SPORTS For 11 years, National Geographic has combed the globe to find the Adventurers of the Year, each selected for his or her extraordinary achievement in exploration, adventure sports, conservation, or humanitarianism. Get to know this year’s honorees, then vote for the 2016 People’s Choice. (Nat Geo Adventure) Play our game to explore like a Nat Geo adventurer, or get started with the adventure in … Continue reading Meet the Adventurers of the Year—and Vote for Your Favorite!
This blog-a-thon submission comes from Matt Caldwell of National Geographic Education. Read about how Matt found the Adventure (just outside) of his Community during a rock climbing expedition with friends.
Somewhere in northeastern West Virginia, nestled in the Monongahela National Forest, lies a small unincorporated town known as Seneca Rocks. All throughout the year, and especially in the Fall, it’s a beautiful place to visit. Driving through Seneca Rocks is an experience in itself, as the valley offers spectacular vistas of the Appalachian Mountains interspersed with scenic riverside views of Seneca Creek and the north fork of the south branch of the Potomac River.
Four climbers, one small Toyota
Additionally, for miles and miles, a strange phenomenon marks the horizon as wide outcrops of exposed rock rise out of the top of the mountain. These crags are composed of a unique type of rock known as Tuscarora Sandstone and the largest of the crags shares a name with the town in which it’s located: Seneca Rocks.
As you can imagine, Seneca Rocks is a popular rock climbing destination. In October, I joined a group of climbers and mountaineering enthusiasts at Seneca to do just that: climb. This was not my first time at Seneca, but it was my first time to climb there. Indeed, it was my first exposure to traditional and multi-pitch climbing. Luckily, our group included several experienced trad climbers who were able to lead the pitches, expertly “protect” the routes, and ultimately keep us safe.
