RRGCC Rocktoberfest, 2012

          Having spent the better part of two days sitting in cars, in planes and in airports on our way back from Pakistan, the prospect of leaving home again, so soon after returning to the States, had me feeling a bit anxious.  But this occasion, Rocktoberfest, is one of my favorite climbing events of the year and has always felt like a sort of homecoming; the moment I peered out the window of our puddle-jumper and saw the green pastures of Kentucky bluegrass surrounding Lexington, the stress of travel--the baggage fees, the TSA, the tight connections at Detroit--seemed to melt away, and my annual autumn pilgrimmage to sample some of the Southeast's finest sandstone had begun, in earnest.
          The Red River Gorge in October is an amazing place to see, let alone to climb; it's always at about this time each year that the foliage explodes with rich colors and the cooler temps make the already great friction even better!  This year's Rocktoberfest was an important milestone for the RRGCC, the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition, as it celebrated its final payment for the acquisition of the PMRP, the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve--home to popular climbing areas such as the Drive-By, Purgatory, Solar Collector and Dark Side crags.  Rocktoberfest 2012 also saw SCARPA among the event's title sponsors, and in addition to their support in helping to make this year's celebration one to remember, SCARPA also brought out their demo fleet of the latest rock shoes for participants to try out.  The Red is home to some of North America's steepest sport routes, and so it wasn't a surprise that our new Boostik drew the lion's share of attention--but let's not forget just how good the trad climbing is there, too!  Though the Boostik, by all accounts, stole the show, I was pleasantly surprised, too, by the number of participants who were seeking a less-aggro, more comfy shoe, like the Reflex, for the countless splitter cracks that the Red is, perhaps, less-known for these days. 

          Sunday at Rocktoberfest is clinic day, and for the second year-in-a-row, I'm proud to say, my Intro to Trad class was SOLD OUT!  Due to a last-minute scheduling mix-up, my OR teammates, Madeleine Sorkin and Nik Berry, found themselves without clinics of their own to teach, and so the three of us decided to join forces.  Together, and with the expert help of local guide Mark Ryan, the four of us headed out to the Global Village crag where our participants grilled us on all things trad--from nut placements to anchor equalization--enjoying what was, no doubt, the best climber-to-guide ratio of all the event's clinics!  Thanks to everyone who joined us for another terrific Intro to Trad class, to the RRGCC Board, Rocktoberfest volunteers, and to the great folks at SCARPA for their continuing support of grassroots climber-advocacy organizations!  I'm already looking forward to next year's Fall Trip!