Charlie Rittenberry

Chuck, never knowing which way is up

President
Board Member Since 2005
charlie [at] rrgcc [dot] org

Charlie was born in Western Kentucky, and has long been a repeat offender in outdoor pursuits. Growing up right outside Land Between the Lakes, he has been hiking, camping, boating, and biking since long before he could drive.

Charlie moved to Lexington in 1992 to earn an English degree from Transylvania University. Although he had been visiting the Gorge regularly since the 80s, he didn’t begin climbing until 1994. Though traveling to climb throughout the Southeast is his current pattern, he continues to spend many weekends with his friends in the Red. As a professional Project Manager and writer, Charlie brings extensive business experience and a variety of writing and technical skills to the RRGCC. He was elected to the BOD in 2005 and began serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors in 2006. He currently lives in downtown Lexington and is employed at Lexmark International.

Dwight Bradburn

Dwight, our Treasurer

Treasurer
RRGCC Board Member since 2006

Dwight has been a resident of Lexington, Kentucky for 58 years. His professional background is in building construction and management giving him opportunities to work in management, public relations, operations and the opportunity to work in non-profit board environments as a participant and advisor. He has served on both non-profit and for-profit boards. He has a long history with the Red going back to 1964 when he began cave exploring and rock climbing. He took a break from climbing to raise a family, work, and pursue other interests, including white water rafting, skydiving, mountain climbing, motorcycles, automobiles and golf, but recently has started climbing again. Following his self imposed hiatus from climbing, Dwight became actively involved with the RRGCC after participating in the Forest Service’s LAC Process and getting to know the organization from the inside and up close and personal. Recognizing the changes that have occurred in the intervening years, Dwight feels, “climbing has changed so much…compared to how we climbed in the 60s and 70s which is nothing like the environment or community that is present today.” Originally a traditional climber, Dwight took up the challenge of sport climbing when he returned and quickly adapted, enjoying many RRG classics. Dwight believes that the key to success for a cause-driven, grassroots, non-profit organization such as the RRGCC is the love of the Red and its future and to ensure that the Red is there for future climbers, hikers, and other groups to come and enjoy. Though his love of the Red comes from his experiences in climbing, Dwight believes “it isn’t necessary to be a climber to support and work with the Climbers Coalition. We all need to step up, participate and be heard to protect climbing and the Red River Gorge.”

Bill Strachan

Bill.. long ago

Executive Director
bill [at] rrgcc [dot] org

Bill’s first rock climbing experience was at Carlton Peak on the shore of Lake Superior in the summer of 1971 when he attended the Voyager Outward Bound School based in Ely, Minnesota. With a background in AAU competitive gymnastics, he enjoyed the athletic challenge of climbing and quickly developed a passion for the sport. In the summer of 1974, Bill attended the National Outdoor Leadership School, earning a Mountain Guide Certificate and participating in the first ascent of the West Face of Mt. Koven (5.7, A1, Grade III) in the Wind River Range, Wyoming. Twenty years later, Bill returned to the Winds with his long time climbing partner Dave Christenson of Rocky Mountain Rescue and completed the first free ascent of the route.

From 1973 to 1981, Bill studied civil and environmental engineering at the University of Cincinnati where he was an active member of the UC Mountaineering Club. Also from 1975 to 1977 he had a coop job in Richmond, Virginia and regularly climbed at Seneca Rocks, West Virginia where he developed his lead climbing skills. During the 70s, Red River Gorge was a popular UCMC destination for camping and backpacking, but was not considered to be a significant climbing area. However, while on a camping trip to the Gorge, Bill found that a wall next to Indian Staircase was a good place to set up tope ropes. Discovering a crack adjacent to Staircase Wall, Bill brought his lead climbing rack one weekend in 1978 and established “Here Comes Batman” (5.11c) now acknowledged to be the first 5.11 in Red River Gorge.

As Executive Director of the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition, Bill Strachan brings almost two decades of non-profit experience to the organization. After graduating from college, Bill became involved with the Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association and served as an At-Large Representative of the organization’s Board of Trustees from 1986 to 1988. From 1990 to 1993, he served progressively as the Treasurer, Vice- President, and then President of the Ohio Buckeye Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America. Also from 1991 to 1993 Bill served on the Board of Directors of the Engineers & Scientists of Cincinnati. After retiring from career related non-profit service, Bill was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Climbers Association in 1994 and served as the OCA President from 1997 to 2004.

In 2004, Bill was asked to join the RRGCC Board of Directors and was elected to the position of President. He had previously been involved with the RRGCC as a member of the RRGCC Climbing Advisory Council. In 2005, when Dr. Bob Matheny was elected as President of the RRGCC, Bill took the position of Executive Director. Bill has a strong commitment to maintaining rock climbing access on both public and private lands in the Red River Gorge Area. He became involved with Daniel Boone National Forest planning efforts when he was President of the OCA and is an active participant in the DBNF’s current Limits of Acceptable Change process for Red River Gorge. Bill is a champion of the RRGCC’s Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve acquisition and lends high skills in land use planning and environmental matters to the project.

Bill is married to Laura who is also a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School. Bill and Laura have two children, Suzy and Will, who have both been climbing since they were four years old.

Hugh Loeffler

Board of Directors Member
hugh [at] rrgcc [dot] org

More information to come..

Paul Vidal

Board of Directors Member
RRGCC Board Member since 2007
paul [at] rrgcc [dot] org

I grew up in northeastern Ohio and for the first twenty years of my life thought that “climbing” was synonymous with “mountain climbing.” It wasn’t until a “Try Climb” night at Miami University (Ohio) that I’d ever roped up. Since that night more than six years ago, I’ve been absolutely hooked. After graduating with a biology and environmental science degree and then driving erratically across the country, I briefly moved back to Youngstown to work at an engineering firm to do environmental site assessments. I still made it down to the RRG every weekend but when the people at Valvoline started recognizing me and telling me I drive too much, I realized it was time for a move. So in May 2005, I packed up and headed south to the promised land of Lexington, Kentucky. Thanks to friends in the area, the unemployed phase of my time here lasted for only the first three months. Despite myself, I’ve worked at the same firm doing GIS (geographic information systems) work since August 2005.

I’ve been fortunate with climbing. I survived the first several years of climbing truly despite myself: I learned to lead in the gym and thought it would translate seamlessly to the outdoors. The truth was much more terrifying when, on my road-trip in 2004, I found myself in a squeeze chimney, thirty feet above a sharp ledge where my last piece was placed, feet skating through the crux of Epinephrine. I survived but wiser for the wear. I then went on to climb briefly throughout the west, eventually returning to the east for family, friends, and work. Since moving back, I’ve stuck mostly to the RRG and southern bouldering, occasionally heading west to meet up with friends on their trips in Indian Creek and Squamish.

I spend most every weekend climbing. During the weeks, I try to balance playing soccer three nights a week, getting into my friends’ climbing gym when I can, working overtime, volunteering for the RRGCC, KAMP, GISCorps, and theAccess Fund, teaching myself programming languages, and reading whatever I bought this week.. Usually, I fail at that balancing act 

Bentley Brackett

Bentley Brackett.. he's not as hot in person.

Board of Directors Member
bentley [at] rrgcc [dot] org

Bentley Brackett resides in Knoxville TN and works on bringing the climbing community together one climber at a time as the advertising manager at Dead Point Magazine and handles inside sales for Joshua Tree Products. His wife Jessica is a physical therapist and there dog Bella can generally be found licking small children at the crag. Bentley can be found at the Red just about any weekend during the fall, winter and spring but spends summers at the lake “resting” from the climbing season.

Having been involved in the outdoor industry for many years, Bentley brings an essential marketing element to the RRGCC. In addition to his work with Rocktoberfest, he has put hours of work in maintaining anchors, bolts and draws at both the Red River Gorge and the Obed in TN.

Bentley looks forward to the final payment of the PMRP and the next property acquisition the RRGCC will make.

Morgain Sprague

Morgain on Believer

Board of Directors Member
Board Member since 2006
morgain [at] rrgcc [dot] org

From childhood, Morgain has been an outdoor enthusiast. She first fell in love with the Red River Gorge as a teenager who enjoyed hiking and camping. In 2002 this passion lead her to rock climbing at the Red River Gorge. She has never looked back. Morgan brings to the coalition a professional legal background of public service having worked as an attorney for the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Kentucky Office of Attorney General, the Kentucky State Police and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. More importantly, she possesses a dedication to rock climbing and to the rock climbing community at the Red River Gorge. Any given weekend you will see her climbing with a variety of climbers of all ages and maybe sharing a pizza at Miguel’s. Currently she serves on the Board of Directors and as the Volunteer and Fundraising Coordinator.

Stephanie Meadows

Stephanie Meadows

Board of Directors Member
stephanie [at] rrgcc [dot] org

Stephanie was first introduced to climbing in 2000 by a trip to the local indoor climbing facility, Hoosier Heights in Bloomington, Indiana. Her cousin later changed her perspective on climbing by taking her the Red River Gorge in which the only route she tried was Sunshine (Military Wall). Failing to touch even the first bolt of the route, she still decided that her outdoor adventures should extend to include outdoor climbing. The notion was benched until three years later when she decided to pursue climbing with more frequent trips to the Red and other areas. The pursuit landed her permanently into Kentucky where she now resides.

Having volunteered many times in past events for the RRGCC, Stephanie brings the knowledge of the organization’s vision to the BOD. She also brings the awareness of issues surrounding climbing access, and plans to support all efforts to ensure the availability of climbing.

Rick Bost

Board of Directors Member
RRGCC Board Member since 2007
rick [at] rrgcc [dot] org

Rick Bost is from Knoxville, Tennessee and has been climbing at the Red River Gorge since 1999. Working in a manufacturing plant during the week, he makes time to travel to climb most weekends. He can be found at the Red most weekend during the spring and fall and farther south bouldering during the winter. He also climbs at home crags of the Obed Wild and Scenic River as much as possible.

He has been active in climbing preservation for several years. While working with the East Tennessee Climbers Coaliation, the ETCC has made significant improvements in the climber/landowner relationships. The ETCC has reduced climber impact by trail definition and replaced many anchors. In 2006, the ETCC purchased one of the trails to a climbing area. This purchase helps maintain access to one of the most frequented climbing areas at the Obed.

Rick is excited to work with the RRGCC,  continuing the ongoing activities to preserve and improve the climbing areas in and around the Red River Gorge.  He brings plenty of energy to the Board and, as he works with and coordinates with other climbing organizations, he’s helping to bring new outlooks and perspectives to the RRGCC.

Don McGlone

Access Maintenance
RRGCC Board Member since 2007

More to come..