red river gorge climbers' coalition

Johnny and Alex Trail Day, as seen by our fearless trail day leader, Matt Tackett:

Saturday morning started off as a typical summer day in Kentucky. Hot enough to scorch the devil, humid enough for altitude training, bugs thick enough to float a truck and more snakes laying around than fibers on a plush carpet.

No one in their right mind would be outside on a day like that. Especially not out bushwhacking to see what the next holler holds, hauling a drill kit through rhodo thickets so dense you can’t see the other side, or worse yet be out working for free for others enjoyment…

Luckily for all of us, Johnny did those things every chance he could get.

I’m not sure if it’s a spreadable disease from touching too much Corbin sandstone, or maybe it’s a side effect from too many Ale-8′s, but Johnny and Alex sure would have been proud to see a 120 people sharing the same affliction showing up with tools and water in hand and ready to suffer for something bigger than they are.

As volunteers received their trail assignments and raced out all over the PMRP it reminded me of ants rebuilding their hill after being disturbed. When everyone picks up a stone it makes the wall easier to build. So as I swat another horse fly to the ground and wash the stinging nettle sting off my arms, I’m laughing out loud and thinking to myself that this is what Johnny wanted the PMRP and the RRGCC to be.

Volunteers braved the elements and didn’t stop until projects were completed. Chica Bonita, Curbside, Bob Marley, Shire, Gallery, Left Field, Play Ground, Volunteer Wall, Courtesy, Rival, Sore Heel short cut trail and the new mountain bike trails all saw significant improvements. Work was made easier by the amazing wraps provided my Miguel’s and crew as well as drinks from GFS and Red River Outdoors.

You would think that once the work whistle was blown that folks would be lining up to leave the property, to be the first to make the slip and slide run, be the hero that tapped the kegs or at least be first in line for dinner provided by True North Outfitters. But this strange affliction that we share drove a few crews insane and they literally had to be pushed down the hill with tools in hand and blindfolded to prevent further work.

As everyone gathered back to Lago Linda’s to wash, feed and drink the sore muscles away a storm like no other rolled in, only adding fuel to the party that was to come. By the time the 23 String Band took the stage the crowd had shaken the sore muscles away and gotten warmed up for a full night of dancing by an impromptu one-arm pull-up adult beverage chugging contest… that in all reality should become an Olympic event. The 23 String Band tore it up as always and played well into the night keeping everyone on their feet and truly enjoying this thing we call life.

Completely exhausted and soaked in rain and sweat I look around at all the smiling faces of friends and family and an overwhelming sense of belonging and calm takes over… and we all dance again.

Thanks to everyone that made this years Johnny and Alex Trail Day the best one yet. Looking forward to suffering in the woods, dancing till I can’t move and making Johnny and Alex proud again this time next year.

Matt Tackett

Strive to be, and make others, happy at this summer's Climbers That Care event

It’s easy to put the blinders on from time to time, especially as you’re thinking about the crux moves of your latest proj. But when you take a second to stop for the stray dog that runs across the road in front of you and take a look around at the homes and lives surrounding you, you’ll see that there are plenty of ways you can help the communities that you call home for the weekends in the RRG.

The RRG area, touching Powell, Wolfe, Lee, and Menifee counties, is home to some of the best people you’ve probably never met. But the economic truth of the matter means they need a hand from time to time. And with school about to get back in gear, it’s that time again.

Update: If you can’t make it to Red River Outdoors or to JATD, stop by Phillip Gall’s Outdoors in Lexington (mapped location) and let the employee on duty know it’s for Kate LaBoone. Thanks PG’s!

See how you can help by reading on..

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The RRG is open again!

Just in time for the weekend, that troublesome bear has moved on past the gorge and the kind folks at the USFS have issued an order to reopen the area.

But please do pack your food properly. Access to food is the primary reason bears get interested in people in the first place. When Yogi can venture into any ol’ spot and snag a picnic basket, it makes that spot pretty appealing and almost always leads to uncomfortable encounters.

So, for the Fourth, we want you to go have fun, roll around in the mud, catch some butterflies, and otherwise be happy and jolly! If you get bored, here are a few things that would help out:

• Plan ahead – Sign up for JATD
• Build the community – Get the word about the PMRP and Rocktoberfest out
• Give a little bit – Help us raise the mortgage!

Read on past the break for the full USFS press release.

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Come one, come all to the 6th annual Johnny & Alex Trail Day, August 14th, 2010.  Like in years past we will be depending on the Red River Gorge climbing community to come out and take care of the land you own, the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve (PMRP), in honor of two great men of the Red, John Bronaugh and Alex Yeakley.  We will be building and maintaining trails and, after a hard day’s work, have a great party with music, food, and “beverages” at Lago Linda Hideaway.  More details will come so be sure to stay tuned.  You can also follow us on Facebook!

Thanks for your interest in JATD! We’ve already placed our orders for lunch and dinner and such.. meaning that if you’re planning on coming, we probably weren’t. And that’s fine.. just make sure to bring some lunch, dinner, snacks, beverages.. anything that will keep you in good spirits and working hard on the land you own

Roadside Crag is one of the Red River Gorge’s most popular crags. Minutes from the parking off a major roadway and hosting wide range of climbs, Roadside attracts dozens of climbers of all abilities every weekend.  Roadside is located on the Graining Fork Nature Preserve, land that is owned by climber-friendly Grants Stevens and Jon Haight.  Over the years, though, Roadside’s popularity has contributed to increased wear and tear on the approach trail, especially near the steep trail-head. The increased foot traffic led to obvious problems with drainage and erosion.

On Saturday, April 3, 2010 Mike Driskell of Driskell Home Repair in Louisville organized a second trail day at Roadside Crag to try to address those problems. Thirteen people came to put the sweat of their brow into helping remove litter, trim tree branches, widen the trail-head, and improve drainage along the beginning of the trail.  They refueled with some Miguel’s for lunch, provided by Driskell Home Repair, and stuffed their packs with some RRGCC schwag.  After working on the trail-head, Driskell and company moved to the area near Roadside Attraction, a classic and popular trad climb, where the trail went straight up a series of rock steps.  The poor drainage and steep incline led to severe erosion in this area.  Now, after plenty of volunteer effort, the trail now accesses this area via a switchback that should mitigate the impacts near Roadside Attraction.

Mike hopes to return complete the new section of the trail on the next Roadside Trail Day, possibly in the spring of 2011.  Additional projects also include working to stabilize the erosion around the base of the slab routes to the far-right of the cliff line.

Thank you to the volunteers that helped: John Grider, Malcolm Akindana, Randy Tebbs, Carrie Kirkpatrick, Dave Jasperson, JR Goodwin, Mark Rohr, Robert Keith Todd, Bryan Spencer, Josephine Neff, Derrick Powell, and Mike Driskell.

If you were not able to participate in this event, please mark your calendar for Johnny & Alex Trail Day (check out last year’s JATD), which will be held on August 14th, and stay tuned for more! Or, if you want to throw yourself at a project all your own, tell us about it and we’ll support you!

Celebrating one of the largest Adopt-A-Crags this year. Photo by Elodie Saracco

Last Saturday the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition hosted their most successful trail day event in their 13 year history. Over 90 people came together to lend their skills and talent to developing new trails, and rehabbing existing pathways on the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve. Additionaly, last Saturday’s trail day most certainly ranks as one of the largest Access Fund sponsored Adopt-A-Crag events in 2009!

Here is a synopsis of what was accomplished:

At Sore Heel:

• New steps built going to Curbside
• New trails installed on the left side of Curbside
• Completed the exit trail going towards curbside
• New steps built going to Optical Rectitus
• Bike trail maintenance and small addition added
• Foot bridge on the far right of the Gallery
• Gallery side and base maintenance
• Rerouting of trail and steps added in the large drainage ditch
• Trail maintenance in a variety of other locations at Sore Heel

At Crossroads:

• Sign installed
• Wooden steps installed on the side-trail at the Crossroads
• Crossroads side-trail improved

At Darkside:

• Fallen trees were removed
• Steps cut into the trail

At Drive-By/Bob Marley:

• Steps installed at the start of the Bob Marley trail
• New trail completed between Drive By and Bob Marley Crags

Gather supplies in Coal Bank Hollow. Photo by Elodie Saracco

In other exciting news, for the first time ever the Johnny and Alex Trail Day raised money for the coalition, both in private donations and sales at the event. These funds and donations of goods and services from our generous sponsors financed that great party.

To those that volunteered Saturday and those that give in so many other ways, thank you!

View Johnny and Alex Trail Day 2009 in a larger map