A Comprehensive List Of SWPA Area Climbing

 Well... maybe... as we recall 'em. A self-imposed mental acuity test... gave ourself a half-hour... we'll start with areas of prominence and work from there...

Everything included in the old Gritstone Climbs climbing guide by Bill Webster. Published back in the late '70's. For the most part locations in just over the border West Virginia. Most notably an early Coopers Rocks climbing guide featuring some now obscure norther WV areas such as Pioneer Rocks and Mont Chateau, with reference mention of even more obscure locales including Deckers Creek and Darnell Hollow. We had a well used field copy for many years before passing it along.

Not in the guide (a bit later in time) but just outside Morgantown is the short lived then since long closed Woodland Wall.

Central WV Seneca Rocks, New River Gorge and Summersville Lake.

Central PA Bellefonte Quarry just outside State College. 

Just outside Cumberland/LaVale, Md there's a tall, angled quartzite slab wall located along Wills Creek. Various names we've heard for that place over the years include The Narrows, Lovers Leap, Wills Mountain, the Roller Rink and Mt. Savage. We always just called it "the place in Maryland". Now, as we understand, officially called Locust Grove.

Closer ta' home...

(Note that all following cardinal directions are referenced to "Yough river north" as primary point of reference.)

White Rocks, Fairchance, PA (included in the aforementioned Gritstone Climbs guide) and White Rocks, Connellsville, PA, aka, Breakneck Rocks. We're gonna' use the original, or local names, for these areas , where applicable, along with the climbers vernacular.

Ohiopyle State Park and satellite crags Bruner Run, School House Crag, Maple Wall and Rivers End. Each a few steps off of the Yough River Hike/Bike Trail. In town bouldering at the Ohiopyle Boulders, aka, Proving Grounds. One-off Fern Cliff Boulder just above the falls. Lower Meadow Run and just up the creek Meadow Run Amphitheater ice climbing. Located just north in the high country along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is Bidwell Rocks.

Stewarton Rocks

Opposite side of the river from the state park proper, Stewarton Rocks is a long sandstone bluff flanking the river gorge just north of the old Stewarton Landing paddler takeout. There's a second smaller exposure adjacent the natural gas pipeline ROW which crosses downriver just north of Johnson Run. The bluff is usually visible when viewing across the river from the park's Bruner Run Takeout.

Connellsville-Dunbar Area

Eleven miles down river in the Dunbar mountains there's Buzzard Rocks, aka, Kraylick (or Krahlick) Rocks. Just up the road is the small Buzzard Rock Ice Fall. Just up the road further still are the Liston Boulders, aka, Swoager Boulders (or Cal's Rocks). Renamed (by us) in honor of the shortly departed local climber Cal Swoager. Was his secret bouldering area that he let us in on many years ago. Across the hollow there's some decent rock flanking the Lost Fiesta Cavern. Up in the hight ground are the Jurassic Boulders, aka, The Vault. They're just down the ridge line from Rattlesnake Rocks. Top of the plateau are the Elk Rock Boulders. Follow south a short distance and you'll come to Elk Rock Cliff, aka, Colls Cove.

View from Casparis Overlook - MTB trails and Yough Gorge Crag

Further north following the Yough gorge is the high flanking Great Allegheny Incline, aka, Yough Gorge Crag. A solid and tall outcrop of Loyalhanna Limestone. A few one-off sandstone boulders scatter the woods directly above. Staying low along the Yough River Trail there's Penny Rock Boulders. One-off Whale Rock is located just upstream amongst the Three Sisters river boulders - mentioned here as it's an annual summertime, shallow water repeat attempt of a thin crack/seam when river tripping. Further north just south of Connellsville there's a few decent and scattered one-off boulders in the area of Mojo Rapids and South Connellsville Beach. Higher up the flanking slope of the gorge are the Mojo Boulders. Also along the hillside exists the old abandoned P&LE Mine. Follow still further to the top of the ridge will bring ya' to Cow Rocks. Fred Gunther, owner of the old Exkursion outfitter shop located in Monroeville, PA, told us that he once had Yosemite-great Lynn Hill climbing up at Cow Rock during a break from a national slide-show tour stopover. Fred mentioned that she on sighted an off-width (roof?) crack that had been a project of their's. Correct us if we're wrong. 

Opposite side of the river to the east is located the South Connellsville Rod and Gun Club. The club's shooting range was once an old limestone surface mine. The surrounding mine walls usually provide good ice formation when a conducive winter. At the nearby abandoned Opperman Mine a single vertical ice formation, usually tall and fat when "in", occurs in a really good winter. 

The Ridge

Following the trail up into the woods overlooking the shooting range and river gorge puts ya' in an area known locally as Casparis. From there on south it's pretty much a boulder heaven throughout the northern hump of a camelback ridge. The Ridge is divided into Stairway To Heaven located at the extreme northern exposure, a Light Side along the flanking southwest river exposure and a Dark Side opposite, which slopes into a shaded meandering stream hollow. Following the southern hump of the ridge to its end will bring ya' to the Druid Stones, aka, Pagan Rocks. East of the stream the hollow slopes steeply upward in elevation thru several hundred feet of more boulders to the base of the vertical Casparis Cliff. Immediately beyond the clifftop an unimproved township road runs parallel the length of the hollow. Opposite side of the road the hollow continues in elevation thru more scattered large boulders. The rocky terrain eventually peters out as broken exposures of sandstone ledge rock near the top of the plateau. At one point for a length of maybe two hundred feet this exposure forms the bit more massive outcrop of Foleys Wall. A scattered one-off boulder rests here and there across the plateau. Near the actual high point of Chestnut Ridge bordering Casparis set a small jumble of boulders just off Sandy Flats road. 

The north flank of McCoy Hollow (and McCoy Hollow Road) is littered with a jumble of small to large boulders.

Jumonville Rocks are located on the ridge above Lemont Furnace, PA. Just off Jumonsville Road a short distance beyond the Coolspring Stone Quarry.

Fish Rocks, aka, Big Inch Pipeline, Rob's Knobs, the Lost World, aka, Lost Crag, Lambie Rocks  and Zebley Flats, aka, Rebecca Rocks rest near the upper plateaus flanking the immediate Dunbar Creek and Limestone Run stream hollows. Near the upper reaches of the small drainage hollow between Rob's Knobs and the Lost Crag exists a lesser obscure sandstone outcrop. 

North of Connellsville off of Breakneck Road is the earlier mentioned Breakneck Rocks. A bit further north exists the long forgotten Uncle Joes. Continue further north a hollow or two to Spruce Hollow Road and Spruce Hollow Rocks. There's another old forgotten outcrop similar to Uncle Joes, just off the east side of Breakneck Road, either before or after Spruce Hollow Road, that we visited years ago. However, can't recall exactly where. 

Following nearby Rt. 982 north to the small village of Wooddale are a series of large boulders located along the Power Line which climbs the ridge adjacent the existing limestone quarry above Wingrove Road. Continue north along Rt. 982. Just beyond the intersection with Rt. 31, to the right side of Rt. 982 is the Laurelville Retreat Center where there exists a small boulder field. 

Turning right at that intersection, climb Rt.31 to the Bear Rocks Community located halfway up the mountain. There's a small cluster of boulders in there somewhere that Tim Anderson developed years back. Don't know exactly where. We've never been there. 

Continue on Rt.31 for several miles beyond the summit until entering Forbes State Forest and Pike Run, maybe a mile east beyond Jones Mills. 

In the Latrobe-Derry-Ligonier area are Derry High Rocks and the one-off Feed Me Jack at Hillside Quarry. At Linn Run State Park there's a one-off steep slab back near Wolf Rocks. Up in the hillside opposite Adams Falls is a small sandstone boulder/outcrop. Forbes State Forest there's Beam Rocks. Near Pleasant Unity there's the RT. 130 Boulder(s) adjacent Rt. 130. At the top of Laurel Summit there's a few scattered one-off boulders in the area of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Rt. 30 trailhead. 

Near Seven Springs Ski Resort are the Airport Boulders. Never been there, only heard talk of 'em.

Ice Only:

Buzzard (Kraylick) Ice Fall

Confluence

Darlington Quarry, aka, Longbridge

Irishtown

Layton Falls

Meadow Run/Amphitheater

Opperman Mine (Casparis)

P&LE Mine (ice bouldering)

Rod & Gun Club

Secret Cliffs I

Secret Cliffs II

Stewarton

Tunnel Cliffs 

Victoria Flats

... not a guide nor a prompt - visit at your own risk and liability.

Some Images:

Drone View of Casparis Cliff overlook

Breakneck Rocks

(L. Anderson)

The Ridge

(T. Anderson)

Derry High Rocks

(Our Loyal Scribe)

Ohiopyle - School House Crag

(L. Anderson)

Feed Me Jack

(R. Goodman)

Liston-Swoager Rocks

(S. Zagorce)

Stewarton Rocks

(T. Anderson)

Foleys Wall

(R. Goodman)

The Ridge

(C. Samples - B. Rentka)

Near Lost Fiesta Cavern

(Our Loyal Scribe)

Cow Rocks

(S. Zagorce - S. Zagorce)

Robs Knobs

(Our Loyal Scribe)

Druid Stones

Casparis Cliff

(S. Zagorce - S. Zagorce)

Casparis

(S. Zagorce)

Lambie Rocks

(S. Zagorce)

Casparis near Foleys Wall

(C. Samples - B. Rentka)

Lambie Rocks

(S. Zagorce)

Casparis near Foleys Wall

(B. Rentka - C. Samples)

The Ridge

(M. Johns - T. Anderson)

The Ridge

(M. Johns - T. Anderson)

Casparis

(Our Loyal Scribe)

Casparis

(D. Tarwater)

Yough River Gorge and Helicopter from near Yough Gorge Crag

Robs Knobs

(T. Anderson)

Secret Cliff II

(T. Anderson)

Rod and Gun Club

(T. Anderson - L. Anderson)

Rattlesnake Rocks

(R. Snake)

Cool Rock along the Yough River

1980 Subaru 1600 DL Hatchback 4WD

An imaginative Plan B for contemporary times...

Considering the average $50K+ price of a modern new car or $60K+ for a truck, wish that we'd have had had divine foresight, or a crystal ball, back in the day. Instead of one, we would have bought seven of these vehicles. Driven one and put the other six in garage storage. Once that designated driver had seen its day, pull another from storage, and repeat the process. Consider that our original purchase was eventually retired at 180K mileage, let's say at an average mileage of 25K/year. In theory we'd currently be on vehicle seven, with an expiration date of April, 2030. At an original purchase price of $5,200 (including tax and license), total cost for the seven vehicle lot ≈ $36,400. Figure in a few spare replacement parts for on the shelf, e.g., carburetor, alternator, distributor, CV joints, wheel bearings and such. Not bad (our opinion) for a, basically, fifty year daily driver. We did a current (on-line) inflation adjustment. Say $142K at $20K/vehicle. We've experienced typical modern repair receipts doubling that original purchase price. The small fleet of three RAM 5500's and one Ford F450 (all diesel) we ran at work averaged these typical shop repair costs: routine service $600 - $1,200+, minor fix: $1,200 - $3,000+, major fix: $6,000+. To replace a single, less than $100 sensor on a GMC Sierra 3500 once cost $6,200 as the entire cab of the truck had to be lifted to access the sensor (NOx or O2 as we recall) located somewhere behind the firewall. Prior calls to three alternate shops before authorization all confirmed the procedure... "Yep, that's what ya' gotta' do." And we maintained a file of multiple recall receipts for each.

(Internet Image)

Quite the deal, our opinion, for a carbureted mechanical engine system, points/condenser ignition, manual four-on-the floor, manual part-time 4WD, off-road competent, 4-passenger, 2-door small car hatchback. 1600cc (1.6L) engine; inline-4, iron block, aluminum head. Highway rated 33mpg (never checked it but sounds close). Best features - no convoluted electronic control modules and relays. Especially - no temperamental electronic sensors. And if ya' wanna' put the window down, right there's the hand crank.

Fixer friendly as well. Wasn't a thing on that car we couldn't repair ourselves. If needed. In 180K miles all we ever replaced was one CV joint and wheel bearing. Recall that we replaced the water pump around 140K. Replaced the fan belt while at it. Drivers seat broke mid-life and ya' had to constantly drive at a slight lay-back. Lived with that. Back to the CVjoint/wheel bearing. We were havin' a heck of a time removing the bearing. Couldn't get it. While back at the shop purchasing a replacement bearing we asked the parts guy how to get the old bearing off. He turned to a wall display of several hanging Subaru specialty tools. He points to a wheel bearing removal tool... $50... cost more than the bearing. And we were short on cash. And cash only purchases in those days. Don't even think that they accepted credit cards. We didn't own one even if they did.  He then says "Wait a minute, I'll be back" and goes out thru the shop door. He returns about ten minutes later with an improvised shop tool consisting of a small box-thread knuckle welded to a bolt head. "This is what we use... just fasten it to the bearing then screw a slide-hammer body dent puller to the knuckle and hammer it out... just take it... no cost."

Still, it's a less than optimal small car unibody, which were just becoming standard. OK suspension. IFS struts/coil springs. IRS torsion bar, struts/shocks. Eight-inch ground clearance. The torsion bar gives the rear a bit of jaunty soft lift and firm ride. Nevertheless, we took it just about every (rational) place off-road as we did a lifted Dodge Power Wagon that we owned. Just had to be alert navigating the ruts and large rocks. And two guys could push it out of a ditch.

(Internet Image)

Manual four-speed w/ mechanical shift 4WD gear box

(Internet Image)

Initially walked into the dealer intent on a BRAT, at the time Subaru's version of a small, light truck. Wasn't aware of the hatchback or wagon models. After looking 'em over, walked out with the DL instead.

(Internet Image)

They even had a copy of this art poster on the wall exhibiting some rube on top rope rigged with a full rack of climbing gear, helmet and rock shoes. We'll bet he stood on the roof of that DL to grab that first hold... we'll take one anyway.

A while back someone commented to us that they doubted that we ever drove a car up into Bellefonte Quarry near State College, PA... "You could never drive into that place - we been there!" Pulled this old 35mm still image from the archives. The only image that we have of the DL. Dated Sept, '83. We never thought the uphill drive in was bad at all compared to some of the places we took that car. Climbing related, that's the beginner wall in the background. Three parties can be seen climbing. We'd occasionally run rigging from the auto tow hooks and belay from the top of the wall to climb a few routes along the foreground wall of the pond. Was too brutal of a cheese-grater slide to fall unroped from on high. And the face is almost entirely thin crimps, smears and edging, so ya' needed to maintain dry shoes and chalk. A while back we were contacted by a member of a local State College group looking to re-open the quarry as a designated climbing park. Asked for use of an image or two. Sure. Don't know what ever became of their efforts, but we see that the quarry is still closed to all access. Too bad. They're settin' on one of the best single-pitch, trad/sport climbing areas along the east coast, our opinion. A bit unique as well, featuring open sky faces and hosting a few western granite-style splitter finger and hand cracks.  

(Interent Image)

Found this image on-line. We always thought that hatchback would modify to make a nice (looking) rally-style machine. Like minded thinker. Looks like they installed a bit of a body lift ta' boot. Nice work. Although, we learned our lesson regarding bolt-head shear on those unibody strut-spacer lifts. We'd cautiously decline if the intention was to take that thing out and beat it up. 

This is probably the ultimate endorsement ever for those early model Subaru 4WD's. Our old climbing buddy Goodman, a highly persnickety and very hard man to please to say the least, was so impressed with the performance of our 4WD DL that he eventually purchased similar. Of course, a step up (one up per his rationale - ya' had to love 'em) to a 4WD GL wagon. An '84 model as we recall. He drove that thing up until his recent passing away just a few years back. Think that he (himself - he was a pretty good mechanic) performed a bit of short block rebuild just a few years prior. Said that he had a heck of a time finding parts. A thirty+ year old vehicle at the time. Not many of those were left cruising the streets. He mentioned that by then he had to get the pistons/rings shipped in from outside the US. 

Pictured: West face of Seneca Rocks, WV - note the long departed Gendarme formation nestled at the base of the Gunsight Notch. Goodman's wagon nosed into the parking stall.