Indiana Climbing Association?

Hello, everyone!

I'm currently working with some contacts throughout the state, so some of you might already have received an email from me, but I thought I'd reach out here.

Indiana doesn't have the best rock, but there are some places to climb. Both legally and illegally. There's a small group of us who are actively trying to get that proportion to be much more in favor of the "legally" side. I've been working with the Access Fund and emailing people all over, but I thought you guys might be another good resource.

What I'd like from you:

• Do you know of places in Indiana (other than Hoosier National Forest, Unlikely Wall, and Muscatatuck) where there is a place to climb?
• If you do, could you list the place's name, location, and climbing status (open to the public, strictly illegal, or somewhere between)?
• And if you live in Indiana, would you like to be involved in forming an association? 

I assume you’ve probably already done most of this as you said you’re working w the access fund but I’d contact a big web of existing climbing groups in the state - climbing clubs for the major universities in IN (will PM you some of their contact info), every climbing gym and every climbing store. Consider posting flyers in the big climbing gyms as I’m sure some Hoosier heights members among others would love to join and help further your effort.

Not sure people will post the locations of their probably not illegal but not totally legal home crag. Probably more likely they’ll do so privately once the group is formed.

Good luck!

University clubs was actually one I hadn't thought of! I hit up stores and gyms and got some promising leads, but I'll try the universities too. Thanks! 

Good luck out there! I’ve been told by DNR officials to get in the way mountain bikers have... There are pieces of land owned by the state under the Harrison-Crawford state forest. We would have to have a non profit or local government land acquisition since climbing is illegal under their statutes. These places are outside of state parks, generally undisclosed to the public, and natural/cultural/historically significant sites that they will not give up without a fight. People seem content with driving to the red or moving out of state. Not much grassroots support out there. I stand defeated in your quest, but still somewhat enthusiastic about climbing where no one else does. Sharing these sites with few souls in a juxtaposition between the pros and cons of trying harder to gain legal access. There is progress to be had, but not in a climbing gym. For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack, but indiana killed its wolves. 

I have a list of a lot of places that might have the potential for climbing. I have never been to most of them though. I had actually considered doing something similar in Indiana, but never got it off the ground.

Cedar Bluffs - South of Bloomington -   thecrag.com/climbing/united…
I believe climbing is not allowed there since it's a nature preserve. nature.org/en-us/get-involv…

Messmore Cliffs - https://randycain.smugmug.com/2010-Adventures/Messmore-Cliffs-September-2010/
Might be legal? There's a bunch of other cliffs, etc in this area. I think Hemlock Cliffs are near by.

Posey Crag - Small bouldering area on the University of Southern Indiana campus - https://www.mountainproject.com/area/112804940/posey-crag
Legalish?

Kickapoo Falls - indianaclimber.blogspot.com…
I don't think it's legal to climb here anymore.
A bunch of other cool looking spots on that guys blog. Not sure where any of them are. Blogger says most of these spots are legal.I'm guessing scattered around the Hoosier National Forest

Muscatatuck - In addition to the bouldering inside the park, the Park Director Greg has been trying to develop some other area's nearby, but on private property.

Hit me up, I'd be willing to be involved.

Sorry for not replying earlier, but things went on pause once the COVID-19 situation escalated... This is great! I've looked into some already, but others are new to me. I'll be in touch once the world opens back up. Thanks!

I'd be interested in getting involved. Having more options to climb in Indiana would be amazing.

The list from Andrew above is a good list. I think there are a number of state parks that have some really good potential for climbing. ie. Turkey Run, McCormicks Creek, Clifty Falls, Obannon Woods. However, these are quite illegal and gaining access to them would be difficult. But worth a shot maybe.

It always baffles me how climbing can be illegal on state land, I can understand state officials wanting to preserve visual aesthetics and maintain minimal impact on the locations but illegal, that always leaves me scratching my head. Best of luck with your endeavor.
 

Since posting this, I've certainly gotten some good feedback and have found some walls with serious potential, but, unfortunately, this is pretty much on hold until COVID-19 slows down a bit. I'll post an update here once we get things rolling again. 

I would suggest when you get a location with good rock and favorable ownership, find some money and build a first class trail and parking area, and you will have that to point to as an example of your approach. That will mean forming a 501(c)3 and having an existence that is more than just individual. Good luck!

Late to the party, but I can definitely get behind the fight for access here. I’ve been looking into places I might try of my own accord out of boredom in the quarantine. As with Andrew I haven’t been to all of these spots, but to add a few potentials to the list:

Fern Cliff Nature Preserve – I actually have been here. It’s a small preserve in Putnam County ~140 acres. Most of the faces are mossy, but it has some vertical potential if someone put in a cleaning effort. Its very lightly trafficked but is state owned and climbing is strictly prohibited.

Pine Hills Nature Preserve – Just outside of Turkey Run.  I haven’t been there personally but it looks like it could hold some pretty clean lines. Again, it’s a nature preserve, state owned, and would definitely be an uphill battle for access.

France Park – Near Logansport, people used to climb here but its definitely illegal currently. I haven’t climbed there personally, but used to work SCUBA in the quarry and the rock quality was pretty questionable from my vantage point.

DePauw Nature Park – I grew up going here often. Clean quarry walls from limestone mining in the 70s. Place is gorgeous and if I owned it would be a mecca of single-pitch climbs. Again, no climbing is allowed, but the area is owned by the local university rather than the state. Depending on the university’s attitude it may be an easier sell compared to other spots.  If you want to petition for access here I would definitely help the cause.
 
On that thought, the best approach to Indiana crag access may be through purchasing old strip mines. Its not glamorous, but in reality that’s where 90% of our rock faces are, especially north of Bloomington.  

HMU if you are getting something organized. I love this state, but dang we are flat.    

Awesome! I'll look into those. We started the paperwork to form a 501c3, and we'll have a rollout eventually. We were looking at a clean up event at Muscatatuck as our first organized event and to announce the organization to the public, but everything is pretty much at a stand still with COVID-19.

I think quarantine has helped this post get some exposure, though. I'm loving all the ideas and support! Most of the state is pretty flat, but I know there are some spots. 

The Purdue Climbing Club had a Portland Arch guidebook from the 50s on the internet, but when I tried to find it again the other day I couldn't. It's definitively illegal now though.

Yeah, that's the motivation: what can we open back up? I hadn't heard of Portland Arch, but it looks interesting. Thanks for mentioning it! 

As an IU law grad, just be careful talking about purchasing old mining property. Environmental liability is no joke. Try an access agreement/easement or something instead. I think Indiana has a rec law that would help w landowner liability concerns.  The conservation law clinic at iu might even throw you a bone and help draft the documents. 

Max Newberry wrote: The Purdue Climbing Club had a Portland Arch guidebook from the 50s on the internet, but when I tried to find it again the other day I couldn't. It's definitively illegal now though.

I can't remember where I found it, but I saved a copy of the PDF. Should be accessible here 

I'd be willing to help out as well! I am the current president of the Purdue Outing Club and getting more climbing in Indiana sounds amazing.

We've done some research ourselves on cliffs around or near the Purdue campus and have found these:

Kickapoo Falls:
http://heartlandbooks.blogspot.com/2016/03/mysteries-of-warren-county-indiana.html?m=1
http://indianaclimber.blogspot.com/2012/02/indiana-climbing-1988.html?m=1

Black Rock Nature Preserve:
Haven't personally checked out yet but might have a couple boulders worth it.
Link to Guidebook:
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/0c01a4_c3f74a0679d84c888a3c970958b85fe4.pdf

Portland Arch:
Mentioned already,  illegal now but holds some good lines and we have an old guidebook from the 50s

NICHES land trust
Have some undeveloped rock bluffs and need to be assessed for climbability.
Someone on the board used to be a climber we believe, so it may be worth looking into more

Wow, Attica, Indiana. Who, knew? This thread has turned out better than I had hoped. Thanks!

I'll post an update here once there's something worth posting. As I'm sure you understand, getting this off the ground has become much less of a priority to some since dealing with the current crisis. 

Bump for a good cause. I grew up in Fort Wayne.

Max Newberry wrote: The Purdue Climbing Club had a Portland Arch guidebook from the 50s on the internet, but when I tried to find it again the other day I couldn't. It's definitively illegal now though.

We definitely were not going there from 1990-1995, and I never did see that guide in the gear locker.  When did that appear?

Kickapoo falls was a place people would occasionally sneak into, and it sometimes had ice, of course.

France park had some cliffs away from the lake itself that were more solid.  I recall very little about that though, and it wasn't spectacular.

I mean, the climbing has to be pretty distant and pretty bad if Purdue kids were going up to Lansing to climb at 'Grand' Ledge.
I usually ran day trips to Springfield Gorge (now closed) and Unlikely Wall, or weekends to Devil's Lake or Red River, and spring break to New River Gorge, Seneca, Sand Rock, etc...
The Biggest loss was Springfield Gorge, which was just across the Ohio Border and had some pretty good (though short) trad lines.

Springfield

Reed Hudson wrote: I'd be willing to help out as well! I am the current president of the Purdue Outing Club and getting more climbing in Indiana sounds amazing.

We've done some research ourselves on cliffs around or near the Purdue campus and have found these:

Do you still have the campus 'Buildering' Guide and do the cops aggressively discourage it?  I presume so, but back in the day, they kind of let it happen so long as we stayed off the smoke stack and the parking garages, which we treated as Trad Routes.

Purdue Climbing