I hope this info will be of some help in understanding the history of climbing in the RRG.
First, my name is Ron Stokley. I was born in Lexington and spent my first 30 or so years there. I moved to Colorado in 1976.
There is a lot of "meshing" of different groups in the story, i.e. the Sierra Club, Explorer Posts (older Boy Scouts), and a caving group that had affiliation with the NSS.
The Explorer Post I belonged to throughout my teen years started my caving experience. Our Adviser, Charlie Baxter encouraged us to experience a variety of outdoor activities. We would rope down into pits, etc. and explore them with hand held flashlights.
History of the Cumberland Climbers, Part 1
-
captain static
- Posts: 2438
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 6:05 pm
We're definitely interested in RRG history but it looks like you are having a problem posting. Are you previewing you're text before you hit submit?
"Be responsible for your actions and sensitive to the concerns of other visitors and land managers. ... Your reward is the opportunity to climb in one of the most beautiful areas in this part of the country." John H. Bronaugh
(Sorry about that! I had to break off unexpectedly)
Later, when I was the adviser of my own Post, I passed my experience on to the young men I was leading. I had to keep up with the latest trends so I started reading all I could about the climbing going on in California, etc.. Even ordered some climbing equipment from REI and Forrest Mountaineering. We purchased a length of rope to practice rapelling into cave pits but, that was about the extent of our "climbing".
It was about this time that the Corp of Engineers had to lower Cumberland Lake for some repairs to the dam. It got so low that the entrance to an old commercial cave was exposed. Word got out and soon cavers from all over were driving to the Somerset area for the chance of a lifetime exploration. This also became the catalyst for cavers to get together at night and share techniques. I remember seeing Jumars for the first time and brake bars for carabiners. We held ascending contests in an old barn. A long rope would be passed through a pulley near the top of the barn. At the anchor end a person would feed rope slowly through a belay device. The person climbing the free end of the rope would be timed for going through 100' or 200' of rope, never getting more than 6' off the ground!
Some of the folks I can remember in the caving group were Bill Rogers, the Andrews twins and Dave Bighter. The Andrews twins were the first to tell us about this great training rock in the Red River Gorge, Tower Rock. The "Cavers Route" up Tower became very popular almost overnight.
Now you see how the evolution of climbing in the area was the offspring of cavers training for pits and then getting out of caves after a long day underground with the least amount of effort. coincidentally, we were picking up all the new techniques and gear we could get our hands on.
Later, when I was the adviser of my own Post, I passed my experience on to the young men I was leading. I had to keep up with the latest trends so I started reading all I could about the climbing going on in California, etc.. Even ordered some climbing equipment from REI and Forrest Mountaineering. We purchased a length of rope to practice rapelling into cave pits but, that was about the extent of our "climbing".
It was about this time that the Corp of Engineers had to lower Cumberland Lake for some repairs to the dam. It got so low that the entrance to an old commercial cave was exposed. Word got out and soon cavers from all over were driving to the Somerset area for the chance of a lifetime exploration. This also became the catalyst for cavers to get together at night and share techniques. I remember seeing Jumars for the first time and brake bars for carabiners. We held ascending contests in an old barn. A long rope would be passed through a pulley near the top of the barn. At the anchor end a person would feed rope slowly through a belay device. The person climbing the free end of the rope would be timed for going through 100' or 200' of rope, never getting more than 6' off the ground!
Some of the folks I can remember in the caving group were Bill Rogers, the Andrews twins and Dave Bighter. The Andrews twins were the first to tell us about this great training rock in the Red River Gorge, Tower Rock. The "Cavers Route" up Tower became very popular almost overnight.
Now you see how the evolution of climbing in the area was the offspring of cavers training for pits and then getting out of caves after a long day underground with the least amount of effort. coincidentally, we were picking up all the new techniques and gear we could get our hands on.
-
john e aragon
- Posts: 287
- Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 7:45 pm
Broke Leg Falls
That area does not sound familiar to me. It may well have been some cavers or someone from UK bringing techniques from out of state.
Are there any names associated with the article that I might recognize?
There were a number of places everyone went to practice, i.e. Wind Cave area,some places along Boone Creek, Pilots Knob, etc..
Ron
Are there any names associated with the article that I might recognize?
There were a number of places everyone went to practice, i.e. Wind Cave area,some places along Boone Creek, Pilots Knob, etc..
Ron