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| Hiking | 2.60 Miles |
900 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.60 Miles | | | |
| 900 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | I flew into Pittsburgh late on Friday night to meet up with my friend Dean. We started our drive to West Virginia and pulled into a hotel in Buckhannon around 2:30am. After about 6 hours sleep, we got back on the road to Seneca Rocks.
Seneca Rocks is located in Pendleton County, WV, near the confluence of Seneca Creek and the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River. The tuscarosa sandstone peaks (fins really)are a prominent formation that is quite obvious as you drive towards the town of Seneca Rocks down route 33. The drive down 33 was beautiful as we climbed to about 3700 feet then dropped back down to 1500 feet. This area tends to reach peak autumn color in late September, so the colors were already starting to mark their arrival of fall. Probably another week and the area will look phenomenal in yellows and reds.
This is a serious rock climbers destination featuring about 375 climbing routes and a variety of hiking trails. We opted for the hiking trail, a very well maintained route that I would rate easy to moderate. Easy to me, but moderate to others who might be challenged by the 900 foot elevation gain. We hiked towards the outlook point near the peaks. Once at the outlook we continued on past a sign that warned against further hiking towards the top. Park information says that the top of the peaks are only accessible by technical rock climbing. Although, I would say that is true for the southern-most peak, we reached the top of the northern peak quite easily. This is not a place for those with a fear of heights. Once on top, you realize that these peaks are nothing more than narrow fins that are 2-3 feet wide in some areas with sheer 300-400 foot drops to the east and west.
We took some photos of the surrounding rural landscapes and also took some time to watch the climbers make their way up both faces of the fins. At least a dozen or so climbers could be seen with their bright-colored clothing popping out against the gray stone. Very cool to watch them climb from our higher vantage point.
Wanting to try something a little more adventurous, we opted for an off-trail return around the backside of the "Rocks." There seemed to be a lightly tread trail in some areas (probably approach trails for climbers). At times, we found ourselves clinging to the rocks and shimmying our way over exposed drop-offs. One spot looked sketchy enough that we decided to lower our packs down a 20 foot ledge, so as to make for a little more comfortable downclimb.
We passed climber after climber along the way, and I really started wishing that we would have brought along our climbing gear on this hike. We continued on around the back and soon arrived at a forest road which led us back to the parking lot.
I turned around for one last look at the Seneca Rocks, snapped a few pics and we got on the road to our next adventure at Summersville Lake (North of the New River Gorge). |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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| This is my gym. I have to travel down a bumpy road to get there. There are no treadmillls, no machines, and no personal trainers. I walk..I run..I breathe the fresh air. I can go any time I want, as much as I want and there is no membership fee. |
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