Posted Sunday August 3 2008

Fifth Annual Muir Valley Trail Day.

Saturday, September 27, 2008. 9 AM to 4:30 PM

Mark your calendars. More details to follow!

Posted Sunday August 3 2008

Muir Emergency/Maintenance Road update

A reminder that the lower road along the floor of Muir Valley is ONLY for emergency and maintenance use (including approved route development). Only those vehicles displaying a valid 2008 MV Vehicle Permit may use this road. Do not use the north entrance as it is badly washed out. Use the south entrance to the Valley floor. This is a continuation of the main road leading in to the parking lot.

Thanks.

Posted Tuesday February 19 2008

Flood Damage

The skies opened up for a few minutes and dumped more rain into Wolfe County than any of the old timers can remember. This created a raging flood down through Muir Valley that washed away two bridges and badly damaged two others. The latest bridge, which had only been finished for two weeks, located at the Rebel Camp/Joe Ponder creek crossing was designed for a flood stage 36 inches above normal. Unfortunately, the recent flood rose to 54 inches above normal and uprooted this bridge from its posts and sent it downstream to the Kentucky River.

The lesson learned here is that wood bridges are not a good choice for this type of terrain. Starting in the spring, we will be building low water bridges with concrete and small culvert pipes. One of these types of bridges can be seen at the entrance to the Natural Bridges State Park campsite entrance near Mill Creek Lake on KY 11. The advantages to this type of "bridge" are that 1) it can't wash away. 2) it allows for walking across with dry feet 98% of the time. 3) when the water flow is too great for the culverts to handle, it simply flows over the top of the concrete, during which time hikers step between stepping stones embedded in the concrete. More details to follow.

Rick

Posted Monday February 4 2008

Developer News

In late November, Kenny Barker finished a steep 5.13a line, "Name Dropper", in the Sanctuary and helped relocate a bolt on "Triple Sec."

Kipp Trummel installed anchors and completely bolted a line just to the left of hoosierheights.com and declared it an open project. Kipp says, "Anyone can jump on it and get that FA. It is for slab masters. probably mid 13..no harder. Ask ray for beta.....I belayed him as he TR flailed on it. After seeing him work it, I decided it would be better for me to take up knitting. I have no business on it." Anyone interested in doing the FA, please contact Rick or Kipp for details.

Also, Eric Anderson completely bolted a long very steep climb (probably in the 13's) in a new area called "Shawnee Shelter" and has declared this open to any one wishing to try the FA.

Jeff Columbo and Mark Ryan are developing new routes on the south end of the Boneyard Wall.

Justin Riddell is developing a new sport route at the Inner Sanctum. He thinks this line will be in the elevens.

Posted Wednesday January 9 2008

Dog Ban

Effective immediately, dogs are no longer permitted in Muir Valley with a few special exceptions. Certain people who have contributed significant time, effort, and expertise in support of Muir Valley will be given a written exemption to this rule.

Posted Wednesday January 9 2008

Volunteers needed to document routes

We need help from climbers to fill in blanks in our database of hardware used on certain Muir Valley climbs. The work consists of recording this info when climbing an MV route: type and size of bolts, type of hangers, type of top anchor and inventory of its components, the distance in inches between the top anchor bolts, and the distance in feet between the ground and the first and second bolts, and the total length of the route in feet.

An example of what a typical inventory would include: 8 bolted Fixe hanger brackets with grade 5 Dynabolt Gold bolts. Top anchor - 2 Fixe ring anchors, 2 Dynabolt Gold Grade 5 bolts, 2 1/2-in. quicklinks on each ring. Distance between top anchor bolts - 11 inches. Distance between ground and first and second bolts - 14 feet and 19 feet respectively. Length of route - 73 feet.

Those interested in helping can contact Rick Weber at rweber@accenttech.com . He will provide more details and a tape measure to use.

Posted Tuesday January 8 2008

Emergency Smoking Ban Lifted

Thanks to a wetter-than-usual fall, the smoking ban is no longer in effect.

Posted Tuesday September 4 2007

New climbing area within Muir Valley to open September 1.

Calvin Hollow will be open to climbing on September 1. The approach trail is located about 100 yards south (downstream) of the Hideout approach trail. There will be a sign posted along the main road for this new area.

It is important to note that new route development is continuing in this area. There are nine new open routes and about 12 projects under way. Closed projects are marked with red ribbon and/or pink project tags. As with all rock climbing projects, please respect these project lines and do not climb them.

Open routes include these:

Animal Crackers Wall - The first slabby wall you come to on the new approach trail.
(left to right)
“Casey” - 5.8 Slab, 75 feet
“Harvey” - 5.7 Slab, 48 feet
“Hobbes” - 5.7 Slab, 32 feet (second pitch above Harvey)
“Rikki Tikki Tavi” - 5.8 Slab, 44 feet
"Sam" - about 5.10b, 45 feet
“Panda Bear” - 5.8 Slab, 45 feet

(Please note that "Animal Crackers" is a tall slab wall. The routes have been thoroughly wire-brushed, but for a while, they will be a bit sandy. Just the nature of a slab.)

de Bibliothek Wall - 300 yards up the trail from "Animal Crackers" Wall
(left to right)


"The Unbearable Lightness of Being” – 5.12a, 70 feet
“The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” – 5.10b, 45 feet
“100 Years of Solitude” – 5.11b, 55 feet“

All routes will be marked with a metal I.D. disk near the starts at eye level.

Posted Thursday August 23 2007

Training Anchors

A top anchor system with two Fixe ring anchors has been installed on the Bruise Brothers Wall, about 10 feet left of "Send Me On My Way." This top anchor is located about 8 feet off the ground. The purpose is to provide a place for climbers to learn how to clean a top anchor system at a safe height where an instructor can conveniently talk to the trainee and clearly view what the trainee is doing.