Rockwoods

Just looking for opinions about Rockwoods reservation outside of St Louis

I feel as if the beta fund has missed the mark in the way they developed the area.

Too many lines don’t go to their logical height, stop short.

Lots of anchors are way too close.

Large loose flakes and blocks left in dangerous places.

With so much cliff line left to develop, as beta fund has a lock on who can and who can not develop.   The place needs help !

Any one local have any good ideas?

Any beta fund folk have any suggestions??

Rockwoods was reopened for climbing under a partnership with the Missouri conservation dept. It is the ONLY Missouri Dept of conservation open to climbing and probably serves as a litmus test for expansion to other conservation sites. I believe that the partnership makes it difficult to expand the crag. That includes the parking spaces, bolting additional routes, trail maintenance and whatnot. When the loweroffs were installed (sidebar: this is a really good thing for the area since it mainly caters to newer climbers who are looking for their first outdoor experience, and prevents serious accidents from occurring when inexperienced climbers are cleaning anchors), their instagram post stated that it was “coordinated through @moconservation, which leads me to believe they are limited in what they can do.

Your point stands though, the area could be significantly expanded and cleaned. Beta funds lack of events and community involvement are what contributed to the formation of Eastern Missouri Climbers Association. This is not to disparage the work they have done in other areas like Washington SP, but as someone who has been fairly involved in the local climbing organizations I’ve been disappointed with lack of opportunities to contribute to bolting, cleaning, and trailblazing efforts. 

Thanks for the info Jake.   I kind of appreciate their efforts  but I  think they just made a dangerous area more popular   Heck of a litmus test!

It would be nice to hear from a beta fund representative  or a park ranger.  ??

Dan Rapp wrote:

Thanks for the info Jake.   I kind of appreciate their efforts  but I  think they just made a dangerous area more popular   Heck of a litmus test!

It would be nice to hear from a beta fund representative  or a park ranger.  ??

Facebook is most likely your best way to contact them!