Seneca Rocks, WV: April, 2001

April 3, 2001 Joe, Larry and I (Vaughn) traveled to Seneca Rocks, WV for an intermediate "seconding" class. We left home at 4AM on Tuesday and drove for 3 hours to the crag.

Click on any of the thumbnail pictures to enlarge them.

[above / left] This is a picture of Seneca Rocks when we arrived Tuesday morning... It was 31 degrees and a chilly wind was kicking! [below / right] Is a picture before we started climbing. It includes Tony Barnes, Joe, Larry, and me (from right to left). Tony Barnes is a famous local climber who guides and trains climbers at Seneca Rocks (he was our instructor). Tony was very cool and I would recommend his school: http://www.seneca-rocks.com/school.html for everyone interested in learning the ropes.

[below] Is the new visitor's center photographed from the front and then behind. The river behind the center is the Potomac.

[below / right] Is our intense hike up to Broadway Ledge.

[below / left] This is the Broadway Ledge. Tons of Seneca climbs start from this ledge. [below / right] Tony is placing a piece of protection on the first pitch of Conn's East route 5.5.

[below / left] Larry just climbed over an alternate lieback that turns Conn's East into a 5.7 for a couple of moves. [below / right] Here we are dangling at a belay ledge (eating lunch) after completeing the third pitch. Conn's East was a total of 5 pitches and is a classic.

Click here to see a MPEG movie of us on the top of the Conn's East route.

[above / left] Tony, Joe, and Larry hang out at the rappel point for Conn's East. The rappel from here was 180 feet straight down (way cool). [above / right] Larry pops his head out of the keyhole.