By Corey Lablans
First morning after a long drive, getting up in the morning was a tad slow, once up the energy levels and excitement rose, so did the temperature. Warm, sunny and enjoyable, it was Saturday morning in Kentucky, day one. Temperature somewhere in the nine degree range was a nice change from Kingston’s cold weather.
More windy back roads, typical of this area, we weaved up, down and around arriving out our first climbing location Muir Valley. Every climbing location here requires a little bit of hiking. The sun still beaming down, shedding layers, the group moved on seeking the right cliff faces to set up. As a beginners, similar to many others we rely heavily on the executive who are able to lead climb routes, setting up top roping. For those unfamiliar with the lingo, lead climbing involves taking the rope up and clipping it into bolts periodically, a few more things involved but that is the basics. Once at the top the lead climber sets up an anchor, used afterwards by the belayer and a climber until the end when someone goes up and cleans the route (taking it down).
It has been nine months since climbing, so my stamina levels are drastically lower then last year when I was climbing two to three times a week, knowing this I refrained from climbing a lot, got in one climb.
The sandstone formations at the Red River Gorge permit stunning scenery as well as amazing array of climbing conditions. The only route I climbed was a 5.9, the bottom half was not exceptionally difficult, had to think about it a little, although the second half of the climb posed “slight” difficulties for me. One mental aspect associated with climbing involves trusting your feet, something easily send then done. This aspect strongly applied to the second half of the route, a section known as a slab with few handholds typically half to one inch in depth (slab is a cliff face less then 90 degrees). Once contemplating the idea, for what appeared to be a good 15 minutes, mentally I deciding to go for it, I was able to complete the route. Like many climbers, I believe accomplishing a route, happens when you reach the top without falling.
Before heading off on this fun adventure, I knew it was going to be a camping trip for me and climbing was going to be the icing on the cake. I enjoy the various elements of being down here, chilling with people, going hiking and of course climbing.
The day was nearing its end, the sun was setting and many were getting tired, the trek back to the car still remained. Due to the late arrive the night before the next stop was a grocery run, Krogers in Stanton. Walking up and down the aisles: pasta, chicken, sausages, donuts, carrots, broccoli, peppers, cereal, milk, ale 8 and other various items piled up, dinner was planned and the groceries were bought, day one in Kentucky was almost done.
