In the Red

When climbers talk about "The Red," we're not talking about Taylor Swift. We talking about the Red River Gorge, in eastern Kentucky. 

Most non climbers think Yosemite is the mecca of climbing, and it is, for a certain type of climber: big wall climbers, hardcore trad climbers, or adrenaline addicts who think they are (and end up getting hurt or dying).  And yes, it attracts some casual climbers, blinded by the mythology of the place, who think that because they can waltz up a 5.7 at their local crag, they can climb 5.7 at Yosemite. These are the folks who end end up on Snake Dike, 5.7R, arguably the most dangerous route in the world. 

But for your every day sport climber without a death wish or delusions of grandeur, the top destination in the US is the Red (maybe tied with Red Rocks, Nevada, and Smith Rock, Oregon). 

"The Red," (maybe tied with Red Rocks

Despite being easy from a technical standpoint, 

Technically a sport climb, 

But for your every day sport climber without a death wish or delusions of grandeur, 

. There are over 3,000 miles of cliffline in Daniel Boone National Forest alone, with thousands of routes ranging from beginner to world class.

They don't associate Kentucky with rock climbing, average climber, the #1 climbing destination in the US isn't Yosemite, it's the Red River Gorge, referred to simply as "The Red." 

It’s only the #1 sport climbing destination in the US, or at least tied for the first spot with Smith and Red Rocks.

The crags are sandstone, but not like any sandstone I’ve ever seen. Corbin sandstone is found only here, in eastern Appalachia. Formed by ancient rivers instead of desert winds, Corbin sandstone is coarser and more compacted, making it more durable than the sandstone I was familiar with growing up in Arizona, and much safer to climb, especially when wet.

Then there’s the features, too many to choose from: honey comb pockets you can’t wait to stick your fingers in, and think partially detached dinner plates” you can grab onto to pull yourself up.

Three weeks is not nearly long enough to explore all the climbing areas, much less all the crags but we sampled a few.

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