Rock Climbing at Kentucky’sRed River Gorge

By Rick Jones

Welcome to Red River Gorge!

History of Climbing at Red River Gorge

• 1950’s - 1st Climbing routes established by local cavers.

• 1960-70’s - climbing continued to gain attention with avid climbers D.Britz and Ron Stoley establishing more and more routes.

• 1975 - 1st publication on a guide book dedicated to the RRG, Red River Gorge Climber’s Guide.

History of Climbing at Red River Gorge(continued)

• 1980’s- Climbing routes more than doubled• 1990’s- 2nd Climbing guide book published,

Stones of Years ,with follow-up editions showing a total of over 400 climbing routes

• 2000’s- saw an explosion of climbing routes with the exploration of new areas of the gorge. 1st Publication of the guide book Red River Gorge Rock Climbs, containing 1311 climbing routes.

History of Climbing at Red River Gorge(continued)

• 2000’s (continued)- Parking expanded to meet demand as the RRG saw climbers from all over the United States.

• 2010’s- Private land acquisitions, such as Muir Valley, Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve, and Torrent Falls, be come common place

Types of Land

Private Land• Muir Valley• Pendergrass-Murray

Recreational Preserve• Torrent Falls• Roadside Crag

Federal Lands• U.S. Forest Service (RRG

National Geologic Area)• Clifty Wilderness Area• U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers

Types of Climbing

Traditional• Climbers ascend the rock or

wall placing equipment in the rock that will prevent falls that is removed when the climb is finished. This type of climbing is far more costly than Sport climbing because the investment in equipment is more expensive.

Sport• Climbers use permanent

fixed points in the rock that were installed by previous climbers, this type of climbing is less costly than Traditional because the investment in equipment is less.

Traditional Climbing

Sport Climbing

In Review

• Climbing at Red River Gorge dates back to the 1950s.• There are two kinds of land: Private and Federal.• There are two main kinds of climbing at Red River

Gorge: Traditional and Sport.• Today, new route development is occurring at an

exponential rate.• The growth of the climber user base is expanding

quickly, due to the popularity of climbing gyms in nearby large cities.

Works Cited• Black Diamond Cams. Digital image. Looking Glass Outfitters. Web. 30

Apr. 2013.• Black Diamond Hexs. Digital image. TBN. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.• Black Diamond Nuts. Digital image. REI. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.• Black Diamond Quickdraws. Digital image. TBN. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.• Ellington, Ray. The Red River Gorge: Rock Climbs. Silt, CO: Wolverine

Pub., 2007. Print.• Fixe Anchor. Digital image. PhotoBucket. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.• Muir Valley Sign. Digital image. Muir Valley. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.• Red River Gorge Climbing Map. Digital image. Berea Chemistry

Department. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.• Red River Gorge Map. Digital image. Red River Saga. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.