Tour of Camp Mountaineer

2022-12-02

Bruce Weir (chairman of the NCAC Climbing Committee) and I toured Camp Mountaineer as a possible venue for the 2023 NCAC Climboree, and as a relatively near location for climbing on natural rock. We were hosted by Jeff Anderson and Jerry Clark. Jeff was a co-founder of the council's COPE program and co-designer of the original (and current) COPE course at Camp Mountaineer. Jerry is the COPE and climbing programs advisor for Territory 12. We are very grateful for the time they spent showing us the current facility and exploring potential new rock climbing sites. We were reminded that West Virginia has no flat areas. Everything is on a slope. A rocky slope. Possibly covered with wet leaves or moss. But beautiful! Almost heaven.

	A	B	C
1	Morning of 2 Dec. Freezing cold! Thankfully, we were able to spend a warm, relaxing night at the Green Acres lodge, through the generosity of Camp Mountaineer. 12/02/2022 07:05 AM 3.33MB	Bruce, hiking toward the climbing tower. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.24MB	Back of the hexagonal climbing tower. Three walls for climbing and rappelling. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 1.71MB
2	Closeup of the back. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.06MB	Closeup of a portion of the wall showing how cleats are used to enable and disable the wall. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.02MB	Looking up one side of the wall. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.3MB
3	Further from that side of the wall. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 2.66MB	First and second walls. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.21MB	Second and third walls. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.54MB
4	Swinging tires. Brings to mind the time Chuck Gandy and I helped repair the swinging tires on the COPE course at Goshen. Now I wonder, why did we bother to try to get them all the same height? Next time… 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.69MB	At the top of the natural rock close to the COPE course. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.91MB	At the base of the natural rock close to the COPE course. Challenging! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.55MB
5	High elements at the COPE course. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.75MB	Featured: the Giants Ladder. Notice the number of rungs! And how it is being disabled!! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.15MB	At the Aquatics area. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.37MB
6	Fire pit by the amphitheater. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.69MB	Crossing the bridge by the lake. Fire ring and amphitheater are to the right. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.47MB	Following Jeff to first set of rocks discovered recently by the committee. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.7MB
7	Looks like a mountain biker bailed out. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.18MB	First picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.45MB	Second picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.03MB
8	Third picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.11MB	Fourth picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.5MB	Fifth (last) picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.82MB
9	In front of rock that was left of center in first picture of panorama. VERY challenging overhang! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.19MB	Bruce (for sense of scale) next to rock. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.27MB	Another picture for sense of scale. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.78MB
10	Looking for quick (and safe) path to the summit. Looks like rocks slope to the left. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.83MB	Panning to left. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.42MB	Panning to left. Looks like...stairs! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.03MB
11	Yup. Looks like more than one way to get to the top. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.46MB	For example... 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.63MB	A more remote, but larger set of potentially climbable rocks. First of panorama shots. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 5.9MB
12	Second picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.82MB	Third picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 7.07MB	Fourth picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.51MB
13	Fifth picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.61MB	Sixth (last) picture of panorama. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.65MB	Bruce is somewhere next to the rock, about the middle of the picture. I would have joined him, but was concerned about having to becoming a liability to the team. It was rugged! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 6.41MB
14	Rocks, not for climbing, but possible caving (or shelter). 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 7.02MB	Following Jeff up the ramp to the main zip line. Awesome structure! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.25MB	At the top, Jeff and Jerry. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.98MB
15	Panning to the right. Great view! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.61MB	Platform lighting is powered by solar panel on left pole. Pole on the right holds wifi antenna. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.52MB	Pan of view from platform. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.85MB
16	More view from the platform; launch site number 2. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.75MB	From left, Jeff, Jerry, and Bruce. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.3MB	Selfie of the team! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 1.93MB
17	Site from first launch platform. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.37MB	View back to other side. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 4.58MB	CHECK, explained. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 2.59MB
18	Welcome center with camera and antenna. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.09MB	End of welcome center. 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 3.87MB	Bruce and John (the architect, not John the ranger). Great guy! 12/03/2022 12:50 AM 2.18MB