Contact Station Boulders  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  36.6132, -81.4809 Map Page Views:  4,105. Good page? (1 like)    Administrator:  Aaron James Parlier Submitted By:  Aaron James Parlier on Jul 9, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Inspecting True Grit Boulder at the Contact Statio...

Description 

Although this is a small area (only four boulders), its a very short walk, and houses a diversity of bouldering. From the dynamic, powerful, and inverted climbing on the first boulder (the "True Grit Boulder"), to the straight foreword and tallish boulder that the beginner and experienced both can enjoy together (the "Ranger Rick" boulder), this area has almost everything. The Periscope Boulder has the aesthetic and classic "Periscope" (v3) and the fun "Bombsight" to try. The Contact Boulder stands on its own as one of the favorite boulders to end (or begin) the day on... this area is all around great.

Getting There 

As you pull into the park, you have to pay three dollars (at the peak season) as you drive past the little pay station, there is a big building with a circular parking lot. this is the Contact Station. it will be directly to your left. this place has drink machines, bathrooms, usually a friendly park ranger on duty, and cool stickers and stuff to buy. you will park here to get to the nearby Contact Station Boulders.
when you park at the station, get your pads and gear and walk back down the road for about a minute. pay attention to your right up on the hill from the road. you will see an extremely inverted boulder that looks like it has just been pressed from the earth. this is the True Grit Boulder.
scramble up the hill, and then you will see the start of the other boulder (The Ranger Rick Boulder) to the right and back from the first inverted boulder.
To get to the Contact Boulder, walk past the True Grit Boulder, down the road about 50 feet further and to the left (you would pass it on the right as you drive in) there will be a gravel road and a sign saying do not enter (I wouldn't put this on here if I hadn't checked with the park service to be ensure climbers are allowed here, this sign is for motorists so no one drives down there. there are barns full of park equipment at the very bottom of the road...)
walk a short distance down the road and as you get to the split in the road to the right, walk into the woods diagonally towards the boulder top that is within sight. that is the contact boulder...
enjoy.

The Classics

Featured Route For Contact Station Boulders

Mostly Harmless V4  VA : Grayson Highlands State Par... : Contact Station Boulders

Sit start same as "Copperhead" (v3) on large jugs with a left heel hook. Move straight up to a solid flake and then out right to a rail/flake. Work your feet to the right and use a heel on the start holds before starting the traverse, moving far right to a flat crimp. Lower your feet down into the crack area before bringing your left hand down to a crimp. From there bump up with your right or go big for the jug on the right side of the crack. The rest is jugs the whole way to the top out. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in VA

Photos of Contact Station Boulders Slideshow

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The True Grit Boulder at the contact Station Bould...	Jason Lachniet. FA on "True Grit"(V-5+)at the Cont...	Aaron Parlier with a snowy FA of "Tech-Tonic" (V-7...
Aaron Parlier just after the sit-start to "Tech-To...	Vanessa Keller on "Ranger Rick" (V-0+) on the Rang...	Vanessa Keller on the sit start to "periscope" (V-...
Vanessa Keller on "periscope" (V-3) on the Ranger ...	Travis Melin on "Periscope" (V-3) on the Ranger Bo...	Vanessa Keller on "True Grit" (V-5+) on the True G...
Joanna Jennings working the fun "Copperhead" (V-3)...	Joanna Jennings on "Ranger Rick" (V-0), Ranger Ric...	Katie Everson sizing up the Ranger Rick Boulder