red river gorge climbers' coalition

The RRGCC April 17 meeting. We didn't get quite this close..

Another meeting down, another docket of business together, another set of cookies, stickie buns, and brownies put away.. Yep, the April 17th meeting of the RRGCC is all but history with one of our larger crowds in hand, likely due to some of the spring’s best weather to date.

If you missed this one, have no fear – there’s one tentatively scheduled for July 24. Check back again (or subscribe to our feed) to find out the details. In the meantime, read over the proceedings from this last meeting to stay up with the current happenings and updates.

Read more after the break..

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A big thank you to Red River Outdoors and all who participated in 2009′s Climbers that Care event this past Saturday. During the day, much trail work was completed at Torrent Falls, where (thanks to Dr. Bob), we all had a place to gather around a fire in the evening.

Thanks to Wes Allen for the video..  a more detailed wrap-up to come..

JATD 09 from Wes Allen on Vimeo.

The route-setters and event coordinators address the competitors to clear up the rules of the comp. Photos: Laura Caporizzo

U of Pitt Raises More Than $1100 to Support the RRGCC

This February, the University of Pittsburgh held a climbing competition to benefit the RRGCC. They’re generosity can’t be understatated, especially when their efforts generated more than $1100 for the Coalition’s annual mission to raise $30,000 for the PMRP mortgage. 

On February 21st, 2009, climbers filled Trees Hall at the University of Pittsburgh’s climbing gym for the final competition in a series of competitions with surrounding universities. For the past several years during the spring semester, Pitt’s climbing wall has been part of this circuit of competitions known as the University Bouldering Series (UBS). This year, the schools that took part in the UBS were: Kent State University, The University of Akron, Youngstown State University, West Virginia University, University of Pittsburgh, and Slippery Rock University. The UBS is not limited to climbers from these participating schools, nor is it limited to student climbers. Competitors at Pitt’s comp were not only from the schools participating in the UBS; some climbers were also representing Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh climbing community, along with many other climbing communities. The past two seasons, Pitt has decided to donate all of the proceeds from its bouldering competition to a worthy cause. Last year, Pitt donated their proceeds to Conservacion Patagonica, a cause “dedicated to the protection and restoration of wildland ecosystems and biodiversity in Patagonia.” This year, because several of the event coordinators love and cherish the climbing in the Red River Gorge, it was decided to donate the proceeds to the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition (RRGCC). (more…)

The Red River Gorge climbing community mourns the loss of two of its own. Ben Strohmeier, 18, of Hebron, KY, and Laura Fletcher, also 18, of Brownsburg, IN were killed in a climbing accident on Monday, November 3, 2008. The accident was due to an equipment failure.

Ben and Laura will be sorely missed, and never forgotten.

A memorial service is planned at the base of Whiteout in Emerald City (part of Lady Slipper) at the Red River Gorge on Friday, November 7 from 3-5pm. Miguel’s will be closed during this time.

Benjamin E. Strohmeier of Hebron, KY, and Laura Fletcher of Brownsburg, IN. They were both 18. A memorial is planned for Friday from 3-5pm at the base of Whiteout at Emerald City.