Climbing Near Morgantown, West Virginia

This area has always had sensitive access issues so tread very lightly!!!Pioneer rocks is a quiet place just outside Morgantown near Deckers Creek. It is a small area of sandstone faces best suited for top roping. Locals know about this area, mainly because it is close to town and an easy jaunt if you must get in a climb but don't have time to drive to Cooper's Rock. I rarely run into other people there!The main area consists of a few moderately difficult routes with small fingerholes and rounded edgy foot holds. A nice dihedral and chimney grace the right end of the main face. Finding a good anchor to allow you to hit a few different lines is the biggest challenge. You'll need a few long lengths of webbing (I take a 40' and 50'). I'm sure someone has come up with catchy climby names for these routes, but since I'm still searching for anything in print about this area, I won't venture to rename any of them. I would estimate difficulty in the range of 5.5 for the most easily anchored spot (you'll know it when you get to the top) and around 5.9 to 5.10 for the left face of the dihedral. Any additional information would be great. Take highway 7 out of Morgantown, through Sabraton. You'll go under I-68 and after about 3 miles you'll pass Tyrone Road on your left and a small store called (I believe) Pioneer Market. Just past the market on your right is a small pull-off. Park here. Now walk further on down the road about 100 yards and the cliffs are on your left. Beware, there are a lot of thorny bushes between you and the rock, pants aren't a bad idea. The approach to the top is easy to find beginning at the left end of the face.

These are routes closest to Cheat Lake's new Ices Ferry Bridge completed in 2012 (not the taller interstate-68 bridge nearby).  I never imagined Cheat Lake would ever have nice ice routes like this, and maybe they'll get fat again.  It felt incredible to send them for the first time ever, especially after jumping off these cliffs many moons ago before the new bridge existed. West side of Cheat Lake's new Ices Ferry Bridge

There are multiple small crags located behind the Mont Chateau Geological Center and along the Mont Chatea Trail that runs parallel to Quarry Run down to Cheat Lake. Park at Mont Chatea geological center (parking is allowed from about 9a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and anytime on weekends. They close the gates to the parking area during the week. If you park here, hike the trail behind the Mont Chateau building, where you will see a sizeable cliff on the left (approach time: 30 seconds). To reach the other short cliffband, continue down the trail and cross Quarry Run, heading uphill on the Mont Chateau Trail. Once at the large “coral” boulder on the right, walk straight uphill (approach time: 15 minutes). Alternatively, park along Mont Chateau Road or at the Picnic Table (Mushroom Boulder) and hike down the Ridge trail until it intersects with the Mont Chateau Trail, which can be taken downhill towards the lake.