Franklin Gorge

Franklin Gorge
Location	Pendleton County, West Virginia
Nearest city	Franklin, West Virginia
Coordinates	38°39′47.26″N 79°19′15.59″W
Climbing type	sport climbing crag with mostly face climbing
Height	80 feet
Pitches	1
Ratings	majority of climbs are in 5.9-5.13 range
Grades	I
Rock type	sandstone and limestone
Quantity of rock	weeks worth
Development	partially developed
Cliff aspect	west facing
Season	spring to fall
Ownership	private with multiple owners
Camping	paid at Franklin, West Virginia
Classic climbs	Blood, Sweat, and Chalk (5.9) Aqualung (5.10a) Super Amazing Sea Monkeys (5.10c) Barnacle Bill (5.11a)
Stars

Franklin Gorge or just Franklin or Cranklin Gorge is a small sport climbing area near Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area located near Franklin, WV. This rock climbing spot was first discovered and developed by John Burcham and friends during the early-mid 90s. The site contains mostly sport and top rope climbing as well as some traditional climbing, and is located on private land. The rock is layered sandstone and some limestone which create horizontals, and the site has pockets and huecos for the majority of the holds. This site is the first place many Mid-Atlantic climbers cut their teeth on bolted rock climbing routes before going on to challenge the New River Gorge.

Guidebooks

• Online topos, circulated since the 1990s
• Hörst, Eric J. (2001). Rock climbing Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland (1st ed.). Guilford, Conn.: FalconGuides. ISBN 1560448121.
• Horst, Eric J.; Green, Stewart M. (2013). Rock Climbing Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland (2nd ed.). FalconGuides. ISBN 0762784342.

External links

• Detailed Routes
• Flickr Photos
• Youtube Videos
• Mid Atlantic Climbers, a local non-profit organization that seeks to maintain access to climbing areas