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joshua_g_a
Sep 7, 2006, 2:49 AM
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Hi. I've been climbing on and off for over 2 years now but have trouble finding experienced partners. Most of the people I climb with are people I got into the sport. My problem is that I want to lead climb but have nobody with any experience to teach me. So if there's anyone out there in the Western, MD (Allegheny/Garrett county) area willing to teach a beginner lead, send me a message so I can hopefully get my first lead climb or two in before we run out of season this year.
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preacherman
Sep 11, 2006, 5:04 PM
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Greetings, Joshua:
May be interested in hooking up if we can work out logistics. I don't live near you but if you are within a reasonable distance to Seneca in N.E. West Virginia, climbing may be possible. I live in So. WV, about 2+ hrs. from Seneca. I've been going there pretty regularly over the years.
Why don't you tell me a little about yourself, what you've been climbing and how you want to learn to lead.
E-mail me at home: morninggloryfarm7@hotmail.com
Let's see what happens.
Best,
Tom
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wvsupernoob
Sep 11, 2006, 6:24 PM
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Joshua,
I'm in the same perdicament - and the same location. My wife and kid and I are all noob beginners, and want to learn frome someone - but close to home.
We're a half-hour drive from Cumberland, and the Narrows crag boasts a few short, supposedly easy leads (5.3-5.4 in the 50 foot tall range) ten minute's walk from the car. That's where we intend to cut our teeth, if we can find someone experienced and patient who is local. It seems ideal, but for the apparent lack of local experience. Rocky-Gap's got some nifty sandstone too, and the illusion of minimal exposure.
We've been to Seneca, and we're not going back until we've grown some. It's a long way to drive just to stare up longingly at from the campfire or the lower slabs.
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svilnit
Sep 11, 2006, 6:32 PM
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In reply to: Hi. I've been climbing on and off for over 2 years now but have trouble finding experienced partners. Most of the people I climb with are people I got into the sport. My problem is that I want to lead climb but have nobody with any experience to teach me. So if there's anyone out there in the Western, MD (Allegheny/Garrett county) area willing to teach a beginner lead, send me a message so I can hopefully get my first lead climb or two in before we run out of season this year.
If you aren't THAT far west we are at Sugarloaf/Annapolis Rocks (Frederick Area) at least a couple of times a month.
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climbingbetty22
Sep 11, 2006, 6:41 PM
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Damn, I grew up in Cumberland. Sounds like I should move home just to run intro to leading courses! HA! I live in NYC, just down the road from the Gunks now.
I don't know of any good independent folks to teach you. But I think Tom Cecil down at Senece Rocks Mountain Guides teaches a course periodically. As well, if you are in the position to do so, check out Garrett College. They do an Adventure Sports degree. You take classes, like Top-Rope Anchors, Climbing Anchors, Multi-pitch Climbing and Lead Climbing. That's how I got started when I was in your predicatment several years ago. Good luck, be safe!
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wvsupernoob
Sep 11, 2006, 10:05 PM
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In reply to: Damn, I grew up in Cumberland. Sounds like I should move home just to run intro to leading courses! HA! I live in NYC, just down the road from the Gunks now.
You mean you didn't stay to enjoy all the opportunities of the town? You're missing all the good stuff! Hanging out in front of Wendy's.... playing on train tracks..... going to see the same 3 bands play in some hole every weekend... maybe getting a job at a hospital ...or the new WalMart ... pill-junkies, cough-syrup addicts.
Still, good chinese buffet place though. :D
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joshua_g_a
Sep 12, 2006, 1:43 PM
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Thanks all for your replies, good to know that I'm not the only climber around this area.
WVSuperNoob:
I live in Deep Creek, so I'm also about half-hour from Cumberland. I've been to the Narrows once (with a friend who's also never lead) and felt a little out of my league, definitely couldn't find those shorter leads that you mentioned. I agree it would be great to find an experienced climber to learn from at the Narrows. Also, Just down the road from the Narrows is an area called Locust Grove. It has a few bolted routes and some other climbs which are a little less intimidating than those at the Narrows. I climb often at Rocky Gap. Lately, I've been teaching many new people the basics of top-roping on the easier stuff there.
I think that since we climb in the same place, it would be great to get together sometime. If you bring your family, I will bring a friend or two and make a day of it at the Gap. PM me if you're interested.. Maybe we can even get together and find somebody to teach us lead.
That goes for all of you reading this, We should definitely arrange a Western MD meet.
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tgreene
Sep 12, 2006, 2:31 PM
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I spent a night in the Garrett County Jail once, in 1990, when I lived in the Friendsville area... :oops:
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wvsupernoob
Sep 12, 2006, 5:50 PM
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Joshua,
Here's the Indy's guide for the Narrows, describing where those short leads are.
http://www.bcpl.net/...uide.html#TheNarrows
The Funland area is where the band tapers down at the right (Cumberland) end. The old couple living at the last house near the trailhead told us there are climbers there almost every weekend, so we might actually run into somebody there. I think a group comes down from Pitt. to climb there.
We're planning to go to either the Gap or the Narrows (or both) this weekend if you're interested. Probably Sunday. At Rocky Gap, on the Canyon Overlook, there's a 5.0 TR right next to the overlook rail that my kid likes to do. (Stand at the rail, and look 5 feet left to those two trees to anchor on, you've probably done it. )
If you stand there and look way up the Gap to the left, there's another untouched cliffband you can see, but it's about a 5 minute drive to that trailhead. We've never climbed there, but it looks very promising, and there's an impressive fissure cave up there that's worth the hike as well.
I've looked up at Locust Grove, but that's about it. Usually, bolted routes are bolted because they're too hard for us to climb yet. :D
I agree we should have some Local meet-ups. I've got gear to set up some short TRs' on fat static rope and tied webbing harnesses, as long as the anchor trees aren't too far back. My wife and kid are psyched about it right now, after witnessing Seneca last weekend. And my wife's knee just healed, and she wants to go (pendulum into sharp shale = 20 stitches :shock: )
Now, if we can just get glimbingbetty22 to take a vacation from teh NYC to teach us to lead....
Sean
(edit: changed 'Saturday' to 'Sunday' cos' of unexpected birthday party....)
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hemlock83
Sep 12, 2006, 6:35 PM
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Hello Everybody,
My first post...I'm writing this from my barracks room in Naples Italy. I'm a decent "Joe lead climber" (5.10 ability) and have been helping to run a climbing club--Club Arampicata Napoli--organizing trips every weekend (and some nights after work) for the past year and a half all over Italy will be returning to south-western PA in Feb. I will also be in the predicament of not having motivated partners to climb with anymore. Lead climbing isn't tough but you've got to have the bug. I've climbed at Seneca a few times and plan to basically spend my weekends there for the next few years while going back to school. Anybody serious about climbing please add me to your friends list and maybe we can hook up in the spring. I'd love to meet some local climbers! Be safe.
Ciao,
CTA2 Wes Wagner, USN :D
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svilnit
Sep 12, 2006, 6:51 PM
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In reply to: I spent a night in the Garrett County Jail once, in 1990, when I lived in the Friendsville area... :oops:
I thought we were when we pulled out of Yokums with 3 people sitting across the front seat of a jeep each with 6 packs and pizza in their lap and there right in front of us was a local cop....
that was a :shock: moment
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wvsupernoob
Sep 12, 2006, 7:20 PM
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In reply to: I thought we were when we pulled out of Yokums with 3 people sitting across the front seat of a jeep each with 6 packs and pizza in their lap and there right in front of us was a local cop.... that was a :shock: moment
Down there, it's probably the store-owner's brother-in-law or something, so he wouldn't bust you - it would be bad for business!
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svilnit
Sep 12, 2006, 7:36 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I thought we were when we pulled out of Yokums with 3 people sitting across the front seat of a jeep each with 6 packs and pizza in their lap and there right in front of us was a local cop.... that was a :shock: moment Down there, it's probably the store-owner's brother-in-law or something, so he wouldn't bust you - it would be bad for business!
Good point.. I can't imagine that place would really exist without all the additional income from climbers. It seemed like everybody in all of those stores was in town to climb. Cool place though, wish I lived closer, I'd be up there every weekend.
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wvsupernoob
Sep 15, 2006, 8:03 PM
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I went back to the Narrows today, and found those short routes.
The trick is: once you get to the Front Porch overhang, you double-back the way you came, and up on the higher trail, to the right of the shelter, not left. Left is the taller sections.
The bad news is: having the flu all week has beaten me down so bad that just the approach trail had me almost unable to stand for a long time. I don't think I'm climbing anything this week, bleh! Maybe I can belay-slave though....
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betaben
Sep 20, 2006, 7:38 PM
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Hey,
I'm in Morgantown, about 15 minute from Coopers Rock. If either one of you want to come over, I'd be glad to help you get started on trad. I've been climbing for about ten years now and have lead for 8 of them so drop me a pm if your interested. Always glad to help new Leaders
Ben
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microbarn
Sep 20, 2006, 7:58 PM
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hemlock, I live in Pittsburgh. We can hook up when you are back in the US.
Sometimes I go home to MD to climb. My parents are close to Annapolis Rock. Sometimes I make it to the narrows. By no means am I experienced at leading, but I am starting to put up a few climbs. So, you could follow the easy stuff I am willing to lead.
Are any of you interested in going as far as Annapolis Rocks? At the very least harder climbs could be top roped.
Dan
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wvsupernoob
Sep 20, 2006, 9:38 PM
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In reply to: Hey, I'm in Morgantown, about 15 minute from Coopers Rock. If either one of you want to come over, I'd be glad to help you get started on trad. I've been climbing for about ten years now and have lead for 8 of them so drop me a pm if your interested. Always glad to help new Leaders Ben
Ben,
I appreciate your offer. And we've got family to stay with in Fairmont.
But, I really think I'm gonna need a bunch more practice in just hauling myself up rock first.
We climbed at the Gap with the OP (joshua_g_a) this weekend, and, I wouldn't have blamed him if he had fallen asleep on TR belay, as slow as I was going. It was shameful. :oops:
Joshua, on the other hand, is awesome, and you'll like climbing with him.
He just walked over moves that I pondered on for extended times, and then was like: "naw, you don't suck, it's just that I've done this route a bunch of times is all." (way modest for his ability)
I'd love to learn trad, and I'm sure I could fathom the placing, cleaning, belay, theory, and that whole side of it without a lot of bellyaching. It's just that the actual climbing would have to be laughably easy at this point, and my noob-family and I would hate to slow anyone down as bad as we did this weekend.
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joshua_g_a
Sep 22, 2006, 7:03 PM
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Ben.. just sent you a pm concerning your last post. look forward to climbing with you.
SuperNoob.. I appreciate the kind words. I actually had fun climbing with you guys last weekend, we will definitely have to do it again. As far as skill level, keep climbing. Your biggest obstacle right now is your lack of confidence. Once you climb enough to build that up, you'll be amazed at what you're capable of. You guys are going to be great climbers in no time--especially that daredevil daughter of yours. Anytime you want to meet up at the gap, just give me a call.
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wvsupernoob
Sep 22, 2006, 7:47 PM
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Hee hee, when I get out of the hiking boots I will. :) Deely's all phyched, and is ready to go again. (We got her some aqua-shoes that night.) Sabe says she's staying home from now on, but that's just her "way." She'll go again, eventually. After all, she has the best "shoozy-pooz."
Hope you had fun at Seneca, if you got to go that is.
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joshua_g_a
Sep 23, 2006, 2:09 PM
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I did go to Seneca, but we ended up just top-roping a few climbs at "the lower slabs" Some fun climbs actually, but I'm still yearning to try some trad.
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j_dog
Oct 1, 2006, 9:41 PM
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i've just come to baltimore form NH and am looking for some partners for climbing in the somewhat more local than senecca areas.... i've heard about cumberland and have been wanting to check it out... i am experienced on lead, have gear, have car....
drop me a line if anyone is interested..
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j_dog
Oct 1, 2006, 9:42 PM
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i've just come to baltimore form NH and am looking for some partners for climbing in the somewhat more local than senecca areas.... i've heard about cumberland and have been wanting to check it out... i am experienced on lead, have gear, have car....
drop me a line if anyone is interested..
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meesier42
Oct 1, 2006, 10:03 PM
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Hey guys, I live in Rockville, MD right now. I lead in the .8's climb in the .9/10's depending.
Well I haven't been out for a while cause I hate climbing in the heat, but now its cool again I will probably start going a couple times a week again.
Sugarloaf, and MD side of Great Falls are my common haunts cause nobody is every there. Let me know if you want to go, I can set TR's on just about anything you are interested in.
oh ya, check out http://groups.yahoo.com/...outdoorrockclimbing/
Josh
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