RRC Archives

I was walking along Mehring Way this afteroon. Has anyone noticed the nice red sandstone wall on the backside of Cinergy Field? There are raked back joints on these rusticated blocks of stone just wide enough for fingers. Nice. And an easy looking chimney between the stone and concrete at the end, about 20' ht. Just ripe for pissers though. Also some other possibilities throughout Sawyer Point.

Have you checked out Eden Park? Lots of cool stuff there, and you can boulder horizontally for a quarter mile without touching the ground.

I have bouldered the remnants of the old limestone building (I think it was a pump house?) near the far end of the park. Before they fixed that area up with the stages & stuff, it was cool to boulder there. Of course now it is an activity that is frowned upon by local authorities. Have you ever bouldered on the sandstone pump house at Eden Park? The traverse on the backside towards the hill will give you a good pump. I once lead the "castle" tower at the old Nat. Hist. Museum w/permission, even pounding pins inbetween blocks for pro. There are many stone churches in Cincy that becon the bold builderer.

I don't think I can even do that traverse. You're talking about the reddish sandstone bldg between the reflecting pond and the anphitheater? I walk up there once in awhile to see if I've gotten any better, but the answer is usually disappointing.

Yes, that's it. I have only redpointed it a couple of times. Traversing right to left (the way I think most people do it), the last 5 feet are pretty dicey. I like to use the traverse as a benchmark as to my climbing fitness. If I can make it to where the vent sticks out without peeling, I'm in pretty good shape.

I have done both the front and rear walls at Eden Park, try to go there often now that they are only partially wet. Will have to check out the pump house. There is an interesting looking sandstone block abutment under the L&N bridge but its in the midst of the Sawyer Point maintenance area. Maybe early on a Sunday morning, there would be few people around.

So would these places be worth, say, a one hour drive? Just thinking about options for days when the Red is too far away.

Probably not. Depends on where you are coming from and what else is around, or if your visiting friends anyway.

Eden Park is nice for those times when it is a nice day, but you have nobody to climb with. It's free, and you can show up whenever you want w/a pair of shoes, chalk bag, & climb. It also rules for endurance training on the traverses. There is a Parcours nearby for a complete workout. I published a small guidebook to Eden Park in the "Goosedown Gazette" the official publication of the Univ. of Cinti. Mountaineering Club many years ago. All of the GDG's are now on-line at the UCMC website in pdf. I will try to track down the link and post it here. Someday I will update & republish the guide.

rockclimbing.com has a new place under the Ohio listing. R&R or something like that. It sounds half-way close to Cincy, anyone checked it out?