Rock Climbing
West Virginia’s rugged eastern mountains provide some of the best rock climbing
and hiking challenges anywhere for pro and amateur alike. Nelson Rocks Outdoor
Center near Circleville in the beautiful North Fork Valley area of Pendleton County
offers options suitable for beginners or experienced adventurers. They include via
ferrata and other types of rock climbing, along with miles of trails for hiking, bird
watching and geocaching.
Climbers take a break at one
of the scenic overlooks
atop Nelson Rocks.
Via ferrata, which means “iron road” in Italian, is a type of rock climbing that
involves the use of permanently installed anchor systems, which provide accessibility
to those without technical rock climbing skills. The route is a true work of art.
Only the second of its type to be built in the United States, via ferrata at
Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center offers a rare opportunity for adventurers to
experience true mountain terrain.
Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center also offers a thrilling canopy tour involving
13 zip lines and is available for both the beginner and the experienced.
Participants ride zip lines that get progressively longer and higher, up to 80 feet from
the ground, from tree to tree. While aloft, they see some of the most impressive natural
rock formations, trees and vegetation to be found anywhere. The tour ends with a
40-foot rappel out of the final tree, after traveling more than a mile through the air.
“The North Fork Valley Canopy
Tour is modeled after canopy tours
found throughout Central America
and the Caribbean,” according to
Wayne Berger, director of Nelson
Rocks Outdoor Center. “While there
is a certain level of thrill involved, the
tour is designed to give participants
ample exposure to the natural features
of the North Fork Valley and to allow
them the time to appreciate these
surroundings. The NFV Canopy Tour
is a four-hour, guided experience that
allows you to explore Pendleton County
in a completely new way.”
For more information visit
www.NelsonRocksOutdoorCenter.com or call 877-435-4842.