A:If you are not climbing with someone already familiar with the area, the best place to find route information is from a guidebook.
Q:What is the best guidebook and where can I get a guidebook?
A:The best guidebook is the most current printed guidebook, authored by Ray Ellington and published by Wolverine Publishing in 2005. It may be purchased online at: http://wolverinepublishing.com/the_red_river_gorge.html and is also available for sale at various climbing related businesses in the Red River Gorge area and also at a number of rock climbing gyms. 20% of the profits from sales of the Wolverine guide are being donated to the RRGCC.
Q:I am new to climbing, what is the best way to learn?
A:Rock climbing is an inherently dangerous sport and should be undertaken only after obtaining professional instruction or under the supervision of a professional guide. There are several businesses offering professional guide services in the Red River Gorge area and professional instruction is available at a number of rock climbing gyms (See http://rrgcc.org/rrg-info/links/)
Q:Where is a good place in Red River Gorge to top-rope?
A:Very few places have access to the edge of the cliff in such a way to allow easy setup of a top-rope. If you have one or more competent lead climbers in your group, then there are plenty of climbs that can be set up for top-roping. When top-roping, please set up your own gear to run the rope through and do not top-rope directly through quick-links or any other portion of a permanent top-anchor.
Q:Where is a good place in Red River Gorge to take beginners?
A:Depending on whether you are planning to engage in traditional climbing or sport climbing, there are any number of areas that are good places to take beginners. As long as you have one or more competent lead climbers in your party, most crags have easier climbs that can be set up for beginners. Route developers for both the PMRP and Muir Valley have consciously established easy to moderate climbs in the interest of making these areas accessible to beginning climbers.
Q:What are the best times of year to go climbing in Red River Gorge?
A:Spring and Fall are considered to be the premier seasons for climbing in Red River Gorge because of moderate temperatures. Summer weather tends to be very hot and muggy but can be endured, especially at crags that stay in the shade. In the Winter, climbing conditions at crags that stay in the sun can be tolerable to excellent. Winter climbing can be nice too because you don’t have to worry about bugs or snakes.
Q:How do I get answers to questions I have about the RRGCC?
A:If you cannot find answers to your questions on this website please submit your question via our contact page at: http://www.rrgcc.org/contact-us/
Q:How do I contact the RRGCC?
A:You may contact the RRGCC by e-mail at: RRGCC [at] RRGCC [dot] org or you may contact us by snail mail at: RRGCC, PO Box 22156, Lexington, KY 40522-2156.
Q:How do I become involved with the RRGCC?
A:The best way to become involved with the RRGCC is by becoming a member. To become a member please visit our membership at: http://www.rrgcc.org/membership.php
Q:How do I update my RRGCC membership info?
A:Please e-mail your updated membership information to us at: RRGCC [at] RRGCC [dot] org.
Q:How can I become an RRGCC volunteer?
A:If you are interested in doing volunteer work for the RRGCC please contact Board member and Volunteer Coordinator Morgain Sprague at: spragumm [at] hotmail [dot] com.
Q:Who is the RRGCC?
A:The Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 to represent the interests of rock climbers in response to a bolting ban imposed by the US Forest Service in Red River Gorge, Kentucky. After successfully negotiating to have the ban lifted, the RRGCC has remained active in confronting various access issues both on public and private land in the Red River Gorge area.
Q:How is the RRGCC organized?
A:The RRGCC is a non-profit corporation organized according to the requirements of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Federal requirements specific to maintaining a tax exempt status.
Q:What is the RRGCC Board of Directors?
A:The RRGCC Board of Directors (BOD) consists of seven volunteer RRGCC members who have made a commitment to dedicate a portion of their time to directing and managing the organization. Board members serve for a three year term and may only serve two consecutive terms before they must leave the Board for at least one year before becoming eligible again.
Q:How does someone become part of the RRGCC Board of Directors?
A:To take a position on the Board of Directors you must be 21 years old and have been a member of the RRGCC for at least one year. Any member meeting these requirements may volunteer to be elected to the Board. For the practical functioning of the organization, people with relevant skills and experience are sought for Board service. Past non-profit service and/or knowledge in the areas of accounting, law, fundraising, public relations, business, and environmental issues are examples the types of experience sought in prospective Board members.
Q:What are the RRGCC Officers? How are they chosen?
A:The RRGCC has four officer positions, President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers must be members of the Board of Directors and are elected by the Board to serve one year terms. No one person may serve more than three consecutive years in one position without taking a one year leave from that position.
Q:What is the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve? Why is it so important?
A:The Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve (PMRP) is a 700 acre tract of land located in Lee County, Kentucky that was purchased by the RRGCC from Mattie Murray, a descendent of Daniel Boone Pendergrass, in 2004. Realizing the fragility of access to climbing on private land in the Red River Gorge Area, the Murray Property was identified by the RRGCC as containing a significant amount of existing climbing routes with a number of quality crags (e.g. Drive-by, Bob Marley, Solar Collector, Darkside, Gold Coast.) The purchase of the PMRP is important because it secures access to an area containing over 200 existing climbing routes and in short because, “If we own it, they can’t close it!”
Q:What is the status of the PMRP in regards to the Charmane Oil Company?
A:On the PMRP the mineral rights are severed from the surface rights. While the RRGCC has the surface right to the property, Charmane Oil has rights to extract oil lying beneath the surface of the PMRP.
Q: I’ve heard that Charmane has towed climbers’ cars. Where can I park on the PMRP and not be towed?
A:In February 2004 the RRGCC obtained a Temporary Restraining Order that prevents Charmane from towing climbers’ cars from the PMRP. In the interest of respecting Charmane’s right to access their oil wells, the RRGCC has established designated parking areas on the PMRP. When visiting the PMRP you are asked to please follow posted signs, park in designated parking areas, and not block or interfere with Charmane’s right to access their oil wells.
Q:Where can I get PMRP specific route information?
A:An entire section of the Wolverine guidebook is devoted to climbing on the PMRP.
Q:How is the RRGCC’s purchase of the PMRP structured?
A:The PMRP was purchased by the RRGCC in 2004 at a purchase price of $227,500.00 or $325.00 per acre for 700 acres. The purchase is owner financed at an interest rate of 8% per annum. In 2004 the RRGCC placed a downpayment on the property of $23,750.00 plus made an additional payment of $23,750.00 as the first of ten annual mortgage payments. The remaining nine mortgage payments, due by July 15th of each year, are five annual payments of $29,393.00 from 2005 to 2009 and four annual payments of $29,385.00 from 2010 through 2013. After the last payment is made in July 2013 the RRGCC will own the PMRP outright.
