Tourism Day at the Legislature
Full Moon Via Ferrata Climb review
We found this wonderful review of the Full Moon Via Ferrata climb on Yelp reviews! Check it out!
I’ve been here twice. Once, many years ago before I got into climbing and a second time this summer, after the new management took over. Paul G. does a fantastic job of describing the climb for first time climbers. I can’t add much more on that front.
And so my review is specifically for the Full Moon Via Ferrata climb. I was privileged and honored to be part of the first commercial night climb. My friend and I found out that you could do the climb at night, by moonlight, from NROC’s Facebook page. We thought it was an amazing idea and booked right away thinking it might sell out. We were shocked to arrive and find out we were the only two.
The Full Moon trip cost $150 per person, and included an amazing dinner catered by Seneca Caverns (roasted chicken, fresh homemade biscuits, gravy, roasted vegetable orzo, watermelon, tea, coffee, and even at my request, huge birthday cupcakes for my friend complete with a candle!), a stay in the NROC rustic cabins, and the climb itself. The rustic cabins are extremely well maintained, the grounds have a great firepit stocked with firewood, each cabin had fresh water and grills, and the portapotties were the cleanest ones I’ve ever seen. We also saw that they are in the process of putting in a bathhouse.
Dinner was served at 6:30 pm and we were able to settle in, eat, throw up our hammocks and relax a bit before our guide Jason came back to pick us up to head down to the trailhead. He made it clear in advance that since it was just the two of us, we could take whatever pace we wanted and tried to time our climb so we hit the notch right as the moon was rising. We were a little early, so we just hung out in the notch, chatting, and generally enjoying being the only people on the entire system. When the moon did rise, it was stunning. It was so bright it cast shadows across to the other fin.
Jason let us keep the cooler that came with the food overnight so we could stash our breakfast and beers. We were back at the cabins, with beer in hand by 12:30 or 1:00 am.
Touched Down in the Middle East!
One of our guides, Stephen Hyndman, is spending the winter in the United Arab Emirates, just outside of Dubai, working as a guide for Absolute Adventures. Here is one of his posts from his own blog filling everyone in on his time spent there so far:
(Stephen is on the far right)
I finally made it! The week long journey is complete and I have now traveled from Breckenridge, CO to the Arabian Peninsula!
I have just gained Internet access so I have not been able to update in the last few days. Let me fill you in on all the action.
The twelve hour flight went smoothly. Emerates Air is a very luxurious airline and although I was in economy class the services were outstanding. Each seat was equipped with its own media center and a selection of hundreds of movies, tv shows, and games. You can even access the internet, email, and international news. I slept a little bit but spent most of the flight watching movies. I think I watched 5. The food was very good as well and they brought us either a snack or a meal every 2 hours. When we landed I saw the worlds tallest building and largest airliner simultaneously. The A380 is currently only operated by Emerates Air and is a full double decked airplane, incredible piece of engineering.
Got in to Dubai airport at 8:30 am local time where I was greeted by Mike Camp, the sales manager for Absolute Adenture. Mike is an American from Boston who graduated from the outdoor rec. program at Central Wyoming College. Two other guides were to arrive later in the day so we went back to Mikes flat where we ironically watched skiing videos from the record winter last year in BC and Wyoming. It made me nostalgic for Colorado for sure.
We went to lunch by the beach in Dubai where I saw more expensive cars than ever before in my life. I even saw the brand new Lamborghini Aventador driving down the road. Dubai felt like a little piece of America and there were many westerners throughout the city. I saw the indoor ski resort from the outside but have not been in there yet.
Once the two other guides arrived we hopped in the car and made the 90 minute drive to Dibba where we are to live and work for the next 3 months. We arrived at night and could not get a sense for the the scenery until the next day.
Upon waking up the next morning I was blown away by the epic view of the sea and mountains from our house. This is truly an amazing place!
Pendleton County’s Most Magnificent Towers – Nelson Rocks
Penned by Charles S. Nelson : Nov. 28, 1903 - Oct. 22, 1988
Born a half mile from these towers, he enjoyed their beauty most every day until a stroke in 1985 confined him to a nursing home. Edited and condensed by his daughter, Lorella Lee Nelson-Mitchell, who took the Dec. 1973 background photo of her father on top the southwest find of Nelson Rocks. The extract below if from Charles nelson’s “To be an American and other poems.” More information about the book can be obtained from Lorella Mitchell Nelson at mitchellfarm@spruceknob.net or you can contact NROC directly at Contact@NelsonRocksOutdoorCenter.com or 1-877-435-4842
Much has been written about the historic and scenic spots in Pendleton County, and appropriately so. But in the praises, spoken and written, of places of interest and beauty, one most beautiful and lofty massive structure has seldom been included. This point of magnificence is Nelson Rocks, less than three miles northeast of the village of Circleville, and just across the North Fork river valley from the highest point in the state, Spruce Knob.
These rocks change from a cold gray color to lighter gray to red mixed with yellow as the time of day and position of the sun changes. Behold them in the morning before they have been brightened by the sunlight, and they appear as statues, standing cold and dumb, without even an affable glare. Then turn toward their friendly side when light brings out their changefulness of color, and see the perfection of beauty reflected from each pinnacle and crevice; through every cordial sunbeam they speak silently a message sublime.
The massive formation of their walls, columns, and peaks presents a display of grandeur. Two solid walls, two or three hundred feet apart at their bases on each side of the creek that comes rippling and sometimes roaring down, extend almost parallel for about a half mile toward the summits of two mountain ridges. One ledge on either side of the creek extends across the top as part of the chain of formations seen through the valley, the loftiest of which I can only faintly describe. Some of the columns stand as if careful monumental arrangement had designed them to mark the spot of earth’s only paradise. Other towering columns extend so high as to become artistically sloped pinnacles, pointing in devotion to an infinite Creator. To stand in the winding road at their base by the stream, and gaze in wonder and amazement toward the top of the perpendicular columns, makes the head grow dizzy and the eyes glimmer as they transfer to a longer-range focus.
An idea of their height may be had from the fact that it took a full double-charge of powder from a hunter’s rifle, in the hands of a skilled marksman, to bring down from his perch on one of their peaks, a wild turkey loftily resting there. When paralyzed by the musket ball from my great-grandfather Job’s rifle, the bird tumbled into the abyss below, and was picked up a mangled mass, but an enviable trophy of the challenge. Sometime between 1970 and 1985, this pinnacle was named Job’s Turkey by the rock climbers.
Large boulders are abundant at the base of these rocky walls, having been broken during some great upheaval or by pressure of flood waters centuries ago. Bits are often shattered from their massive sides by violent strikes of lightning and the breaking fingers of frost and ice. Roots of trees and shrubs also pry into their crevices and break away an occasional mass. Against their sides and upon their tops grow the pines, ferns, and lichens, making a perfection of decoration. In springtime when the laurel blossoms, it appears as a fairy queen’s garden, and is one of the most beautiful pages in God’s great book of nature. When snow caps hang upon their pinnacles and each offset is pure white, when the evergreens against their sides and upon the slopes below bow beneath their new white array, one would call it a Christmas fairyland.
These majestic monuments have stood through multiplied centuries. The eagle has built her nest and reared her young among their crags. Foxes have sought refuge from the hunter’s dog in their cavernous openings, or escaped with nimble feet through some well known crevice. Birds have warbled forth their songs from the bushes against their sides. Flowers have grown and died upon their very tops. Schoolboys have scaled their walls, and lovers have confided their most profound secrets in their shadows. Many, including six generations of my ancestors, have beheld them. But there they tower still, from earth toward heaven, monuments to those sleeping upon the hilltops just in sight.
Admirers of beauty everywhere, come to this picturesque glen in summer, winter, spring, or autumn. Behold these colossal towers, these monumental columns which tarnish not with age; feel that sometime in the millenniums of the past there was present in this part of West Virginia a Master architect who perfected His work and stepped aside to smile approval upon the generations of human worshippers at this majestic shrine. As you gaze, long and wonderingly, upon and toward the summit of these statues standing in unmistakable silence, you will hear a voice from somewhere speaking to your soul, and there will be no doubt as your footsteps trace homeward that “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork – Psalm 19:1.”
Charles was the son of Cecil (1871-1962), grandson of Elijah Stewart (1846-1931) and Joseph (1853-1928), and great-grandson of Job (1817-1895) of Isaac (1773- abt 1850) of John (abt 1750-aft 1820) of Thomas (abt 1730-abt 1789), the first Nelson in Pendleton County.
Melinda’s Story
Smiles, smiles, smiles. Everywhere you look people are smiling. Is this simply a random occurrence? Or are the men and women that comprise the staff at Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center really just that happy? The staff members here are truly unique. Fluttering to and fro like butterflies, in the constant search for worthwhile experiences and an honest day’s work. Luckily for us, the two go hand in hand down at Nelson Rocks. This eclectic cast of characters comes to you from far and wide, from a diverse array of backgrounds and interests. All of these people share one major thing in common; one thing that unites the most contrasting personalities. This being a most undeniable force lurking deep within us all, oftentimes, the force goes unnoticed and unheard. That is until the moment, when you embrace your passion and allow it to be free. Working at Nelson Rocks did just this for many of us guides. It has allowed us the opportunity to showcase our enthusiasm and love of the ro
ck. It is an art form if you allow it to be. Each one of us lusts for the beauty held within this forest, from the fins of quartzite, to the plants and critters, all play an integral role in comprising a beautiful and perfect little community. We long to share its charm with anyone who will listen. It is our hope that upon leaving NROC one will crave to have experiences like it again.
Go home and expl
ore, take more walks through the woods. Go fish, go bike, or do anything outdoors. Embrace each and every moment you have reveling in the beauty of the natural world and remember to share it with family, friends and pets. It becomes an obsession and addiction. Once you have it, you’re hooked. You have to have more, and you will do anything to get it. This may even include packing your life into your car and moving to Pendleton County, West Virginia. That is how it happened for many of us who now call this place home. With so much beauty all in one area it would be impossible to see it all in a day: Seneca Rocks, Spruce Knob, Smoke Hole Canyon, Canaan Valley, Dolly Sods, to name a few. So take a long weekend, or heck, quit your job and inquire here instead! This is what brings the guides here. We don’t do it for fame, glory, or even the big bucks. We do it because it is our lifeblood. It is what makes our hearts tick, even on the darkest of days, in the coldest hours, the ever-present knowing of this beautiful force lurks within and calls us home to the woods, to the rock, to this place.
If Melinda’s story has inspired you and you decide that you want to experience being a part of this amazing staff, we encourage you to send your resume to contact@nelsonrocksoutdoorcenter.com. We are currently hiring for seasonal positions and we are excited to have new individuals join our unique NROC team!
Teambuilding on the Via Ferrata
Some have called the Via Ferrata “a challenge course on steroids”, but I beg to differ. First of all, it is the negative connotation of steroids that I don’t like. The Via Ferrata is big and it’s strong, yet it is somehow humble and graceful. No steroids necessary. In addition, is the term “challenge course” necessary? The Via Ferrata here at Nelson Rocks wasn’t built with the purpose of “challenge course” in mind. Most of us are familiar with challenge courses. We probably know someone who has been to one or we’ve at least heard the stories of walking skinny cables, jumping off telephone poles and being caught by teammates below.
Challenge courses are great and have a long, rich history of providing the young and old alike the opportunity to step beyond everyday norms. Challenge courses can be facilitated to focus on what is relevant for the group and their goals. Mostly, it’s the idea of going beyond what was previously thought impossible, having trust and faith in oneself to overcome personal boundaries, as well as learning to trust and have faith in others, overcoming social boundaries.
So, what then is the Via Ferrata? Doesn’t the Via Ferrata conjure up the same types of feelings? Do we not step beyond everyday comforts while out on the Iron Way? Do we not put our trust and faith into others to keep us safe while we’re hundreds of feet in the air? Is it not a challenge course? It certainly has a lot of similarities.
We recently agreed for the first time to do some actual team building on the Via Ferrata. We worked with a girls high school basketball team who had done a traditional challenge course the year before. They wanted to do something a little different this year and it was recommended to the coach to try out our Via Ferrata. So, naturally we discussed with the coach what his goals were and what our capabilities and limitations would be. He was looking to help develop and empower some of his up and coming leaders. We couldn’t guarantee everyone was going to be able to be successful in the way of finishing the route. The goal wasn’t going to be winning; it was going to be about support. Sometimes our most influential leaders aren’t the ones who score the most points but are the ones who give the most support. This was going to be the foundation to focus on. We quickly realized the level of compassion the teammates had for one another. It turned out that this team was inspiring in how they supported one another and it was a lot of fun for us as guide facilitators.
The Via Ferrata speaks to everyone in its own way. As guides, we do very little in the way of facilitating the experience for most 
groups and often let the mountain speak for itself. We act as support, we’re there to help folks get back down, metaphorically speaking, to a safer place. We do not believe in encouraging folks to continue if they are not comfortable with where they are physically and or emotionally. We share in the accomplishments of wise decisions, whether or not the route was completed or not. Because individuals manage their own safety equipment, this “self-risk management” is what brings forth true accomplishment.
We look forward to working with more groups who would like to take it a step further. There are many great lessons to be learned while out on the Via Ferrata, some are very obvious and straight forward, while others are not so obvious but are often just as relevant and crucial to the experience. No matter the reasons for choosing to climb the Via Ferrata we hope that it is a rewarding experience, we hope people find out more about themselves and those around them, and we hope people rise to the challenge that is right for them. We look forward to going beyond our own boundaries.
Special thanks to Coach Hartley and the team from Fort Defiance.
- Gatan
Fort Defiance High School Girls Basketball Team Visits NROC
We were recently visited by the girls basketball team from Fort Defiance High School! Check out what they had to say about their visit:
“The Via Ferrata was a great experience. I feel that it brought our team together. We encouraged each other very well and it made a big impact on us. I have never been on a team this close. It was a great experience!” -Devon Byrd
“The Via Ferrata trip was amazing! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and a great experience. It tested our skills and brought us closer as a team.” -Megan Good
“My experience was amazing! That made me realize how much I can do if I put my mind to it. I will always remember the trip. The moments I never thought that I would get through it were great because it made me mentally stronger as a person.” -Sam Ruebush
“The Via Ferrata was a great experience. It brought our team closer because we had to encourage each other and help each other through the course. I have never done anything like it.” -Reagan Uhler
“The Via Ferrata was a life changing experience. It was not only about me finishing the course, but helping encourage my teammates to keep on going also. I had a great time and would love to do it again.” -Amber Simmons
“My experience on the Via Ferrata course was amazing! It challenged me to do things that I never thought that I could do. I loved knowing that I could accomplish new things that pushed me to extremes physically and mentally. THE VIA FERRATA IS AMAZING!” -Annie Everett
Contact us at 1-877-435-4842 to learn more about teambuilding and challenge opportunities for your team! To book your trip to the Via Ferrata, click here!
Thanks For Mentioning Us!
Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center was recently mentioned in a fellow blogger’s post. Read the post ”Whatever You Do, Don’t Look Down,” by “thoughtsappear” to learn about her experience climbing the Via Ferrata! We want to thank you, “thoughtsappear,” for coming to visit us despite the cold weather we experienced during your climb and we look forward to seeing you again in the warmer months!
Gatan’s Story 2
With the end of Daylight Saving Time, Gatan reflects on the end of the warm weather season and looks ahead to the wintery days at Nelson Rocks.
As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, our season slowly winds down. This time a year is often bittersweet for us. As we look back on the year and the work that was done we also look ahead to the next great adventure. Many of our fellow guides journey elsewhere for the winter season, and we thank them for all of their talents and dedicated work.
We say good-bye for now. We hug and thank one another for a wonderful past season. We depart and wish one another well and to have a safe journey, perhaps we’ll see each other again next year; perhaps not. Life’s adventure will take some to warmer climates on an endless summer in pursuit of rocks, others will find colder climates and embrace the deep powder snows, some will return to school and academia. Wherever they go or whatever they do, we thank them.
Our guides are an amazing bunch, full of life and passion, always supporting and encouraging one another to continue on with their chosen dreams. The dreams always differ but the common thread is adventure and a remarkable ability to embrace life.
Our guides and fellow co-workers do for one another what they do for our guests. They support, encourage, keep safe, and congratulate one another on a job well done. Truly remarkable in many ways, it is always a pleasure to work with such an inspiring team.
We will keep everyone updated as to the whereabouts of one another via Facebook and our blog throughout the winter. Feel free to drop us a line or stop in. A small handful of us will stick out the winter here in the North Fork Valley and we will continue to offer Via Ferrata climbs and North Fork Valley Canopy tours, weather dependant of course. So, dress warm and come on out for a visit.
Thanks to everyone for a great season.
NROC – Via Ferrata Video
Check out this video, courtesy of Donna Snow, that shows some great footage of what it’s like to climb the Via Ferrata!
