Climbers rejoice. Here is a cause to rally behind.
How many times have you heard about someone giving a large sum of money to an organization? You probably applaud their generous gift; send positive thoughts their way. Then you forget about it, it does not concern you, you won’t get to enjoy the contribution. What if I was to tell you that I know of a gift you could enjoy, right now?
The gift I am talking about is Muir Valley. What is Muir Valley you ask? Only one of the more unique climbing area’s in America. Does it have the towering walls of Yosemite? No. The classic climbs of Eldorado Canyon? No. What it does have is more than 350 established routes, tucked into seven miles of sandstone cliffs on 400 acres of private land. Located in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky, it is part of one of the premier climbing areas on the East Coast.
Rick and Liz Weber, the owners of Muir Valley are the most unassuming climbers you will meet — the seventy-year-old couple reminded me of an image from a Rockwell painting, quiet and unassuming, I half expected a plate of cookies set out when I visited them. The Indianapolis, Indiana, based couple fell into the sport of rock climbing 20 years ago when Liz decided to try rappelling: it looked fun, she says. She quickly realized climbing up was even more exciting, and another lover of all things vertical was born. Rick took some coaxing to get out on the rock. He says he was flat out terrified, but soon grew to love climbing.
When the Weber’s sold their business and retired, but stayed active, they drove the four hours to Red River Gorge to climb constantly. The area getting overcrowded was becoming they wanted to help, but they just did not know what to do. The answer appeared after climbing one afternoon in 2003. A friend took them to see some incredible cliffs hidden in the dense bluegrass state brush. The Weber’s instantly fell in love.
By the end of the day Mary had tracked down the owner of the land, and convinced him to sell part of it. They thought they would create a small pocket of vertical heaven. Rick invited some friends over, and they began setting routes.
Little did they know what they had set in motion. Those two initial parcels rapidly grew as climbers began flocking to the newly opened area. The Weber’s put in parking facilities, trails, bathrooms, emergency response systems and routes of varying degrees from 5.2 to 5.14 b. Rick and Liz became wilderness first responders, and they put in a helipad for emergencies. Everything was financed from their pockets; they spent close to a million dollars. They would accept donations, but nothing was expected. In 2013 over 40,000 climbers visited, and the number keeps growing.
A couple of years ago they began thinking about giving it all away. They were not getting any younger, and they wanted to ensure their area would survive after they were gone. Working with the group, The Friends of Muir Valley, they developed a plan to donate everything back to the people they loved, climbers.
In March of this year The Friends of Muir Valley announced the beginning of a fundraising campaign, they need to raise $200,000. Not one penny of the money goes to the Webber’s; it will be used to ensure that the valley has the funds to continue to operate. So far they have raised $50,000, and hope to hit goal with-in one year.
Check out their website here, and think about donation to this worthy cause. You will be helping ensure a top notch climbing area forever stays open to the public. Then head to Red River Gorge this fall to enjoy some incredible climbing, and visit Muir Valley. As you hike down to the valley floor, you will see what your donation is funding. You won’t be sorry.
