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Considering renting a pontoon boat for a week end. Would love to do a little DWS... anyone with recent experience on any of this at Summersville? I understand current rules prohibit it but have heard tales... so enlighten me.

Not sure how much my tale will help but here it goes...

We were spending a hot day climbing at Summersville. For hours on end, while we're climbing there was a group (I can't recall if they were climbers but if they were they didn't spend much time climbing) jumping off the rocks into the water. They looked like they were having a good time.

After we started to feel the pump and the heat we thought maybe they just didn't patrol so we decided to partake in the activity for a little while to cool off. I got a couple of jumps in as did my friends. As I'm at the top of one of the rocks I noticed a boat wayyy across the lake pointing directly at us. Seemed kinda suspicious, but I jumped anyway. Shortly later I hear a loudspeaker say "DO NOT JUMP FROM THE ROCK" as my friend is getting ready to do so. I bolted into the woods since I was already on shore.

Anyway -- they only ended up getting warnings. But the "cops" actually had a DSLR with a long lens taking photos from across the lake. I think they took their names too. So, no harm no foul, but I can't guarantee that'll always be the result.


I think DWS would be a little more low key since you're not making as many splashes, but then again your boats going to be right there..

falling is more like an accident, right? it's not technically jumping, which is prohibited. that's how i've always seen it... we've been caught at grayson lake (also in the huntington district) and told it was fine, but we also downclimbed when the cops showed up...

also, summersville is awesome. dws sport routes that come right out of the water, just follow the bolts.

we did it last summer. it was a wonderful time. highly recommended, very safe.

i won't bother to talk about the quality of the DWS--it's the best around, period.

but don't be an imbecile--watch for the authorities, because they ARE out there. if you see them, just hang out in the woods up high until they are gone or downclimb safely back to the boat. the only way you will get in trouble is if they catch you in the act of "entering the water" from a height. doesn't matter if it's climbing or drunken jumping--they don't care to discern.

keep your beer hidden unless you like to welcome authorities onto your boat. there are plenty of coves to hide out and climb in, and the lake is so wide that you can see the authorities coming from a FAR distance.

doing it on a crowded weekend is probably a bad idea. shoot for mid-week if you can swing it, and you probably won't even have to worry about them.

I did it the summer before they put the ban in place and it was the most fun I've ever had climbing.

If they aren't enforcing the ban very strictly I might just go down there this summer. Hell it's probably even worth paying a fine.

Was just thier 4 weeks ago the water is not up now. From the looks of it it will be a month or so till water levels rise.
Now you would just be falling on rock and DWS is banned and their are cops all over.Great climbing

I love this shit. We always talk about access problems and how we should respect the land owners and shit, but here Is a thread all about how to poach climbing...

I'm all about it though, I think you should go sneak into torrent and climb also, fuck it! We are climbers and we can do what ever we want!!! (sarcasm if you missed it)

ynp1 wrote:I love this shit. We always talk about access problems and how we should respect the land owners and shit, but here Is a thread all about how to poach climbing...

I'm all about it though, I think you should go sneak into torrent and climb also, fuck it! We are climbers and we can do what ever we want!!! (sarcasm if you missed it)

There is no access issue at Summersville and climbing IS allowed so no poaching. The issue is about jumping into the water.

don't jump...end of story