Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition (RRGCC) is an advocacy group for rock climbers in the Red River Gorge
, Kentucky
. Through relationships with local stakeholders and climbers from all over the world, the RRGCC has worked hard to maintain sustainable access throughout one of the world's top climbing destinations.
in the Red River Gorge area had originally occurred primarily on the public lands of Daniel Boone National Forest and was therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. In 1996 the Forest Service issued for the first time ever a Rock Climbing Management Guide for the Red River area. This guide, or RCMG, was viewed negatively by climbers. As a direct result of the issuance of the RCMG, two local climbers decided to form a climbers’ coalition to champion climbers’ interests and to try to improve relations between the Forest Service and climbers. Their main concern was twofold, re-writing the RCMG to include climbers’ input and thereby “improving” it and educating and empowering climbers to ensure the long-term future of climbing.
Today the RRGCC has grown to a several hundred member-strong, all volunteer, advocacy group that continues to work with the US Forest Service on ensuring access to climbing in the Daniel Boone National Forest
. The Coalition has also expanded its efforts to include working with the Natural Bridge State Park
, and many local private land owners as well. The RRGCC’s main focus has been from its inception, protection and promotion of responsible climbing. This goal has taken many forms, from building environmentally friendly climber trails to popular crags, to articles in its quarterly newsletter on top-rope safety. Climbing continues to grow in popularity and change, and so do the issues surrounding it. For people to continue to enjoy the freedom to climb on public and private land, innovative and creative solutions will have to be sought. On February 7, 2000 the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition and the U.S. Forest Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding
. The signing of this MOU represents a significant breakthrough for Red River Gorge climbers and the Forest Service after years of skepticism, mistrust, and alienation.
Staff
In the 1990s, as climbing grew in popularity as a sport, the RRGCC Coalition formed with the intent of doing of permanently securing access to climbing in the Red River Gorge region. However, being on the East Coast, most of the climbing opportunities were available only on private property or Forest Service land. In 1996, the USFS enacted a bolting ban on its land, effectively ending the development of sport climbing in those areas. While working with the Forest Service to improve relations and explore the options, the Coalition was also working with private landowners to secure access to climbing and development. With the rising popularity of climbing, though, to be a touchy situation since relations grew increasingly tense with landowners and their wishes to maintain their privacy and independence.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the potential for development, particularly sport climbing, was discovered in the Southern Region, where steep, beautiful sandstone walls are overhanging and pocketed and offer technical, dynamic, and endurance climbing. As word spread and climbers flocked to the Bald Rock Fork and Coal Bank Hollow areas, conflicts arose between climbers and oil companies in the region, especially related to limited parking causing road blocks. The first well known and developed areas The Motherload lies on private land just outside PMRP. With over 50 routes in 5.11-5.14 range, it is one of the most well known destination for hard climbing in the region. Other climbing areas in PMRP hostes more than 500 climbs, ranging from 5.4 to 5.14c, with new climbs constantly being discovered and developed. The property hosts several hundred climbers each weekend, with the three parking lots often reaching capacity by noon.
In 2004, when more than 750 acres (3 km²) of land in the Southern Region came available, the RRGCC, recognizing the opportunity to secure access in the area, moved quickly to purchase the land. Negotiating with the Murray family, the Coalition and the Murray's reached an agreement and the ownership of the land was transferred to the RRGCC. To finance the purchase, the RRGCC worked out an owner-financed mortgage of 8% a year for 10 years. With a few maintenance costs, the final yearly costs translate to nearly $30,000 per year. Today, paying this mortgage is the main focus of the RRGCC and is the motivation to its aggressive fundraising efforts. The payments are financed from private donations and from support of The Access Fund
a national climbing advocacy organization.
Red River Gorge
The Red River Gorge is a canyon system on the Red River in east-central Kentucky. Geologically, it is part of the Pottsville Escarpment.Much of the Gorge is located inside the Daniel Boone National Forest and has been subsequently reserved as the Red River Gorge Geological Area, an area of around...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Through relationships with local stakeholders and climbers from all over the world, the RRGCC has worked hard to maintain sustainable access throughout one of the world's top climbing destinations.
History
The Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition was organized in November 1996 as a local climber’s advocacy group to protect climbing at the Red River Gorge. Rock climbingRock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
in the Red River Gorge area had originally occurred primarily on the public lands of Daniel Boone National Forest and was therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. In 1996 the Forest Service issued for the first time ever a Rock Climbing Management Guide for the Red River area. This guide, or RCMG, was viewed negatively by climbers. As a direct result of the issuance of the RCMG, two local climbers decided to form a climbers’ coalition to champion climbers’ interests and to try to improve relations between the Forest Service and climbers. Their main concern was twofold, re-writing the RCMG to include climbers’ input and thereby “improving” it and educating and empowering climbers to ensure the long-term future of climbing.
Today the RRGCC has grown to a several hundred member-strong, all volunteer, advocacy group that continues to work with the US Forest Service on ensuring access to climbing in the Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest is the only national forest completely within the boundary of Kentucky. Established in 1937, it was originally named the Cumberland National Forest, after the core region called the Cumberland Purchase Unit...
. The Coalition has also expanded its efforts to include working with the Natural Bridge State Park
Natural Bridge State Park (Kentucky)
Natural Bridge State Resort Park is a Kentucky state park located in Powell and Wolfe Counties along the Middle Fork of the Red River, adjacent to the Red River Gorge Geologic Area and surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest. Its namesake natural bridge is the centerpiece of the park. The...
, and many local private land owners as well. The RRGCC’s main focus has been from its inception, protection and promotion of responsible climbing. This goal has taken many forms, from building environmentally friendly climber trails to popular crags, to articles in its quarterly newsletter on top-rope safety. Climbing continues to grow in popularity and change, and so do the issues surrounding it. For people to continue to enjoy the freedom to climb on public and private land, innovative and creative solutions will have to be sought. On February 7, 2000 the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition and the U.S. Forest Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
. The signing of this MOU represents a significant breakthrough for Red River Gorge climbers and the Forest Service after years of skepticism, mistrust, and alienation.
The Board of Directors
As of 2009- Charlie Rittenberry - President
- Morgain Sprague - Vice President
- Dwight Bradburn - Treasurer
- Paul Vidal - Secretary/Web Administrator
- Stephanie Meadows - BOD Member
- Rick Bost - BOD Member
- Don McGlone - BOD Member
- Bentley Brackett - BOD Member
Staff
- Mark Jackson - Land Manager
- Bill Strachan - Executive Director
Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve (PMRP)
The Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve, or the PMRP, is 750 acres (3 km²) of land now owned and maintained by the RRGCC. This land, now open to the public, is a commitment to preserving and sustaining climbing access in the Red River Gorge indefinitely.In the 1990s, as climbing grew in popularity as a sport, the RRGCC Coalition formed with the intent of doing of permanently securing access to climbing in the Red River Gorge region. However, being on the East Coast, most of the climbing opportunities were available only on private property or Forest Service land. In 1996, the USFS enacted a bolting ban on its land, effectively ending the development of sport climbing in those areas. While working with the Forest Service to improve relations and explore the options, the Coalition was also working with private landowners to secure access to climbing and development. With the rising popularity of climbing, though, to be a touchy situation since relations grew increasingly tense with landowners and their wishes to maintain their privacy and independence.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the potential for development, particularly sport climbing, was discovered in the Southern Region, where steep, beautiful sandstone walls are overhanging and pocketed and offer technical, dynamic, and endurance climbing. As word spread and climbers flocked to the Bald Rock Fork and Coal Bank Hollow areas, conflicts arose between climbers and oil companies in the region, especially related to limited parking causing road blocks. The first well known and developed areas The Motherload lies on private land just outside PMRP. With over 50 routes in 5.11-5.14 range, it is one of the most well known destination for hard climbing in the region. Other climbing areas in PMRP hostes more than 500 climbs, ranging from 5.4 to 5.14c, with new climbs constantly being discovered and developed. The property hosts several hundred climbers each weekend, with the three parking lots often reaching capacity by noon.
In 2004, when more than 750 acres (3 km²) of land in the Southern Region came available, the RRGCC, recognizing the opportunity to secure access in the area, moved quickly to purchase the land. Negotiating with the Murray family, the Coalition and the Murray's reached an agreement and the ownership of the land was transferred to the RRGCC. To finance the purchase, the RRGCC worked out an owner-financed mortgage of 8% a year for 10 years. With a few maintenance costs, the final yearly costs translate to nearly $30,000 per year. Today, paying this mortgage is the main focus of the RRGCC and is the motivation to its aggressive fundraising efforts. The payments are financed from private donations and from support of The Access Fund
The Access Fund
The Access Fund is a not-for-profit rock climbing advocacy group in the US. Their goals are twofold. First, keeping climbing areas open and gaining access to currently closed climbing areas. Second, they promote an ethic of responsible climbing and conservation of the climbing environment...
a national climbing advocacy organization.
Climbing areas in and around Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve (PMRP)
- Bob Marley Crag
- Bronaugh Wall
- Chica Bonita Wall
- Courtesy Wall
- The Crossroads
- Curbside
- The Dark Side
- Drive-By Crag
- The Far Side
- The Gallery
- Left Field
- The Motherlode
- North 40
- The Playground
- Purgatory
- Rival Wall
- Shady Grove
- Shire, The
- Solar Collector and Gold Coast
- Volunteer Wall
- What About Bob Wall
2008 Events
- April 18: Red River Reunion (all weekend)
- August 2: Johnny and Alex Trail Day (all day)
- September 12: Mountain Gear's UClimb (all day) not an RRGCC event, though some proceeds go to help the RRGCC
- September 26: Muir Valley Trail Day (all day) not an RRGCC event - visit Muir Valley for more information
- October 9–11: th Annual RocktoberfestRocktoberfestRocktoberfest is an annual event held by the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition located in the Red River Gorge. This event is a place for climbers to come together to share their enthusiasm for rock climbing as well as raise money for the RRGCC's annual mortgage payment towards the...
in the RRG (all weekend)
2009 Events
- April 18–19: Red River Reunion (all weekend)
- August 1: Johnny and Alex Trail Day (all day)
- September 12–13: Mountain Gear's UClimb (all day) not an RRGCC event, though it is supported by the RRGCC and some proceeds go to help the RRGCC
- September 26: Muir Valley Trail Day (all day) not an RRGCC event - visit Muir Valley for more information
- October 9–11: 9th Annual RocktoberfestRocktoberfestRocktoberfest is an annual event held by the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition located in the Red River Gorge. This event is a place for climbers to come together to share their enthusiasm for rock climbing as well as raise money for the RRGCC's annual mortgage payment towards the...
in the RRG (all weekend)