Locals, AAC Organize Craggin’ Classic at New River Gorge Sept. 14 to 16 – Music, Climbing, Free Camping

By Jesse Wood

Sept. 3, 2012. Every summer, many sport climbers – and the High Country has its fair share of them – travel to one of the premiere climbing destinations in the world – the New River Gorge to scale the impeccable sandstone of West Virginia.  

From Friday to Sunday, Sept. 14 to 16, the American Alpine Club, which recently named local resident Lisa Hummel as its Southeast Regional Coordinator, presents the Craggin’ Classic in the New River Gorge, an event that will feature many former and current climbers from the High Country.

The three-day event takes place in and around the New River Gorge and features climbing, free camping, climbing slideshows, a pig pickin’, a variety of climbing clinics, live music, conservation/stewardship activities and a chance to see the new – but still a work-in-progress – American Alpine Club Campground.

Dan Caldwell will roast a Watauga County pig during the pig pickin’, and former resident of Boone and climbing stud Pat Goodman will present a slideshow of some of his routes in the gorge. Local climber Joey Henson drew the artwork on the flyer.

Look below for the event schedule. For more information or to register, click here.

Schedule of Events

Friday, Sept. 14

• 8:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m. – Rafting on the Gauley River with Cantrell’s Ultimate Rafting. Call 304-574–2500 to book reservation under “AAC Craggin’ Classic Event” to receive climber rate: $90/includes river-side lunch.
• 3 to 4:30 p.m. – Free Clinic: Pro Rappell Techniques with Danny McCraken of the Appalachain Mountain Institute (meet at AAC NRG Campground)
• 4 p.m. – Vendor Set up at the AAC NRG Campground
• 6 p.m. – Pig Roast Dinner at the AAC NRG Campground
• Free camping @ the AAC NRG campground
• Camping with amenities available at Cantrell’s. Call 304-574-2500 and book under AAC Craggin’ Classic event to receive climber rates; $8/tent-site, $12/bungalow, $24-27/cabin)

Saturday, Sept. 15

• 8 a.m. – Coffee and breakfast at AAC NRG Campground
• 8 to 10 a.m. – FiveTen Gear Demo/vendor set up at AAC NRG Campground
• All Day — Climbing
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Climbing Clinic: Crack Climbing for Women with FiveTen Athlete Jessa Goebel (meet at AAC NRG Campground)
• 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Climbing Clinic: Trad Tricks Clinic with Mountain Hardware Athlete Pat Goodman (meet at AAC NRG Campground) 
• 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Climbing Clinic: Bouldering/Training Clinic with Five Ten Athlete Tim Rose (meet at AAC NRG Campground)
• 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Climbing Clinic: Top Rope Anchor Class with Danny McCracken of the Appalachian Mountain Institute (meet at AAC NRG Campground)
• 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Climbing Clinic: Trad Leading Clinic with New River Mtn. Guides (meet at AAC NRG Campground)
• 5 p.m. – FiveTen Gear Return at the AAC NRG Campground
  5 to 7 p.m. – Raffle at Cantrell’s
• 6 to 8 p.m. – African Stew Dinner at Cantrell’s
  7 to 9 p.m. – Slide Show at Cantrell’s
• 9 to 11 p.m. – Live Music at Cantrell’s
  Free camping at the AAC NRG campground
• Camping with amenities available at Cantrell’s (304-574-2500 *book under AAC Craggin Classic Event to receive climber rates; $8/tent-site, $12/bungalow, $24-27/cabin)

Sunday, September 16

• 8 a.m. – Coffee and breakfast at TBD
• 9 to 2 p.m. – Stewardship Activity, meet at the AAC NRG Campground