I have talked to there have not been fined or know anyone that has. We had a police boat motor by when we were climbing 2 walls down from whipporwill and they didn't even stop to watch if we fell, they just motored on by. To me it seems they are trying to stop drunk rednecks from dying as they jump off without spotting a landing. I read that 7 bodies on average were being pulled out of the water and sent to the morgue per year. Once again climbers are getting a bad rep from nonclimbing idiots.

5 years ago a drunk southern boy jumped unanounced while I was climbing by the cove, landed 1 foot from a floating log and I even warned him to spot his landings and anounce jumps in the future, the kid was too drunk or southern to understand my concern, he replied "i'll just kick it out of the way when I land, no need to wory" !!! My spotter had warned me about the log so I climbed to a ledge and was waiting for it pass when the kid splashed down.

Anyways back to the fines, any acounts of a fine issued to a falling climber, or a climber watched or talked to by the police? Jul 24, 2009
Chuck Lepley
Boulder, Colorado
[Hide Comment] Any updates on fines for Deep Water Soloing here? Oct 3, 2010
[Hide Comment] Anybody know a good spot to launch a kayak near here? I know of the launch near the dam but that makes for a pretty good paddle to make it out to this cove. Jul 7, 2017
[Hide Comment] The nearest put-in to boat to Pirates Cove is at Salmon Run. Take your first possible left after crossing the Summersville Bridge going north, then take another immediate left. This road will take you down to the boat launch. Jul 8, 2017
Etha Williams
Twentynine Palms, CA
[Hide Comment] The guidebook mentions an alternate, more direct approach to this area using a fixed hand line on a short slab. As of 11/30 this hand line was no longer in place. The slab was very wet and a couple moves felt probably fourth-class. Dec 1, 2019
Tyler Fisher
Albany
[Hide Comment] The fixed rope on the short slab has now been replaced by a fence, making the access at (38.2428700, -80.8481720) substantially more difficult. You can still make your way around it (to the left if you are facing it from above), but it is now definitely fairly scrambly. I assume it's there to prevent cliff jumpers from getting up to the waterfall in the summer, but they're certainly not sufficiently discouraged & the access is now just more difficult/dangerous for everyone else.

In any event, be prepared for this obstacle, especially if you are carrying down a lot of gear or a small child or anything of the sort. Aug 16, 2021