Arrived early and decided to do a preliminary exploration. This trail rose quickly and was nestled between the two oddly shaped rock ridges that I would be climbing later. It didnt take long to break a sweat. I had limited time and would turn around at the halfway point to get back in time.
Foreshadowing.
These ridges looked like they were straight off a stegosaurus's backside. An odd sight in the thick green forests of West Virginia.
I stepped up the pace and got to the top before I had to turn back. Outstanding! I was pretty excited for the climb to come.
And there you have it. Iron footholds and a cable that you are tethered to at all times. Makes for a pretty relaxing climb allowing you to focus on your surroundings a bit more than usual.
Its amazing how thin these ridges are. Someday they will succumb to erosion but until then people will climb them.
The ridge really is leaning that much. Id avoid playing in the forest beneath it for the next century.
Das bridge!
Near the highest point of the climb.
Below is the valley that hiked up in the beginning. The haze in the background isnt fog, just humidity.
From the very top. Its a different kind of mountain experience. I believe it was only 3000 feet compared to the 14000 feet of the Cascades in Washington. However its still enjoyable. You can breath a little easier too.
And just like Washington, the layers of stacked mountains is always a wonderful sight. The fading is in part to the humid haze not just the distance. Overall a nice day trip. Via Ferrata allows amateurs to achieve some of the same experiences as a rock climber. Makes me curious where else I can find something similar. The entire time there I had no cell service and no radio in the car. Makes me smile :)
