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          • Mixed Climbing: My Answer to KT Syndrome
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          • Shit Happens – Or, Why You Need a Walkie Talkie
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          • Developer - Mitch Lehman
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Developer: Mitch Lehman

West Virginia

You are a route developer in West Virginia. Tell us about this crag you’ve been working on. 

This past summer I developed a new crag in the Piney Creek Gorge in Beckley, West Virginia. As it is the first crag in the Piney Creek Gorge, we’re giving it the flagship name Piney Creek Crag. As it stands, there are currently 14 sport lines and 2 trad lines ranging from 5.6-5.12+.

The rock at Piney Creek crag is sandstone but very diverse, ranging from softer rock like you would find in the Red River Gorge with swirling iron bands to the typical bullet-hard Nuttall sandstone found in the New River Gorge.
Picture
Developer Mitch Lehman on Waco not Hueco (5.11c/24) at Area 51 at the Southside Crags in Meadow River Gorge. Photo Credit: Logan Phipps (IG - @crimp_scampi)

How did you find this crag?

I moved to the New River Gorge in 2019 to climb and continue my education at West Virginia University (WVU) Tech in Beckley. In my first semester at the school one of my professors told me about the boulders in Piney Creek as well as a section of cliff out at Piney Point, a popular overlook. I went to check it out and hiked below the Piney Point overlook trail until I stumbled on a section of cliff that had consistent quality walls up to around 60 feet.
 
 
You have some special goals for this crag, like using it for training new rock climbers. Tell us more.
 
The goal of this project with the Piney Creek Watershed Association was to create a beginner friendly crag for local climbers and students in the Adventure Recreation major at WVU Tech. When I began development of the crag, I identified the moderate routes and established those first, putting up five climbs graded less than 5.10. All of the anchors feature fixed carabiners, removing the necessity for anchor cleaning. There is also a set of teaching anchors to do ground school with beginner climbers.

This crag is an example of working with the community and various local institutions and government agencies. Tell us about that. Who was involved and why? What were your goals for working with the community and these institutions and agencies?
 
This development project is a prime example of how the sport of rock climbing transcends just the rock and the climb.

The project's root is connecting Southern West Virginia communities, who do not have easy access to outdoor recreation, to their natural world through sports like climbing. Corey Lilly, a local whitewater paddler and the Executive Director of the area's largest environmental group (Piney Creek Watershed Association), headed up this project and partnered with the Americorps, the City of Beckley, and local land companies. He says, "By developing more outdoor recreation (climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, fishing, etc.) it will increase the quality of life, promote environmental conservation, provide a space for outdoor educational classrooms, benefit the economy and retain young community members of the region."

​It is enormous for southern West Virginia to adopt this kind of idea and an important takeaway note for others looking to expand climbing resources. Fortunately, West Virginia is actively working to diversify itself away from the resource extraction industry and into more sustainable development, so this project came at the right time. If there are any climbers out there wanting to develop a rock climbing area but are stumped on approaching its politics, please feel free to reach out to Corey at PCWA (@corey_lilly_) or me (@mlehman_5) to gain advice on navigating the process.
Picture
Mitch bolting at at Piney Creek. Photo Credit: Matt Brewer

What have you learned about developing routes and what would you say to those who want to develop routes where they live?

Route development is a labor of love, but the feeling of climbing a line you’ve established after putting in hours of hard work is simply unmatched. I like to be able to share my climbs with others, whether it be touring friends to new boulders, or handing them the rope for a first ascent on a new sport route.

For anyone that is interested in starting to develop in their area, I’d first reach out to either someone you know that already develops and ask for mentorship or talk to someone in your local climbers alliance. Be wary of local ethics in established areas and ensure that you have permission from landowners before you begin development.
 

You are a fan of West Virginia climbing, are you from this area and how did you get so excited about the climbing here?
 

I’m originally from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, close to Philadelphia, and I was first introduced to climbing in the New River Gorge in September of 2018. I quickly fell in love with the style of climbing and the wild and wonderful nature of the area. I truly believe that West Virginia has some of the best sandstone climbing in the country, if not the world.

The accessibility to world class rock climbing in the New River Gorge is what makes the New attractive to me, as there are countless crags throughout a large area toting classic climbs to fit your fancy.  The climbing community in Fayetteville is so welcoming, involved, and psyched, which just really brings it all together for me.  Being surrounded by beautiful rock and learning from my peers has been transformative.  
 

You are a college student as well. What are you studying?
 
I’m currently a Senior at WVU Tech in Beckley, WV studying business management. I transferred to the school in 2019 so that I could climb full time in the New River Gorge while still finishing my undergraduate degree.
 

What are your near term and long term goals? (Be it climbing or beyond)

Now that I’m taking a break from development in Piney Creek I have been getting out and exploring areas along the meadow river to develop routes closer to where I live. This season I’d also like to travel around the southeast as well as out west to scope areas to develop sport routes and boulders. I’m really looking forward to going to the Obed to climb there for the first time and spending more time at Rocktown. In the long term I would like to travel to Africa and Europe to climb as well as develop multi-pitch routes.
 
 
What thought(s) would you like to leave with our Common Climber audience?

I don’t think that I’ll ever be the strongest climber that ever lived, but I hope that my efforts to develop new routes and share my love of climbing with others will be my legacy. I think that the easiest way to make your impact on the climbing community is by being a steward and ambassador for the climbing areas that you frequent. If you come to the New River Gorge make sure to stop at Water Stone Outdoors for all your gear and beta needs. Be kind, leave no trace, and have fun, it’s just rock climbing!
Picture
Mitch Lehman on Depth Charge (5.12b/27) at The Other Place, Southside Crags, Meadow River Gorge. Photo Credit: Kevin O'Malley (IG: @idrivebetsy)
Mountain Project Link to the Piney Creek Watershed Climbing Area: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/119376745/piney-creek-watershed

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© COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK, COMMON CLIMBER, 2016-2021  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Writing
    • All Writings (List)
    • Editions >
      • Themed Editions >
        • Adaptive Climbing Edition >
          • Adaptive Climbing Photo Feature: Paradox Sports
          • Advocating for Deaf Climbers: Sonya Wilson
          • Amputations: Leg Prosthesis for Climbing
          • Blind Ambition Builds a World Class Climber: The Story of Jesse Dufton
          • Climbing with Type 1 Diabetes
          • First Paralyzed Ascents: Rand Abbott
          • Mixed Climbing: My Answer to KT Syndrome
          • Paraclimbing Competitions: Althlete Interviews
          • Rock!
          • The Unreasonable Man
        • Big Wall Edition >
          • Book Review: Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss
          • Featured Photographer: Matt Spohn
          • Grading Commitment
          • Hanging with the Monkeys, and Getting the Monkey Off My Back
          • It Was His Time: Brad Gobright Interview May 2019
          • John Middendorf : A Big Man for a Big Stone
          • Sébastien Berthe Free Climbs the Nose From the Ground Up
          • Shit Happens – Or, Why You Need a Walkie Talkie
        • Developers and Guidebook Authors >
          • Developer - Mitch Lehman
          • Andrew Penny - A Blue Mountaineer
          • Kevin Powell
          • Rock Star Groupie
          • Tony Calderone
        • Exploring Our World >
          • AUSTRALIA - Photographer - Diego Perez
          • AUSTRALIA - Profile - Julie Anderson
          • Book Review - Climbing Rock
          • CHINA - From Yangshuo, to Getu, to Liming
          • FRANCE - Verdon in Winter
          • GREECE - Meteora
          • ITALY - Dolomites
          • MEXICO - La Huasteca
          • SPAIN - Artist - Karmelo Onate
          • UTAH - Maple Canyon: This One Makes You Taller
        • Honoring Diversity >
          • ARTIST: Shawn Lee
          • A Shift on Moonlight Buttress
          • Claiming a Space on the Mountain
          • Colorblind
          • Feature Photographer: Bryan Sillorequez
          • Is Diversity in America Diverse?
          • MOVIE: People of Climbing:
          • Profile - Favia Dubyk
          • The Lineage
        • Joshua Tree >
          • Bouldering: JTree Made Me Do It
          • Improv at JTree: Bad Bolts
          • JTree: Bolting Pressure Cooker
          • Joshua Tree: Heinous Approaches
        • Overcoming Boundaries >
          • Photographer - Brook Anderson
          • Profile - Louise Shepherd
          • Profile - Megan Banker
          • Profile - Shawn Axelrod
          • Rock Type 1
          • The Tape Job
        • Women's Edition >
          • Editorial - Women's Edition
          • Climbing is My Art
          • Mt. Logan Solo
          • Photographer - Michelle Ranee Johnson
          • Profile - Caitlin Schokker
      • Non-Themed Editions >
        • April 2020
        • May 2020
        • June 2020
        • August 2020 >
          • Online Auction
          • Editorial August 2020
        • September 2020
        • October 2020
        • November 2020
        • December 2020 >
          • Anthology 2020 Sponsors
        • January 2021
    • Topics >
      • Adaptive Climbing >
        • Adaptive Climbing Edition
        • El Capitan: Enock Glidden
        • Quinn Brett Interview
        • My Journey to Adaptive Rock Climbing
        • Planning for Mt. Rainier: Adaptive Climbing
        • Resources - Adaptive Climbing
      • Alpine & Ice >
        • California Still Has Untouched Climbing Wilderness
        • Ice Solo
        • Mt. Ogden Spanking
        • Mt. Whitney Whipping
        • My Common Alpine Epic
      • CC Profile >
        • Profile - Shawn Axelrod
        • Profile - Megan Banker
        • Profile - Favia Dubyk
        • Profile - Debbie Fowler
        • Profile - Lindsey Hamm
        • Profile - Sabine Pratt Hunziker
        • PROFILE - Marisa Michael - Nutrition for Climbers
        • Profile - Caitlin Schokker
        • Profile - Louise Shepherd
      • CoVID and Climbing >
        • COVID Climbing Memes
        • CoVID-19 Remakes Our Lives
        • Dear Memory
        • From Couch to Lifting Couches
        • How to Climb and Avoid the Corona Virus
        • Train the Mind: Mental Toughness Tips for Quaratraining
        • The 5.10 Commandments
        • Trying to Send this Route
      • Equipment (writings) >
        • A Rack Retrospective
        • Cam Ranges (+ Big Bros)
        • Carabiner Strength Ratings
        • Climbing Shoes Fit
        • Guide Book Follies
        • Rope Buying 101
        • Shit Happens – Or, Why You Need a Walkie Talkie
        • The One Item to Stockpile
        • Which Way Should I Carry My Trad Rack?
        • Why GriGris Suck
        • 8 Reasons I Carry a Full Rack on Every Trad Climb
      • Facebook Feature >
        • FF: Big Walls
        • FF: Butt Shots
        • FF: Exploring Our World
        • FF: Overcoming Boundaries
        • FF: Trees & Climbing
        • FF: Welcome New Climbers
      • Grades, Styles, & Types >
        • Bouldering-Falling
        • Bouldering Grade Advancements
        • Grading Climbs at the Gym
        • It's a F-ing Chimney
        • Onsight vs Flash vs Etc...
        • Top 10: Increase the Climbing Grade When...
        • Trad Climbing is for Chicken Sh*#s
        • WTF 5.7?
        • 18 Climber Types: Which Are You?
      • Kids >
        • Family Stages
        • The Guidebook
      • Legends >
        • B - Joe Brown
        • G - Brad Gobright
        • G - Todd Gordon
        • H - Hugh Herr
        • H - Thomas Huber - In Another World - A Personal Climbing Journey
        • J - Saxon Johns
        • M - Tim Macartney-Snape: ​A Legend from Sea to Summit
        • M - John Middendorf
      • Mental-Physical >
        • Climbing Training Series >
          • Improving Hip Mobility
          • Rock Climber Mobility
          • Train the Mind: Mental Toughness Tips for Quaratraining
        • A Climb Worth Fighting For
        • Achilles
        • Everyone Around Me Is Better Than I Am
        • Fear, Pride, and Exploration
        • How Auto-Immune Disease Affected My Climbing
        • Mastering Joy on Easy Street
        • Mind, Body, and Soul
        • New Year's Resolutions
        • Of Cartoons and Quickdraws
        • Push and Pull
        • Sorcerer and the Kidney Stone
        • Take Risks - You'll Remember Them Later
        • The Art of Climbing Without Rock
        • The Devil's Game
        • The Taste of Climbing
        • 12-Weeks to Onsighting a 5.8
      • Other/Misc >
        • Assault on Schurman Rock
        • Book Club
        • Climbing, Community, and the U.S. Presidential Election
        • Climbing Drinking Games
        • Climbing Gyms: The Gateway Drug
        • Climbing Hands
        • Climbing in the Bare Essentials
        • Climbing Resolutions
        • Demented Dirtbag
        • Don't Take Granite for Granite
        • Dorothy, We Aren't on Havana Anymore
        • Guatemalan Worry Dolls Go Climbing
        • No Health Insurance Changed How I Climb
        • Snakes and Ladders
        • Starting Over
        • The Adventure of A Lifetime - So Far
        • The Bane of Northwest Climbing
        • The Pink Tricam
        • Things of Stone and Wood
        • Zac the Interloper
      • Places & Climbs >
        • Climbs >
          • Consolation Prize
          • Flakes and Shakes: Flake Crack Revisited
          • From Yorkshire to Eternity
          • Tombstone Territory
          • Yosemite - What We Came For
        • Location Reviews
        • My Home Crag >
          • Climbing in the Upper Cumberland Valley, Kentucky
          • My Home Crag: Nowra, NSW, Australia
        • Travel Stories >
          • Blue Mountains - Bliss: Climbing in the Blueys
          • Buenos Aires, Argentina Crag
          • Colorado - Calling Pat Ament
          • Coolum Cave - Sendfest 8
          • Ecuador - A Nation of Four Worlds
          • El Potrero Chico - Riding the Dirty Dog
          • Yosemite: Growing Up
          • Lover's Leap - Zone of Craptitude
          • Rio de Janeiro - Classic Climbs Sampler
          • Taghia, Morocco - Hardly Failing
          • Tasmania - Legend of the ‘Unclimbable Cliff’
          • Thailand - Lost and Found: A Mini-Epic in Paradise
          • Vedauwoo, WY
          • Yosemite - What We Came For
          • 20 World Destinations for Adventurous Climbing
        • 2020 U.S. Rock Climbing Festivals
      • Poetry/Prose >
        • Anti-Social Climbers
        • Sojourn at Dyuritte
        • Finding Poetry
        • Ice is Nice
        • The Space Between
      • Safety and Skills >
        • Bolting and Ground-Fall Potential
        • Euro-Death Knot is NOT
        • Multi-Pitch Tips: Two ATCs
        • Sketchy Anchor Bolts
        • Sliding-X Anchor
        • Three Ways to Use a Stick Clip
        • Top 10: Climbing Best Practices
      • Science Fiction >
        • Red Curtain: Prologue
      • Social, Social Media, & Social Issues >
        • Chossy Trio Renegades
        • Climbing into the Fold
        • Diversity in Climbing is Not a Bandwagon
        • Fuck "Gumbies" and "Noobs"
        • Montana, My Home: Claire Larson
        • My Husband Climbs Stronger than Me
        • Navajo Rising
        • Social Network Rescue
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  • Reviews
    • Books >
      • Advanced Rock Climbing Book Review
      • Adventures at the Edge of the World
      • Climbing Rock: Vertical Explorations Across North America
      • Hangdog Days Book Review
      • Hooking Up: The Ultimate Big Wall and Climbing Guide
      • Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss
      • The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story - Book Review
    • Equipment/Gear Reviews >
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        • Edelrid Mega Jul
      • Harnesses >
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        • Misty Mountain Cadillac
      • Packs and Bags >
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    • Location Reviews >
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        • Queensland, Australia >
          • Kangaroo Point Photos and Beta
          • Kangaroo Point Review
        • New South Wales Australia >
          • Blue Mountains >
            • Blue Mountains Photos and Beta
            • Blue Mountains Review
          • Nowra >
            • Nowra Review >
              • Nowra Photos and Beta
      • Mexico >
        • Potrero Chico Photos and Beta
        • Potrero Chico Review
      • United States >
        • Climbing Area Check List - U.S. >
          • Climbing Area Check List Part 1: Alabama to California
          • Climbing Area Checklist Part 2: Colorado to Michigan
          • Climbing Area Checklist Part 3: Minnesota to New Mexico
          • Climbing Area Checklist Part 4: New York to Wyoming
        • Arizona >
          • Queen Creek Canyon
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            • City of Rocks Photos and Beta
            • City of Rocks Review
        • Oregon >
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            • Smith Rock - Photos and Beta
            • Smith Rock Review
          • Spring Mountain >
            • Spring Mountain Review
            • Spring Mountain - Photos and Beta
          • Trout Creek >
            • Trout Creek Photos and Beta
            • Trout Creek Review
        • Nevada >
          • Gun Club
          • Keyhole Canyon
          • Mt. Charleston, Nevada
          • Red Rock Canyon >
            • Red Rock Canyon Review - Yeahs and Neahs
            • Red Rocks Photos and Beta
        • New Hampshire >
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          • Rumney, NH
        • New York >
          • Gunks Review
        • Utah >
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          • Ferguson Canyon >
            • Ferguson Canyon Photos and Beta
            • Ferguson Canyon Review
          • Ibex >
            • Ibex Photos and Beta
            • Ibex Review
          • Maple Canyon >
            • Maple Canyon, Utah Photos and Beta
            • Maple Canyon Review
          • Moab >
            • Moab - Main - Photos and Beta
            • Moab -Main - Review
          • St. George >
            • St. George - Prophesy Wall- Photos and Beta
            • St. George - Prophesy Wall - Review
        • West Virginia >
          • Seneca Rocks
        • Wyoming >
          • Ten Sleep
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