RRC Archives

A year or so ago (when I was last back in the midwest) I started this thread:
http://www.redriverclimbing.com/viewtop ... 12&t=11720

The area described was Salt Shake Rock, and has a history of climbing. It's solid, mostly clean, and a one minute walk from the road.

That got me wondering if there were more areas around the area with similar features. A quick hike down the Little Blue River towards Carne's Mill was enough to convince me that there was quite a lot of potential for short, steep climbs on clean, compact sandstone (not a whole bunch of cracks, sadly) all down that river. Unfortunately, that land was in Nature Conservancy hands at that time. However, it has since been sold to the climber-accessible Hoosier National Forest. Of course, I don't live here, so an average quality area 45min from Louisville is not all that important to me. For the same reason, I didn't get too excited about the short, two mile long solid limestone cliff band not far from Mauckport along the usually chossy Ohio. My drill is back in New Zealand, so there's not much I can do with the rock.

However, earlier this week I went out scouting in the Hoosier National Forest again, this time closer to Leavenworth at Turkey Fork. There's no point keeping stuff like this secret if I don't live here, so I figured I post it up if anyone was interested. Photo quality isn't amazing, but I had to reduce the size to load them on dial-up.
Although there was a good amount of steep, clean, solid cliff, it's the steep bouldering caves that really make the spot intriguing. I only scouted out a small section of the area as it was the end of the day, so there is likely a lot more and better rock up and down the hollows. The landings are good, the height of the highballs are perfect, 80% of the problems are clean, and it's right off a country road. While no Horsepens 40, it's also not a 6.5 hour drive, and it's a good indication of some of the potential that might exist in the Hoosier National Forest if sought out by more than one guy spending two afternoons looking over 2.5 years.

Here's a link to most of the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lapiseyed/ ... 992993708/

I grew up on the Meade and Breck. Co. line directly across the Ohio from where Corona is talking about. (My father owns a farm on the river, and I can see the Hoosier National Forest across the river from my porch). I was on the river at Mauckport this weekend. Although I have not seen the rock Corona is talking about I could guarantee with nearly 100% confidence that it is a Gold Mine for climbers wanting to get out of the Louisville gyms for an afternoon (and maybe even the weekend). My part of Kentucky is full of the same soldi sandstone rock quality. Part of this summer and this whole fall I have been bouldering there putting up problem after problem every weekend. I just spent this weekend putting up more stuff. (Just at one small area there are about 40 problems with at least double that waiting to be sent, and it is the small area. I know of four other boulder fields that are larger that I haven't even touched yet because I don't want to ruin the chance for access). I have put up sport routes overlooking the Ohio River and Hoosier Nat. Forest.
There is another guy on this site that is from Owensboro that has also spoken of the potential for climbing in this same geographical area.
Corona, pm me the next time you are in. I would enjoy getting out with some pads and doing some climbing with you in Hoosier land, and you would be welcome to join me across the river in my playground.

Sounds awesome, thanks for the post guys. I've been to a few places around in Muscatatuk and Cherokee park, but there's nothing as extensive and quality as what you two are talking about. If you guys ever needed some company for an afternoon of finding some new rock, send me a pm.

Corona, I just sent you a PM.

Yeah Thanks for the post. Having just moved to Indianapolis, I am back in the Midwest and constantly looking for for good places within about a three hour car ride. So thanks so much again and I will let you guys know where I end up.

A bit more poking around a cold Monday not long ago was pretty rewarding.

Here's a link to some photos of some of the roadside sandstone bouldering I stumbled upon
https://picasaweb.google.com/lapiseyed/ ... ouldering#

And below is a link to pictures of the scenic, 2+ mile long limestone crag I've started cleaning up. Unlike the sandstone of the area (generally clean and bomber), this crag requires lots of cleaning on the steep rock. But the 5 second approach, nice scenery, and large potential for lots and lots of (generally short) routes seems to make it more worth developing.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lapiseyed/ ... directlink

not worth developing. maybe a few boulder problems on the sandstone... might be fun to play around on.

The place is worth it to do some bouldering. It is no HP 40, but still better than climbing on plastic.

I also know of another guy that has done some bolting on the Kentucky side of the Ohio from where Corona is talking about and the rock is overhanging pocketed sandstone. Some of the comments on the photos were from people completely impressed, but confused because there were no rhodos below the cliffs. It looks like some Aliens took a bunch of cliffs out of the Red and dropped them in cow pastures.

This part of the world, on both sides of the Ohio, has great potential.

I know these photos do nothing to prove that, but here is just a little taste of the things out there also.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... c23eea9af9

where exactly is this stuff in the picasa link from louisville

45min west in hoosier national forest--several locations shown. give me a call--my laptop blows