Coopers Rock Climbing

This digital Coopers Rock climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Coopers Rock days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

I always considered myself a big wall climber, so bouldering had always taken a back seat. I was always of the opinion that bouldering was “practice climbing”, but I didn’t think Practice Climbs of the Cheat Canyon would sell too well, so here we are. Though it wasn’t my first choice, there’s a lot of boulders around, and it certainly has been the best form of training, given that I haven’t had a gym for most of my time here.

My first experiences were at Coopers Rock, getting the beatdown on the standard sandbags, luring me in with their low grades, and subsequently shr... Show more

This digital Coopers Rock climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Coopers Rock days smoother, safer, and more dialed. I always considered myself a big wall climber, so bouldering had always taken a back seat. I was always of the opinion that bouldering was “practice climbing”, but I didn’t think Practice Climbs of the Cheat Canyon would sell too well, so here we are. Though it wasn’t my first choice, there’s a lot of boulders around, and it certainly has been the best form of training, given that I haven’t had a gym for most of my time here. My first experiences were at Coopers Rock, getting the beatdown on the standard sandbags, luring me in with their low grades, and subsequently shredding my fingers to bloody stumps. I quickly concluded that the area was fun for the occasional local outing, but didn’t have much worth serious effort. It was frustrating to climb V8 in the gym and get shut down on V3s on the gritstone, but that’s how it goes around here. Thus, I resorted to exploring and developing new climbs in Snake Hill, which was a safe haven from sandbaggers, and really any people at all. I found all sorts of chossy little lines (some good ones, too), and had convinced myself they were all excellent, really because I had no expectations to ruin my experience; it was just climbing for the sake of climbing. No names, no grades, no people. In fact, this aspect of the Cheat Canyon climbing scene has always been the thing cherished the most by locals, so much so, that the concept of a guidebook was quite provocative at first. I never thought “adventure bouldering” was a thing. It’s a bit of an oxymoron, but this was the thing that locals wished to preserve for years. While I do acknowledge that writing a guidebook does eliminate some of the exploration, the abundance of rock leaves no shortage of exploratory outings to be had. This guidebook doesn’t even come close to documenting all of the bouldering in the area, and I’m certain there’s still some incredible lines no eye has seen. CLIMBING ETHICS: Many newer climbers are not aware of the subtleties of bouldering and climbing ethics, which results in some silly things at Tilted Tree, where one of the highest concentrations of moderates can be found. So, I want to make you all aware of some ethical quandaries that I often find. Chalk: Use climbing chalk/gym chalk (magnesium carbonate). This is harmless and washes off easily. DO NOT use rosin, sidewalk chalk, or any other substance to dry your hands, as it can damage the rock for future climbers. Brushing: Please brush tick marks off of climbs when you are finished, and avoid slapping excess amounts of chalk onto holds. If the chalk has filled in the gaps between the sand grains, you have decreased the friction of the hold. Brush off any excess chalk when you are finished, so that the next climber doesn’t have to. Wet Rock: Due to the large sand grains that make up the gritstone, holds often seep. DO NOT smack a bunch of chalk on wet holds and climb on them. Not only does this polish the holds in the long run, it isn’t very successful in drying the rock, as the chalk absorbs moisture (that’s why we use it on our hands, duh). In addition, the rock quality can vary here from being bullet-hard to soft and featured. Avoid climbing on soft, sandy, or heavily-featured rock in wet conditions, as this increases the likelihood of holds breaking and permanently altering the climb for future climbers. However, our rock is generally harder than many western sandstones, and the more solid, less-featured rock is often ok to climb when it’s a little damp, as long as you avoid climbing on flakes. If you are not sure, just wait and climb it another time. If you need to dry the rock, use a towel, a fan, or (pro tip) be clever and stuff a piece of aluminum foil in the hold and climb on that. DO NOT torch holds to dry them. This was popular in the ‘90s, and the effects can be seen with many black holds on popular classics in Tilted Tree like Pocket Prow V7 (subsequently, a crystal broke from inside one of the pockets, making the line much harder than its original V6 version). Dirt and Grime: Goodness, this one annoys me more than anything. DO NOT step in the dirt and immediately onto the rock. This smears dirt on the footholds, and eventually polishes them, permanently altering the climb and changing its difficulty. In addition, DO NOT grope the holds of a difficult climb without chalky hands, especially while somebody is projecting it. The oils from your hands also polish the hold. Your greasy little paws on the crux holds of somebody’s V10 project will ruin the next several tries for them. GEOLOGY: The rock in the Cheat Canyon and the surrounding area is predominately made up of Upper Connoquenessing Sandstone of the Pottsville group, more easily referred to as “gritstone”. It is a quartzose sandstone and conglomerate, most similar to the world-famous Millstone Grit found in the U.K. PAPER GUIDEBOOK: For more stories, longer essays, and a deep dive into the history of Cooper’s Rock, buy the paper guidebook here: https://cheatcanyonrockclimbs.com/cheat-canyon-bouldering Parking: Don’t block the road or park in an inconsiderate or illegal manner. That will get areas shut down really quickly. If an area is really busy (Tilted Tree is in view here), just go somewhere else. I bet there’s lots of climbs here you haven’t sent yet. Respecting Nature: There are endangered and threatened species to consider when climbing here, including the American Chestnut, Eastern Hemlock, Green Salamander, and the Flat-Spired Three-Toothed Land Snail, found only in the Cheat Canyon. Many southwestern Pennsylvania areas have been shut down due to Green Salamander conservation, and despite local lore, the snail is a real thing. It is part of the reason for the Coopers Overlook closure. If you see one, respect its space. Avoid excessive cleaning of landings, routes, or topouts. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for snakes; Timber rattlers can be life threatening. If you see one, record your coordinates and be sure to report it to Frank Jernejcic by calling 304-612-7725 or emailing fjernejcic@comcast.net. Hunting Season: Wear orange during hunting seasons if you will be outside of the designated no-hunting zone. Camping: There really isn’t much in the way of dirtbag camping around here unfortunately. While expensive, camping at Coopers Rock is generally the nicest option, offering both the McCollum and Rhododendron campgrounds for a total of 50 sites. The McCollum Campground has more space, and can host RVs, while the Rhododendron Campground is slightly more primitive, and is great for car camping or tent/hammock camping. As a climber, camping at Rhododendron campground will keep you within walking distance of a lot more climbing options, including fantastic bouldering caves behind sites #1 and #10. Alternatively, one can a camp at Chestnut Ridge Campground or Sand Springs Campground, which are both minutes from Coopers Rock and Darnell Hollow. If you’re willing to drive a little further, camping at Teter’s Campground near Albright is cheaper, and provides you with quick access to some fun bouldering by the Cheat River, though it is about 25 minutes from Coopers Rock proper. Please keep in mind that camping in the University Forest and in wildlife management areas is prohibited.