James had confidence in his Volkswagon Golf, but I had my doubts as we sped down increasingly rocky and exposed roads. The grand finale of the drive had us descending a washed out pass, with an impending jousting match with any car bold enough to be driving the opposite direction. I had my doubts we would make it back up, but we came this far I figured, and it wasn’t my car anyway. The four of us hopped out of the tiny car into the humid Kentucky air and began our approach to the climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red River Gorge Geological area is around 29,000 acres. It has been designated a National Natural Landmark in Kentucky, and added to the National Register of Historic places in 1975. The canyons in the gorge feature sandstone cliffs, rock shelters, waterfalls, natural bridges, and over 100 sandstone arches. In 1962 Red River Gorge was nearly flooded, but the Sierra Club stepped in with a coordinated Dam Protest Hike and managed to nullify the plans. The gorge is home to a variety of wildlife, including hawks, owls, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, deer, fox, blackbears and more than one extremely venemous snake. The flora of the area is also unique, Red River Gorge is the only landlord of the white-haired goldenrod.

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 Chloe was lazy, and had James push her up the steep hills of the approach. Grant and I were in the same pseudo competitive state that we always seemed to fall into, and took a quick pace through the woods. Finally, we reached an opening in the dense brush and a wide cave presented itself to us. I was taken aback, hundreds of 200+ foot climbs encircled us. I uncoiled the rope methodically under what James told me was a warmup, and stepped up to try my hand at the sandstone pockets of The Red. As I began my climb, I tried to shake my morning fog and the anxiety of the drive. The farther I got, the better I felt mentally. James had me on belay, and even though he wasn’t watching me I trusted his hand completely. He had a sort of laser focus that I admired. I noticed my forearms swelling from the lactic acid build that only a 200 foot climbing route can provide. This is not a desireable outcome on the warmup climb, and I became dissapointed in myself. No turning back now, however, I was not going to fall or take a break on my warm up, Chloe was watching and Grant would never let me live it down. As I clipped the anchors, I surveyed the canyon from my vantage point.
 

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Red River Gorge is located in the rural town of Slade Kentucky. The guidebook mentions that if you top out a climb and find yourself in a field of unfamiliar plants, you’re fate is already sealed.

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