red river gorge climbers' coalition

On Friday, February 10 photographer Dan Lubbers hosted an art show to display his photography and raise money for the RRGCC. The show was hosted by Highland Coffee in Louisville, KY and featured photos from Lubbers’ recent visit to Hawaii, with a few climbing shots thrown in for good measure.
Guests were invited to enter a raffle to win a print of one of Lubbers’ photographs, with the proceeds going directly to the RRGCC. By the end of the night, $95 had been raised and was donated to the RRGCC to further their mission of preserving and promoting responsible climbing. Lubbers’ photos will be on display at Highland Coffee through the end of February, and there is a donation box where admirers can give to the RRGCC. Lubbers’ work is also featured on his website.

By Terri King

February 24 @ 6:30pm

Some folks are simply pretty amazing.. and those at the Benchmark Outfitters , RockQuest, and University of Cincinnati: Campus Recreation Center are no different. Together, they’re putting on a Reel Rock Tour event for the benefit of the RRGCC. Check out what they’re putting on next month! We’ll see you there!

Help support the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition and have a great time watching some great climbing films at the University of Cincinnati: Campus Recreation Center, 472 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH.  All proceeds benefit the Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition Sponsored locally by: Benchmark Outfitters , RockQuest, and University of Cincinnati: Campus Recreation Center .   Door prizes provided by Benchmark and Rockquest.  Find it on Facebook. Show will start at 6:30 pm.   Check back for more details about the post event party.

About / History

The REEL ROCK Film Tour brings the best in climbing and adventure films to local audiences across the globe. REEL ROCK shows are exciting events where climbers and outdoors lovers come together to celebrate and the ultimate in adventure filmmaking. Prize giveaways, appearances by top climbers, and fundraising for non-profit organizations always add to the fun and community of REEL ROCK events. For the sixth annual film tour, co-founders Sender Films and Big UP Productions are taking audiences to the edge of what’s possible. From climbing the world’s most difficult frozen falls, to the hardest big wall free climb and crazed highline antics, these heart pounding tales of superhuman skills will leave audiences wanting more.

History

REEL ROCK founders Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer have been producing and directing climbing and adventure films for over a decade, with devoted audiences around the world. Their work has been featured on NBC, NPR, and The New York Times, and has won a Sports Emmy Award, plus dozens of awards at international film festivals. After organizing small tours for their individual film releases, Lowell and Mortimer realized the huge demand for exciting live events in the outdoors community and combined forces to create The REEL ROCK Film Tour in 2006. In 2010, REEL ROCK screened in over 200 locations world-wide, drew over 55,000 audience members, raised over $15,000 for non-profits, partnered with more than 150 retailers, university outing clubs and climbing gyms, and won copious media coverage and critical praise.

We have some great clinics, and most of them still have openings available!

Burl Like A Girl is a beginning clinic on climbing powerfully from a woman’s perspective. It’s taught by Regan Kenedy.

Elite Climbing is an advanced clinic on pushing it to the next level for the 5.11, 5.12 or 5.13 climber. It’s taught by Cedar Wright. To get the most out of this clinic, you should be comfortable climbing 5.11′s.

Sport and Redpointing is an intermediate level class geared for the 5.8, 5.9, 5.10 climber looking to learn to work projects and get stronger. Taught by Alli Rainey and Kevin Wilkinson.

Multipitch Efficiency is a beginning/intermediate clinic for climbers looking to spend more time climbing and less time transitioning at anchors. It’s taught by Brittany Griffith

Intro to Trad is a beginning clinic designed for the beginning trad climber. It’s taught by Shingo Ohkawa.

Footwork and Technique is a beginning/intermediate clinic for those who struggle with footwork. It’s taught by Margarita Martinez and Rene Keyzer-Andre (our very own Tutugirl!)

We also have 2 mini-clinics on photography: DSLR 101 and Off Camera Lighting 101 – these are 3-hour clinics taught by professional photographer Wes Allen.

Unfortunately, the Warriors Way clinic is sold out.

If you are interested in any of our clinics you may sign up at the registration desk at Rocktoberfest. Online Registration is now closed.

If you are looking to avoid climbing where clinics are being held, please avoid:
The Gallery, The Shire, The Playground, Global Village

“Get out your mixing bowls, aprons, and Grandma’s secret recipe ’cause we’re announcing a new event for this years Rocktoberfest: The Brownie Bake-Off.

The rules are simple:
1. Bake delicious brownies. Enough to share.
2. Drop them at the festival site Saturday before dinner. We’ll take one from the plate for judging and the rest we’ll be a “donation” which will be given out to hungry festival go-ers as part of dinner.
3. An elite panel of french-culinary-school-trained judges will bestow honors and accolades on those of you possessing the “art of the brownie”.
4. Awards given for most awesome creation.
5. No Funny business. This is a fundraiser and needs to be family friendly.

Rocktoberfest, our largest annual fundraiser to benefit the PMRP, is ten days away! It’s so close you can check out the weather (pray that it stays as sunny as predicted).

We know we’re a little behind on getting information in your hands – we’re sorry about that and we appreciate that you’re bearing with us.

That said, I don’t think you could find a group more excited about this year’s Rocktoberfest. We’re really hoping to making this one the best event yet. The mortgage on the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve is so close to being paid off and we’re really hoping to make this another strong push towards finishing off that payment. But we can do that only with the help from our amazing community, sponsors, and donors! That’s the whole point of Rocktoberfest – to get everyone together, have an amazing party, and work towards the goals we’ve all set out before us.

Download, print, and distribute to lend hand

So, with all that, let’s get to the meaty parts..

..but before we actually get to those bits, I can’t emphasize this enough – pre-registering will save you cash! The quick and dirty pricing breakdown:

Location

This year’s Rocktoberfest will be in the same spot as the past few years – at the Natural Bridge Campgrounds. To get there, head to the Red as you normally might and get off of the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway at exit 33. Turn in to the rest area and then take an immediate left. If you get to the rest area, we should have enough signs and be making enough noise to get the point across to where exactly we’ll be. So “rest” easy

This is a rough map of this year’s Rocktoberfest location.

Friday

• We’re not sure if you’re ready to handle it but.. crate stacking is back. With the help of Detroit Rock Climbing Company and JH Lanmark, crate stacking will be around Friday and Saturday nights. We’re going to try to work in some exciting twists (head-to-head comps, for example) and folks from both companies are ponying up with some awesome prizes.
• Again, we’re changing things up a little this year. And that means that we’ll be showing a feature film Friday night – Chuck Fryberger’s The Scene. We’ll start the screening around 7:30pm or 8pm, depending on the sun and light, and we hope to see your doey-eyed, star-struck faces in the audience.
• Cletus will be hitting up the speakers with his turn-table, DJ’ing the scene through the evening.
• All weekend Sterling Ropes will be running their Rope Recycling Program. So, instead of tossing that old rope, toss it in Sterling’s box and be eligible to win a brand new one. That’s some recycling you can really believe in!
• Keen, with their stellar and long-lasting love for the RRGCC, will be selling their shoes, Men’s Obsidian and Women’s Red Rocks, for $50. And because they love the RRGCC, they’re giving that full $50 straight to the RRGCC.
• If the temperatures turn south a bit, Outdoor Research has graced us with some custom beanies. Pick up two for $20 (or one for $15) and it all goes to the Coalition.

Saturday

• Don’t have too much fun Friday if you want to have a shot at winning the Black Diamond sponsored Clip-n-Go Climbing Comp in the PMRP. Yes, you are special so the PMRP is yours while you pull down and try to win some of the best gear BD has to offer. Be sure to pre-register for the comp.. if you forget, though, show up Saturday morning at the venue and leave time to arrive at the comp start, 9am and it will wrap up around 4pm. We will be offering a shuttle to the PMRP but it’s first-come, first-serve with only a few open seats.
• Not feeling the most confident about your shoes but you’re just not ready to drop the cash on a pair you haven’t field tested? Well this weekend is your lucky weekend! Head to Miguel’s at 9am to check out the shoe demo being held by Evolv, 5.10, and Sportiva
• You might not look at the Red and think, “Cajun!” After Saturday’s dinner, though, you will. Bourbon n’ Toulouse will again be supplying us with some of the most amazing food this side of the Bourbon Street. Check out their menu or just look below for what we’ll be serving. Notice, we do have gluten-free options! Supper hits the table around 6pm.. so don’t work that project so hard you miss the food you need for a proper recovery. And bring your own bowl or expect the intense hazing that will ensue!
• Jamabalaya – Meaty, Gluten-Free
• Red Beans with Smoked Sausage – Meaty, Gluten-Free
• Cajun Red Chili – Meaty, Gluten-Free
• Artichoke and Parmesan Cream with Mushrooms – Veggie
• Black Beans and Caramelized Corn – Veggie, Gluten-Free
• Vegan Black Beans – Vegan, Gluten-Free
• While you’re munching and dinning, your ears will be soaking in tasty tunes from local group “Son of a Widow”.
• Crate stacking will be fully featured again, again with amazing prizes and even better stunts/comps.
• Like I said, we’re trying to change things up this year. We’ll be showing some short films from local producers like Sean Stewart. That and we’re going to keep things light with a few other videos.
• Thanks to our very generous sponsors, we’ll be running our silent aution. This is your chance to get your dream gear at your dream prices.. and all of the proceeds go to the RRGCC. Everyone wins.. that is, of course, if you win.
• Hope you’ve been working on those quads a little, or at least your burst strength, because you’ll have to bring your A-game to have a shot in this year’s Dyno Comp, brought to us by RockSport. Make sure you show up for the qualifiers that go from 7pm to 8pm. You’ll need to be in for those if you want a shot at the big prizes from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.
• It’d be a little ridiculous if you were still hungry after dinner but, if you are, Marmot and Keen will be grillin’ some dogs. Throw down a few dollars donation and tasty dogs are all yours

Sunday

• We’re also going to have professional clinics taught by some of the sport’s best athletes. Stop by the registration desk for more information on what clinics are open and where and when they’ll be held. Below is a list of available clinics:
  • Beginners – Burl Like a Girl
  • Advanced – Elite Climbing
  • Beginners/Intermediate – Multipitch Efficiency
  • Intermediate – Intermediate Sport & Redpointing
  • Beginners – Intro to Trad
  • Beginners/Intermediate – Warrior’s Way
  • Beginners/Intermediate – Footwork & Technique
  • DSLR 101 (half-day)
  • Off Camera Lighting 101 (half-day)
• I’m sure you all will be waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Sunday morning without the least bit of fog between those ears of yours. If you don’t, though, the Solid Rock Climbers For Christ will be around again to serve up coffee and all the tasty trappings of a homemade breakfast. Be sure to drop in a little love – they donate all the proceeds to the RRGCC. That and anyone that wakes up that early to help make you breakfast deserves a little thanks and a proper smile.

Now that you have the full scoop.. what are you waiting for?!

Register Today!

Also, we’re going to take a moment and give a special “thank you” to our Rocktoberfest sponsors. They’re here for all of us, making Rocktoberfest happen behind the scenes, adding schwag and fun times, and helping us secure access throughout the area.

Our Rocktoberfest Sponsors

By this time of the year I tend to get pretty grouchy and kind of tired over sharing my back yard with tourists, climbers and hippies. Events like the Johnny and Alex Trail Day and the people that make it happen really help to break that edge off, as well as give me a little hope for humanity.

As normal the temps were more fitting for a day on the water, the bugs were thick enough to block out the sun, enough snakes moving around to make every Baptist in the country happy and the humidity in the air alone could cure Africa of its droughts. But there you were along with over 125 other folks sweating away and getting dirty for other folks to have areas to come play on. I’m sure somewhere Johnny and Alex were laughing and wishing they were there with you.

With getting old and injuries keeping me from playing, my focus has been less on route/crag development and has turned to proper trail development and repair. As climbers we tend to break every trail rule known and have to end up revisiting those trails each year. Over the last couple years we have been working on learning proper trail design and repair as well as teaching that to others in the community. That effort was very obvious at this years trail day. Each trail day a few of us usually end up going back out and “re-fixing” at least 75% of the trail work done on those days. This year I bet we have to revisit less than 10%. Since all percentages are made up on the spot, and even if these are off by 10%, the improvement is more than even Blake could argue about. Awesome!

Simply amazing work was done at Chica and the Solar Collector area. The Sore Hill short cut trail and an enormous amount of work was done on the Flat Holler multiple use trail system. Everyone should be proud of their accomplishments and I can’t say thanks enough for doing the job right the first time, allowing me to go out looking for new areas and developing new trails instead of fixing old ones.

As the trail day finished up and everyone growing thirsty for adult beverages and amazing bluegrass music from the 23 String Band, our annual storm blew through and almost canceled the music out… until Bart Bledsoe came to the rescue and created an indoor music hall in an outdoor setting. As the band tore up the stage and the dirtbags danced all night long I sat back, content and replay the days events in my mind. As normal I leave this trail day happier and it really does touch my heart that so many people care about the area they play in and are willing to take the steps necessary to save it and develop it properly.

This is what Johnny envisioned the RRGCC and the PMRP being. Major props for making what he started continue to happen today and hopefully for many years to come.

Events of this size could not be pulled off without many people pulling more than their share of the weight. To all the organizers, trail leaders and assistants of the day(you know who you are), THANKS and You Suck!

All photos by the talented and generous Elodie Saracco.

We also could not pull this off without the help from our generous sponsors. Big shout outs to:

•  Miguel’s Pizza,
• Red River Outdoors,
• Lago Linda’s,
• Phillip Gall’s,
• J&H Lanmark,
• Kentucky Mountain Biking Association,
• Access Fund,
• Gordon Food Service,
• Bourbon n’ Toulouse,
• RockQuest Climbing Center,
• Mt Ranks,
• CLIF Bar,
• Land of the Arches,
• Torrent Falls Climbing Adventure,
• Bluegrass Bouldering,
• Primal Spirit Strips,
• Red River Gorge Inn (formerly True North),
• Benchmark Outfitters,
• Whole Foods Market,
• The 23 String Band,
• and many others who sent love our way.

Take care of yourself, each other and the lands you use,

Matt Tackett

On Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11, Mountain Gear, in cooperation with Red River Outdoors, will be presenting its 4th annual UCLIMB event, on the RRGCC-owned PMRP. UCLIMB is a fun event dedicated to bringing people from across the country closer to the outdoors by learning to climb in a comfortable small-group setting with other amateur climbers. Professional instructors will guide you through the basics of climbing, safety and conservation. This weekend adventure is an ideal introduction to the world of rock climbing. Mountain Gear is a strong supporter of both the PMRP purchase and the RRGCC’s educational mission of promoting responsible climbing.

These groups will be learning the ropes, so to speak, around the PMRP. Please plan to avoid these areas during this weekend. It’s a small favor for a big event and we all thank you ahead of time for making accommodations! Some of the walls that will be affected:

• The Shire 
• Left Field 
• The Playground 
• Chica Bonita 
• Volunteer Wall 
• The Gallery (the right side)
• Gold Coast/Solar Collector (the right side)

Go to http://www.volmanager.com/RRGCC/ to sign up!

Can’t wait to see you there!

(by Matt Tackett)

It’s one thing to talk about taking care of the lands you use… It’s easy to spray online or around the campfire about giving back to an area we take so much from… It’s simple and way too common to think others will just pick up your mess like being back home with mom on summer break… It seems most people think those sustainable trail systems have always been there or that Bambi built them for us… A few of us know that’s not true and that it requires someone to put action to their words and show they truly want to be stewards for our playgrounds.

A few of those special folks gathered together on National Trail Day, June 4th, 2011. The Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition joined up with the state of KY and Natural Trails and Construction to host a Train the Trainer day. This day focused on how to design, build and repair sustainable trails as well as how to organize and run trail days in the most efficient manner.

As our area becomes more popular, as we start using more of the lands we own and as we continue having issues in areas not owned by the community we have seen that land impact is top priority and the reason for closures. Impact management is becoming much more important than what the grades or stars are on the routes, whether you can ride the whole trail without dabbing or how fast you can run the system. As users we must protect what we use, it’s a fine line we have to walk. With well designed, properly built sustainable trail systems being the most important piece of this puzzle.

14 people showed up bright and early on this beautiful day proving their loyalty to the lands around us. The class held strong as I mumbled on for a few hours over common mistakes seen on our lands, IMBA standard trail building practices such as full bench construction, proper trail layout and closures. Re-routing and trail repair were discussed in great depth as well as general tool and trail day safety. Lunch was served thanks to the one and only Dr. Bob. Then the group went out to get their hands dirty cutting new trails in the Flat Holler area of the PMRP.

Many thanks to everyone involved. I feel much was learned, by the students and the teachers. With attending this class you have done more than just showing you care about that land, its users and your playground. You have shown that you will be top of my list for the Johnny and Alex Trail Day trail leaders email, no good deed goes unpunished…

We look forward to seeing everyone at the next big trail day and party. If you only attend one event a year then the Johnny and Alex Trail Day is the one to hit. It will be on August 13th this year and will be packed full of good folks, good times and good music. Visit www.rrgcc.org for more information and to pre-register.

Take care,
Matt Tackett

April 2011 in Kentucky has been the wettest on the books. I’m not sure if I’m going mad from being out in it everyday but I’m really beginning to wonder if my lil’ man is going to pop out with gills and if I need to start gathering my animals for the boat, damn, now I have to build a boat…..

So when we posted the trail day in early April and the weather looked golden we thought for sure that no one would show up and we would have to raid the crags and pull people away and force tools in their hands. To say we were surprised is an understatement. We had over 50 people show up, all with tools in hand, smile on their face and ready to work. It was a huge mixture of families, school groups, old school crusties and wide-eyed gumbies. It was awesome to see so many different types of users out building their recreation area. I think I even heard the trees smile. We worked the day away bench cutting and starting a large switchback crux on the multiple use trails in the Flat Holler area. I wish I could list everyone out that showed but my hippie hillbilly mind does not remember what day it is today. But I would like to give big props to Dr. Bob Matheny for lunch, Mike Driskel for getting this one started and a huge thanks to everyone else behind the scenes that make these days possible.

The Silver Bullett emerges from the Grayson

When last Saturday’s trail day was called , it was called mainly to pry the Silver Bullet from Grayson just to make sure he was still kicking. The weather was sweet that day and it had been raining all week. I figured it would just be Don and I in the middle of the woods, blind leading the blind and could have been the start of a bad country song. But nope, pleasantly surprised again with about 10 folks showing up to work their beautiful day away. I would like to take a second and thank Dave Jasperson and his crew of boys. He does not get near enough thanks for what he and his work crew do for the area. It’s always amazing to see kids learning real world skills and actually getting out in the woods. Working away all day swinging tools in the backwoods builds up a huge appetite and luckily for all of us, folks like Carrie Kirkpatrick is willing to drive down the day before and bring lunch for everyone. Another large portion of the Flat Holler trail was cut and I know for sure I heard a tree smile, but that could have been the margarita bar the Silver Bullet had in his truck……

In future news, we will be hosting a Train the Trainer trail day on the National Trail Day on June 4^th. We will be teaching climbers, developers, bikers and who ever wants to learn how to design, build and repair trails using IMBA standards. This day will be limited to 20 people and we will be doing instructional time along with hands on field work in the PMRP. Lunch will be provided as well as take home literature to use when you are building your playground. Entrance fee is one beer of my choice…….or just email me (redriveroutdoors [at] gmail [dot] com) to reserve your spot.

Thanks, be safe and take care of each yourself and other,
Matt Tackett