Tom Grundy's Travels: Seneca Rocks

A few things happened before Seneca Rocks, like driving across the country and a few little state high points and YogaSlackers teacher training - an amazing experience which I hope to be able to properly write about soon, but meanwhile, back to Seneca Rocks.

After teacher training Adi and I packed up a heap of leftovers and headed to Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. We got there a bit after dark and got a campsite. I had been feeling crappy and run down all day - no doubt in part to the end of the training, but there was something else too. I wasn't even that hungry.

That night it started raining, and it rained most of the night. I also woke up drenched in sweat/humidity. There are definite benefits to living in the desert. This part of West Virginia is very green and beautiful, but there is too much water in the air and falling out of the sky.

We slept in to the sound of rain the next morning. I felt much much better this day, although not 100%. Eventually the rain tapered off and we biked to the Gendarme climbing store to check e-mail and so on and wait out a few more showers. We planned to climb that afternoon, but it rained again. Then on to the fancy new visitor center and then back to camp where we set up a 175 mantra long line. I managed to "full man" it a few times (walk the whole length and then turn around and walk back without falling). This was probably the longest line I have managed that. It sure made my arms and back tired though.

Walking the 175 foot line (thanks for taking the pic Adi)

we camped by the North Fork South Branch of the Potomac River

The Mountain Laurel was blooming nicely

Tuesday it looked pretty threatening and the forecast was for 40% or more chance of thunderstorms but we decided to give it a go. We were going to start on Ecstasy, but someone else was on it so we went up Ecstasy Junior - a much easier but still fun climb. There was a tiny bit of sprinkling while we went up this but it wasn't enough to wet anything. Then we traversed over to under the gunsight notch where we went up the 3 pitch "Green Wall" to the top of the South Summit. Supposedly this is the highest 5th class (requires technical climbing) summit east of Devils Tower, Wyoming. It is a pretty nice summit - a sidewalk along the top of a fin of super hard Tuscarora Sandstone - really more like quartzite.

on top of the South Summit

Dr Rubber Ducky in his summit office

From the base of the Rappels we started up another 3 pitch climb, "Bring on the Nubiles". Actually this is a 2 pitch climb that starts one pitch up. The 3rd pitch was pretty spicy, old school 5.9+ with not a lot of gear and plenty of exposure. Then we headed back down the raps for another quality leftover dinner.

after topping out "Bring on the Nubiles"

The weather for Wednesday was supposed to be a bit better, but still plenty of chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. It actually turned out to be quite nice though. We started up Ecstasy, I linked the nicely exposed 2cd and 3rd pitches past some sketchy pitons that were older than I am. Then we hiked back to near where we were the day before for a trip up some variations on "Thais" and "Thais direct" and "Thais bypass". Then back around to the south end to finish up on "Ye Gods & Little Fishes". This was a perfect pumpy way to finish the trip. Then we packed up the vehicles and headed north towards PA to avoid an impending storm system or at least be indoors for its arrival.