Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:55 am
WADING SHOES??? From the traddie? Sack up and go barefoot! That water is clean and I don't think I've seen a single piece of trash in it.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:29 am
Thats what I always do because I cant remember the wading shoes.Its freakin cold.
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 2:51 pm
Best wall to go to in the Valley? is it getting a good number of people like Roadside these days? what other RRG crags is the majority of routes at the valley similar to? I know i can find out when i get there.. but I am at work and bored...
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:51 pm
Best wall to go to, again, depends on your climbing preference. But here are some personal thoughts:
Great Wall: lots of cool sport routes in the moderate grades. routes are close together so there is no long hiking in between climbs. There is a cool corridor that you can use during those hot days (but I don't think that'll be for another couple of months).
Indy Wall (Tantroft Hollow): around the corner from the Great Wall, this wall has short but pumpy routes that are also in close proximity of each other. Wall gets really warm in the afternoons.
Sanctuary (Tantroft Hollow): the routes here are along the 5.12 and harder range. Most are still projects. You can climb here in a hurricane.
Inner Sanctum (Tantroft Hollow): a few hundred yards past First Fall, this area which can be reached after crossing a gully, is home to more moderate (and a few hard) routes. Gets morning sun.
Stadium (Tantroft Hollow): this area gets PLENTY of sun and is home to a lot of trad routes. Doesn't get a lot of traffic in this area.
Tectonic Wall (Tantroft Hollow): This wall is home to two excellent sport climbs. Gets afternoon sun.
Johnny's Wall (Tantroft Hollow): aka 5.10 Wall. Gets afternoon sun.
Joe Ponder Hollow: area doesn't get as much traffic either but is home to a handful of interesting routes.
Bruise Bros Wall (Rebel Branch): home to a lot of easy to moderate climbs. It's a rainy day wall.
Sunnyside (Rebel Branch): I haven't been in this area much but from what I understand, it's Sunny (duh) and it has a couple of really great *classic* routes (Machete and Weedeater).
Hatton Hollow: I've never been to this wall either, but from the pics, the routes look good.
So as you can see, lots of walls in Muir, you shouldn't have any problems when it comes to large groups. Tantroft Hollow and Rebel gets the most traffic out of all the hollows though, fyi.
Indy Wall and the Great Wall are my personal favorites.
Great Wall: lots of cool sport routes in the moderate grades. routes are close together so there is no long hiking in between climbs. There is a cool corridor that you can use during those hot days (but I don't think that'll be for another couple of months).
Indy Wall (Tantroft Hollow): around the corner from the Great Wall, this wall has short but pumpy routes that are also in close proximity of each other. Wall gets really warm in the afternoons.
Sanctuary (Tantroft Hollow): the routes here are along the 5.12 and harder range. Most are still projects. You can climb here in a hurricane.
Inner Sanctum (Tantroft Hollow): a few hundred yards past First Fall, this area which can be reached after crossing a gully, is home to more moderate (and a few hard) routes. Gets morning sun.
Stadium (Tantroft Hollow): this area gets PLENTY of sun and is home to a lot of trad routes. Doesn't get a lot of traffic in this area.
Tectonic Wall (Tantroft Hollow): This wall is home to two excellent sport climbs. Gets afternoon sun.
Johnny's Wall (Tantroft Hollow): aka 5.10 Wall. Gets afternoon sun.
Joe Ponder Hollow: area doesn't get as much traffic either but is home to a handful of interesting routes.
Bruise Bros Wall (Rebel Branch): home to a lot of easy to moderate climbs. It's a rainy day wall.
Sunnyside (Rebel Branch): I haven't been in this area much but from what I understand, it's Sunny (duh) and it has a couple of really great *classic* routes (Machete and Weedeater).
Hatton Hollow: I've never been to this wall either, but from the pics, the routes look good.
So as you can see, lots of walls in Muir, you shouldn't have any problems when it comes to large groups. Tantroft Hollow and Rebel gets the most traffic out of all the hollows though, fyi.
Indy Wall and the Great Wall are my personal favorites.
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 11:33 pm
And in the near future we will have the Solarium - home to MANY quality long hard aesthetic overhanging 5.12-5.13 sport routes... there are also several other walls and hollows that will gradually be opened every couple of months...
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:33 am
Thanks, y'all, for your patience. I don't like those few muddy trails, either. Most of the trails established on the Gathering Trail Day last fall are dry and in great shape. But, the muddy path down from the main parking lot to the start of the new trail heading off to the right through the woods follows a water race and is pretty yucky.
Those of you who have been to the main parking lot in the past couple weeks have seen our new barn for storing maintenance equipment including a new Kubota 3830 with backhoe and other implements. These were purchased to build and maintain proper trails and roads in the Valley.
However, it will take time to fix up some of the existing mud slides-- years to do it right. First, and foremost, we need dry weather, and I'm beginning to see that this is a rare event in KY. Last year was a record rainfall year, and '05 is starting out to beat that record.
So, bear with us, and look for some nice new routes and trail improvements this year.
Oh, and as for Fred, our snapping turtle. Please live and let live.
Thanks again to all of you who are helping to restore the Valley back into a place of spectacular natural beauty.
Rick
Those of you who have been to the main parking lot in the past couple weeks have seen our new barn for storing maintenance equipment including a new Kubota 3830 with backhoe and other implements. These were purchased to build and maintain proper trails and roads in the Valley.
However, it will take time to fix up some of the existing mud slides-- years to do it right. First, and foremost, we need dry weather, and I'm beginning to see that this is a rare event in KY. Last year was a record rainfall year, and '05 is starting out to beat that record.
So, bear with us, and look for some nice new routes and trail improvements this year.
Oh, and as for Fred, our snapping turtle. Please live and let live.
Thanks again to all of you who are helping to restore the Valley back into a place of spectacular natural beauty.
Rick
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 1:11 am
There goes my idea for turtle soup for The GATHERing '05weber wrote:...Oh, and as for Fred, our snapping turtle. Please live and let live...
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 5:49 am
Turtle is stringy and tough,they are better as pets.So his name is Fred,what was the bears name?Is there still one around or did the locals get him for sure?
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 1:53 pm
Here's Fred at the Gathering: shying away from Rick and out for a swim. Rowan and I tried to pick him up and thought he was a big flat stone we could use as a stepping stone on the creek! 
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 2:38 pm
There might still be a mother and a cub in the valley. Last year the male bear was illegally shot and killed on Muir Valley property. (I was surprised that so many people on here raised a ruckus about climbing a route with a rat or a squirrel on them, but nobody made much of a fuss about the bear being killed). By the way, I think Rick still has an offer for a free steak dinner to anybody who is able to photograph the bear.