Poison Ivy Wall ("The Cave") Rock Climbing

Called "The Cave" for obvious reasons, this is also called the Poison Ivy Wall because there was a time when it was nothing but a wall of green. Trees of poison ivy, I do not exaggerate. Suffice it to say, I don't fuck around when it comes to unbearably itchy skin rashes, and the vines are no more. What we discovered under all those leaves of three is some of the funnest steepest sport climbing around. The Cave likely has the highest density of mid-11s anywhere in Ohio! 

Most of the routes were first bolted like RRG routes - up through the steep stuff and ignoring the slab above. Climbed that way, they are short and sweet with only a handful of bolts, but they can pack a punch!  More or less roped bouldering. A handful lines were originally conceived as going all the way to the top though, including Reach for your Dreams, not necessarily recommended for those of shorter stature, Broken Dreams, an 11d heartbreaker, Wet Dreams, which takes you up a big red crack, as well as two great trad lines. Now, extensions have been added such that 4 more short routes can also be topped out, with some very cool and quite tricky lower-angle climbing on the upper sections. The extensions are listed as separate routes, and the lower anchors are all still in place. 

Note: For routes with permadraws, please be sure to hang your own draw on the 1st bolt. Do NOT directly stickclip the perma on the 2nd. To help make cleaning easier, the last climber can clip the perma on the 2nd and then back-clean the first, thereby avoiding needing to tram to clean. As always, please never top-rope off the mussy hooks!

Some parts of the wall, particularly the cracks, will be dripping until early summer, but many of the routes on the faces between cracks will be more or less dry year round.

Think you are fit? Want to check your endurance level? Try the "Cave in a Day" challenge. The goal is to send all the short steep sport lines on the Poison Ivy Wall in a day -- that's from "Jugs for Thugs" to "Roofs for Goofs." Ten routes total. Nothing harder than 11d, but all but two of them are 11's.  Short, yes, but they are steep! PM me to have your name listed here as an official Marne Rd badass.  Up your game and time yourself! 

Ian Kirk and Jordan Katz, Sept '20, 1h46min

Jordan Katz, Nov '19, 5+ hours