Blue Ridge Mountain Guides

10/22/2024

360 view of Seneca Rocks, WV 10/21/24 🍁

10/17/2024

Spaces are still available on two of our 2024 American Mountain Guides Association SPI Programs!

Fall is the perfect time to take the course, your initial assessment, or recertify to make sure you are ready for the start of the 2025 season.

Blue Ridge Mountain Guides is an AMGA Accredited Business and SPI Programs are lead by AMGA Alpine Guide, Rock Instructor, and Assistant Ski Guide Richard Price

09/30/2024

The devastation that Western N.C. and surrounding areas are facing is unbelievable. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by hurricane Helene. If you would like to assist the Carolina Climbers Coalition has compiled a list of channels to provide support.

Our hearts are broken at the destruction brought by Helene. We have received your messages asking how you can help. Thank you for reaching out and wanting to take positive action. At this time, unauthorized travel to these regions is irresponsible and could get in the way of emergency personnel. However, when the time is right, we will sound the alarm and rally our climbing community to aid in the recovery effort.

For now, we are sharing resources and suggestions for supporting the greater recovery efforts :
🔴 United Way has created a fund to help those affected by Helene. https://www.unitedwaync.org/
🔴American Red Cross - You can visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to make a financial donation. People can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/press-release/2024/red-cross-responds-to-hurricane-helene.html
🔴The Salvation Army is accepting donation and mobilizing disaster response teams. https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/
🔴Baptists on a Mission volunteers are putting teams together to serve those affected in North Carolina as conditions allow. https://baptistsonmission.org/Mission-Projects/By-Mission-Type/Disaster-Relief/Hurricane-Helene/Update
🔴Samaritan’s Purse’s headquarters is in Boone. They are currently scheduling volunteers to help homeowners with the destruction in the city. https://spvolunteer.org/project-response/743
🔴Find a recovery group to help via the North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster list or find a group to volunteer with. https://www.ncvoad.org/volunteer/
🔴GoFundMe has launched a hub for Helene relief that includes some North Carolina fundraisers. https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/hurricane-helene

📸 NC News Outlet

09/24/2024

Let’s climb together! Women’s half-day climbing collective event with Sarah Orr Yun at Great Falls, VA on Saturday, November 2nd!

Contact Blue Ridge Mountain Guides to join.

09/17/2024

2025 Cascades Trips‼️
We are so grateful for the amazing climbs in the North Cascades of Washington this summer and the people we get to share them with.

In the coming summer we are looking forward to more hiking with heavy packs, stunning alpine lakes, climbing the chossiest of slopes and ridges, the most golden sunrises and sunsets, wag bagging, the lush PNW flora, wildfire smoke, summits, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with climbing mountains.

You in?

Open Enrollment Trips
- Mount Baker First Ascent Course 7/11-13/25
- West Ridge of Forbidden Peak 7/18-20/25
- Mount Baker First Ascent Course 8/8-10/25
- Mount Shuksan Fisher Chimneys 8/15-17/25

Private Guiding
- July 11 - 21
- Aug 8 - 18

ArcteryxUs Petzl Sterling Rope

02/25/2024

Ever use your ice tool or axe to fence your rope and keep it from sliding?

11/20/2023

Today is the LAST DAY to vote for 2024 Best of the Blue Ridge Nominees! Link in bio and below.

https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/best-of-the-blue-ridge/

11/13/2023

Great mileage day on Old Rag! We toured walls chasing the sun. The watch ended up reading 12.73 miles and 3,112’ of non-technical ascent and descent.

In Leu of Seneca 5.6
One Bolt Too Many 5.7
Deb’s Dilemma 5.8
Sandycapped 5.10-
Chasm Crack 5.8
Twin Crack Left w/ direct start 5.8

10/08/2023

Are you just getting into climbing and wondering what gear you need on your harness?

So you just got a climbing harness, and now you need some gear to bling it out? Here’s what we recommend… A Black Diamond ATC Guide, a few Petzl Attache carabiners, a Sterling HollowBlock2, Petzl SmD carabiner, and our favorite, a Black Diamond 4' Nylon Sling.

09/19/2023

Climbing on Old Rag Mtn, VA today! Temps were great, leaves were starting to change, and the climbing partnership was excellent.

- Pedestal 5.6 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Baseline 5.6 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Pure Fun 5.7 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Piton Crack 5.7 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pretty solid tick list for a first day on the Mtn and 8 hours car to car.

09/11/2023

Not bad for a “rainy” weekend at Seneca! By basing decisions off multiple weather models using and 7am starts, we got a lot of climbing done with little to no weather impacts.

What an honor to be out with folks for their first outdoor climbing experience.

Learning skills like tying into the rope, belaying, rappelling, and climbing movement prepare climbers for their next outdoor objective, whether that be a multi-pitch route to the South Peak summit of Seneca, learning how to construct top rope anchors, or heading to the mountains for their first glaciated objective.

Getting to be a part of people’s start in climbing is huge. Thank you to everyone that has given us that opportunity!

07/04/2023

Last minute space available on the AMGA SPI Assessment at Great Falls, VA July 10-11!

Book online or contact us to snag the spot.

We also have spaces on the SPI Course this Friday through Sunday.

06/26/2023

If you want to Go Fast, STOP tying knots! - Marc Chauvin.

With a reliable fixed thread it can be as simple as clipping a carabiner for the leader to Clove Hitch to and then another carabiner to hang the belay device from.

This avoids unraveling and coiling up a sling of cordellette and tying and untying knots.

⚠️ Evaluate fixed anchors. Threads may have been abraded, chewed on by critters, or constructed improperly.

✅ Secure
✅ Effective - minimal equipment and time
✅ Other parties can still utilize the rappel station

What do you think? Could you see fixed anchors that promote efficiency benefiting our growing climbing community and crowded crags? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

04/11/2023

We have a space that has opened on this weekends AMGA SPI Assessment at Pilot Mountain, NC.

If you need to recertify or take the assessment for the first time, this is a great opportunity to do so prior to the season getting further underway.

Register online or over the phone with us!

04/07/2023

Seneca Rocks South Peak Med Boxes have been restocked.

Contents:
- Commercial tourniquet
- Hemostatic gauze
- CPR barrier
- Aspirin
- Benadryl
- Oral Glucose
- Cravats
- Tape
- Space blankets

Locations:
- Base of Old Man’s Route
- Top of Old Man’s Route/Windy Corner (east side)
- Top of Skyline Traverse
- East face rescue basket cache (below Gunsight Notch)

Friends of Seneca

03/25/2023

Today was the first day of our 2023 rock climbing season with climbing at Manchester Wall in Richmond, VA and at Stone Mountain, NC!



Flight conducted in authorized airspace in accordance with FAA Part 107. sUAS launched, landed, and controlled from permitted land.

12/29/2022

Want to learn more about ice climbing in VA? Check out Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s ice climbing trip with Blue Ridge Mountain Guides.

Ice Climbing in the Blue Ridge Mountains requires the right conditions. Since many popular crags in the region experience “freeze-thaw”

12/22/2022

Get it while it’s cold! We have opened VA ice climbing availability for Tuesday and Wednesday Dec 27th and 28th. Book online before guide availability is gone! (photos from 2021/22 season)

First photo by

11/08/2022

We are honored to have been nominated for Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Best Climbing Guide Company! Voting is open from today through Nov. 21st. Please vote for us, other local businesses, destinations, events, food and drink, and more!

https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/best-of-the-blue-ridge/?goal=0_3340a8cb74-3752517da3-245547548&mc_cid=3752517da3&mc_eid=5471a4dcb5

11/08/2022

Two spaces are still available on the AMGA SPI Assessment at Great Falls Park, VA on Monday and Tuesday 11/28-29.

Don’t miss this opportunity to certify or recertify before the end of the year. Is your course sunset or certification re-entry period running out?

Arc'teryx] Arc'teryx]

10/29/2022

Ecstasy Junior, Old Man’s Route, South Peak Summit, Orangeaid rappels, East Face to Gunsight Notch, and the Gunsight Notch rappel.

10/25/2022

Great day on the west face! It’s still warm enough to climb in the shade at Seneca… and by warm enough we mean, the temps were perfect 💯

Prune, Front C, Crusher Critter, Critter Crack, South Peak Summit, and down the Conn’s West Rappels.