New River Gorge, November 17-27, 2011
Our climbing trip went something like this:
Day 1: Gorgeous
Days 2-5: Rainy
Days 6-8: Gorgeous
A great time was had by all.
Before we headed to the Gorge, we saw the sights in DC. Peter and Aaron in front of the Washington Monument, which has been closed since the earthquake a little while ago.
Words from Lincoln's inaugural address at the Lincoln Memorial.
Still a few fall colors left in DC.
Aaron checks out a wall on Beauty Mountain.
Peter on "Welcome to Beauty," Day 1.
This must be Day 2. Amy after finishing a four-star, but wet, 5.9 at Kaymoor. Photo by Aaron.
An empty coal train through the trees.
James finds a dry climb (the bottom half, anyway).
Aaron.
Bolts up a pillar of semi-attached blocks.
Our cabin came with some cats.
These three cats - orange, grey, and orange and grey - all had the same yellow eyes.
The living room.
Day 4, heading out to First Buttress at Lower Meadow (?).
It was wet, and foggy, and we didn't have high hopes on the hike out.
But the crag was DRY!
Josh.
Amy. Photo by James.
Amy on something else. Very cool rock at this crag. Photo by Mandy.
This rock is so wild! Aaron.
Day 5: We are sick of the rain. We prepare Thanksgiving dinner, even though it's only Wednesday, because Thursday will be our first clear day in a while.
Aww, the kitties.
We went for a hike from the cabin.
It led to a cool empty old train tunnel.
A few of us did some photo-graphy.
Twinkly raindrops.
Josh is shaking the tree and showering the raindrops on unsuspecting people (hastening canopy throughfall).
Mushrooms.
The SUN!
Beth and the Meadow River.
What is all this green stuff?
Sunshine.
Thanksgiving meal: chicken by Josh, stuffings by Josh and Aaron, sides by Mandy and Aaron, cranberry sauce by Mandy.
We are all thankful that the weather is about to improve. Among other things.
Carrot cake by Amy.
The evening devolved into people playing Angry Birds.
And hackysack.
Aaron appears twice in this photo.
James and Aaron racing on beautiful Day 6 at Endless Wall, Party Buttress.
Josh and Mandy.
Amy on "Party Til Yer Blind." Photo by Aaron.
Aaron suiting up for a final climb of the day.
Aaron.
Tea and cookies.
Boggle.
The kitties were still there.
Sparkly, frosty cool morning, Day 7.
More cool rock, but some of it was wet.
Like this climb. The shiny stuff is water.
We found a dry crag eventually. Moon Buttress? James.
Waterfall.
James.
Josh.
Aaron on a climb with four scary bolts.
Aaron starting up "Just Another Pretty Face." The pretty face in question is up and left.
Amy on the same.
Josh on the roof move.
James.
Aaron.
This climb is pretty steep.
Josh and his shadow climbing at the end of the day on "Toxic Hueco."
Sunrise light, Day 7.
Aaron and James, racing each other again, on Endless Wall at Diamond Point.
Mandy checks out the view.
Aaron on "Leave it to Jesus."
Mandy, Josh, James, Beth, Amy, Aaron, at--you guessed it--the New River Gorge.
Josh hiking out of the Endless Wall on one of the awesome, super sturdy access ladders.
Choo choo.
Last light, last day.
©2011 Amy Jordan; Email Me.