History is Ongoing…
One significant reason no one endeavored to document climbs and compile guidebooks for this area is the consistently changing climbing scene. During the 11-month period I spent working full-time on the recent bouldering guide, edits were constantly being made as a multitude of new climbs were established and new projects were opened. In just in the two-month period of time it took for the books to print and ship, a number of new projects documented in the book saw their first ascents. In addition, an amalgamation of new lines were cleaned and developed by local first ascensionists, and more unpublished climbs were discovered in old notes. This page will provide details on new additions as the history of climbing in the area unfolds.
Cheat Canyon Bouldering Volume I: Coopers Rock- Updates
County Line North-
pg. 30- #11- Pftahh (Project) V7 has been completed with the same name and grade. I was unable to stick the crux move until I took my shoes off to utilize a high foot crimp, which allowed me to then send it on the first try shoeless. I found it best to start this line from the same starting jugs of Errr, which flowed more naturally.
FA: Andrew Leich November 17, 2024
Eldorado-
pg. 46- #24- Dirty Mantle Project is now B.R.A.T. V5. Now that it’s cleaner, it is higher-quality than the book suggests, perhaps one or two stars, as it has some fairly unique moves.
FA: Dylan Griffith, September 6, 2024
Roof Rocks-
pg. 52- #7- The Straight Outta Projects Project has been completed, and the name has stuck. Somehow this line is only V8 or so. I foolishly thought it would be V13 while scouting for the guidebook. This line, in my opinion, is the best climbing in the Desert Roof. After a body tension crux matching the small but comfortable crimp, power to a glorious bucket at the lip and hold a ridiculous swing. This is a rare example of a climb where being able to complete a one-arm pull-up helps quite a bit. Pull over the lip on harder-than-it-looks terrain, and top out on the ledge, walking left to downclimb by the tree. FA: Andrew Leich, December 7th, 2024
Grunge Boulders-
pg. 62- #28- All Apologies Project has been sent and is now known as Softies Club aka All Apologies V10. FA: Andrew Leich November 25, 2024
pg. 62- #29- Brain Fart Project has been sent, and is now known as Cerebral Edema V8. This line completes the crux of Brain Fog and breaks left across the rail to add some fun moves without adding difficulty. Join the Softies Club and top out there. FA: Andrew Leich December 3, 2024
Tilted Tree-
pg. 163- #210- Fiddlesticks Direct (Project) is now Fiddle-Faddle V10. This is a party-trick boulder that took the FA over 300 attempts over 4 years. FA: Slab Justice Warrior November 12, 2024
pg. 184- #366- Final Fantasy Extension is reportedly called “Snowflakes”.
pg. 187 - #402- Body Phat V6 is worthy of four stars, and is a classic for the area.
pg. 187- #403- Phat Shaming V4 has now been done as a sit start, which is a good ‘ole solid V6 with powerful moves on sloping holds. Worthy of four stars.
In-Between Area-
pg. 199- #11- Snail Hole Project is now Abandon All Hope V5.
FA: Michael Brown September 2024
pg. 199- #20- Diet of Snails V5 is no longer a project.
FA: Andrew Leich September 15, 2024
pg. 200- #22- Isosceles Roof V8- After repeating this line, I think it deserves 3 or 4 stars rather than the two it was given in the book.
pg. 207- #88- Death Camp (Project) has been completed, and is now called Butterfly in the Sky V9.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior November 13, 2024.
pg. 208- #92- Ode to the Next Generation (Project) has been established with the same name and confirmed at V7. After completing the iconic step-up dyno, a unique recycle crux using a very small crimp leads to jugs and an easy top out (V1).
FA: Andrew Leich October 23, 2024
pg. 208- #92- Ode to the Next Generation V7 was also completed as a hang and drop called The Gymbo Rocket V4, which completes the fun step-up dyno and ends at the obvious jug. It has been done as a sit start from under the roof, but this adds no difficulty. Most prefer to just stand start and do the dyno alone. It is likely the best dyno in the forest.
FA: Andrew Leich September 16, 2024
pg. 210- #119- Nazarite Vow V7 is actually a project still. Whoops.
pg. 215- #151- Gritty Grave (Project) appears to be closer to V12.
Roadside-
pg. 221- #16- Black Hawk Down Project is now GET TO THE CHOPPA! V11. This line features an extremely height-dependent crux, leading to a V8 section to link into Helicopter V5.
FA: Michael Brown November 13, 2024
pg. 236- #149- Coopers Rockette- After repeating this line recently, I feel it should be V2 rather than the V6 it was originally given.
pg. 241- #196- He Got Wheels (Project) was established with the same name at V8. As described in the book, this line is somewhat of an eliminate. After hitting a sloping scoop over the lip of the roof, immediately break left to a bad crimp seam before slapping your way to the upper lip and topping out on the point.
FA: Andrew Leich October 23, 2024
pg. 241- #196- The non-eliminate version of He Got Wheels is a four-star classic called Full of Eyes V5. This line climbs out the roof to matching sloping scoops before hitting the upper lip and breaking left to top out on the point.
pg. 241- #200- Gulag Fingers V5 has now been established, keeping the same name. It was completed as a sit start from a thin incut flake. Starting lower is possible, and likely around V7.
FA: Mark Tasker October 28, 2024
pg. 248- #264- Cartoon-Sized Hammer (Project) has been established with the same name at V8 using some knee-bar trickery.
FA: Andrew Leich October 18, 2024
Underlook Area-
pg. 252- #8- Wet Virginia (Project) has been established with the same name at V8.
FA: Andrew Leich October 28, 2024
Upper Rock City-
pg. 280- #77- The Crux of Silence V8 is actually still a project. Whoops.
The Sea-
pg. 301- #38- Trapped Under Ice (Project) is now Trapped Under Ice V8.
FA: Andrew Leich September 22, 2024
Lower Rock City-
pg. 329- #17- The Disturbed Project is now Public Indecency V8, and was completed as a hang-and-drop as the guide suggests.
FA: Macen Perkins July 2024
Rhodo Trail Areas-
pg. 367- #86- Addict, Insane (Project) has now been completed and confirmed at V7. The name remains the same.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior November 11, 2024
New Lines Not Mentioned in the Guidebook:
County Line North-
Project V11?: Sit start on gritty sloping crimps to the left of Pftahh V7. Climb through a slot crimp, and do big moves between horrible holds on the face before linking into the upper section of Pftahh.
County Line East-
A Better Dispensation V8- Five stars. Across the road and down the hill from the County Line parking area, this line is located on the boulder furthest downhill. Despite being marooned in a sea of choss, this one problem is a contender for best of the grade. Sit start with a perfect left hand pocket-pinch and a right undercling. Use a crimp to power to a perfect sloping pocket, and do another desperate power move to a pocket before one last chuck to a slot. Finish with an easy mantle up high, and use the fixed line on the other side of the boulder to get down.
FA: Andrew Leich November 19, 2024
Iron Furnace Road-
Meathead V9- This one didn’t make it in the book. There is one large boulder visible on the hillside along I-68 eastbound heading to Coopers from Morgantown. To access this boulder, park along the Iron Furnace Road and hike straight to it, weaving through the briars. Stand start in the dihedral and beak right to the arête, reaching edges around the lip and completing a taxing mantle. The sit start has yet to be completed.
FA: Michael Brown October 2022
Roof Rocks-
pg. 53- #17- Rippin’ Stitches (Project) V12?- Just outside the back entrance to the Dark Room (continue along the cliffline past Desert Roof), there is a short 55-degree face. Sit start using a comfy round edge, move to a small gaston crimp, and power to a beautifully-sculpted pinch. Complete a ridiculous move hucking yourself off the pinch to an amazing jug rail at the lip before topping out. Three moves. V12, maybe V13. Awesome.
Tilted Tree-
pg. 143- #10a- Day Trip Burglar Bro V2- Ascend the beautiful highball slab to the right of the Squirrel Soup Boulder. Begin to the right of the blunt arête with a left sidepull crimp and a flat sloper underneath the obvious shelf. Pull a crux with good holds facing funny directions, then smear up the water runnel. A tourist tried to steal the rope and anchor setup used by the FA to clean the problem, giving the problem its name.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior August 2024
pg. 143- #11a- Full Stop V8- Stand start right of Question Mark V5 using small crimps and a shelf for feet. Climb through slopers and crimps to a juggy left-hand pocket before topping out. This line climbs slightly left of the clean streak of rock on Clockwork Orange V7.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior December 4, 2024
pg. 150- #87a- Ancient Lover V9- This steep arête was found to have been climbed after the publishing of the book. Start low and use gritty pockets and crimps to power to the slopey lip for a mantle. This thing doesn’t look climbable right now, as a rhododendron has grown over the topout, and the moss has taken over. It is often wet, but could be revived with some scrubbing.
FA: Pete Clark
pg. 150- #88a- Love the Pain Away V4- Sit start low on the left side of the beautiful highball face by Sandpaper V1, and make a rightward traverse across the line of pockets, topping out over the right side.
FA: Pete Clark
pg. 154- #121a- Vindicate to Test of Endurance Linkup V4- Start on the sharp holds of Vindicate, and avoid the unpleasant razor crux by moving left into the comfy finish of Test of Endurance V3.
pg. 159- #181a- Old notes suggested that the left arête had been done prior to the FA of Seconds From Eternity V7, but was written in as a one-star V8, suggesting that it had been done as a sit start, climbing the awkward pinches on the left side of the arête rather than the dynamic moves on the right side, and was thus considered a different problem. This line was reportedly called “I got a ‘Fear This’ Sticker on the Back of My Jeep”. I’m sure there’s a ridiculous story to go with that name.
FA: Pete Clark
pg. 161- #191a- Unnamed V8- Left of Tombstone Arête V4, stand start using a two finger pocket, and pull really hard just to establish. Complete a giant move up to a jug and top out. Supposedly this has been done, and is V4 as a jump start, though it is quite hard, but hey, this is Coopers.
FA: Pete Clark
pg. 187- #403a- Darts at a Dictionary V6- Four stars; To the right of Phat Shaming V4, and just left of Phat Arête V3, sit start on comfy crimps four feet left of the arête and climb directly up the face on slanting rails before cruxy gaston moves. Top out slightly left using a sidepull/undercling just under the lip.
pg. 189- #422a- LA Lights V5- Stand start on the arête left of Shadowboxer V5 and top out by sharing its dabby finish.
FA: Pete Clark
In-Between Area-
*The following 10 climbs are on the Second Wall, the far left (In-Between side) of Tilted Tree’s First Wall
Hidden Hop V2- onto the climber’s left of Second Wall (the far left side of the long First Wall of Tilted Tree), there is a small corridor hosting a short face with a small cap roof. Start low on imperfect incut edges and use a small pocket, or hop past it to a jug and a mantle over the left side of the cap roof. A great intro to dynamic climbing.
Carrot Cake Arête V1- Sit start with your right hand on the arête and your left hand on the face. Climb the gritty arête on its left side.
Big Pinch V2- Stand start with a left crimp and a right-hand undercling. Reach for gritty crimps and lockoff to the sweet big pinch before mantling next to the hemlock.
FA: Ray Weber
Fueled By Carrot Cake V0- Stand start on underclings and move to a ledge. Use a gritty pinch to reach higher jugs and finish between two trees.
FA: Ray Weber
Wittle Way Webew V4- Sit start with a left undercling and a low (lower) right pocket. Get off the ground and climb through a large rounded flake to nice down pulls and top out.
FA: Dylan Griffith August 2024
Way Webew V4- Sit start low with a big left-hand edge and right-hand underling/sidepull. Climb straight up using small crimps and sloping edges to a cruxy finish. Great finger training.
FA: Andrew Leich August 2024
Sweet Baby Way’s V5- Stand start using a juggy sidepull/undercling below Micro Wrangler and traverse the seam left to finish on Way Webew.
FA: Andrew Leich August 2024
Dyno Proj V9?- Stand start on crimps or an undercling jug and climb up through the only two holds on the face: a left-hand undercling and a right-hand sloper edge. Get to the top. Height-dependent.
Micro-Wrangler V3- Stand start beneath the awesome little dihedral feature using a left-hand pointy undercling and a right hand on a big flat edge to the right. Follow faint gritty features to the tall finish.
FA: Michael Brown August 2024
Slab Project V5? Climb the gritty face right of Micro Wrangler using a gritty mono and a pile of crystals.
pg. 199- #12a- The Heavy-Handed Crack V2- Sit start under the overhang between Around the Block V3 and the Heavy Hand V4, then climb the crack, pulling the roof with fingerlocks.
pg. 199- #13a- Fifty Ton War Machine V3- classic! On the back side of the Moistest Boulder, sit start on a blocky jug flake and beak right, completing a huge move up the sloping arête, and rocking over onto gritty slab.
FA: Dylan Griffith
pg. 208- #101a- The UFO V2- Mentioned in the description of #101, the UFO is a dumb lie-down start of the floating boulder in the landing of Pulchritudinous V3. Do the stupid mantle.
pg. 212- #129a- Big Boy Proj V13?- Climb the imposing 50-degree highball face on the backside of the Diamond using horrendous slopers. It probably goes, but it’s next-level stuff.
Roadside-
pg. 229- #99a- Disguise Project V12?- Shockingly difficult, this project is one of the hardest slabs here, and possibly in the country, despite having relatively good holds. Stand start on Hitchhiking aka The Disguise and break left to each an angling edge. Match and reach left to utilize a sidepull, and continue straight up using sidepull and gaston features. It doesn’t look too bad, but it’s insane.
pg. 236- #149a- Dark Evangelist V8- Stand starting on an interesting triangular jug, make a powerful move to a right-hand sloping edge before hitting the lip to mantle. A fun powerful move, but it is slightly forced, as stepping left from the start hold leads you into the V2/3 Coopers Rockette.
FA: Andrew Leich October 28, 2024
pg. 236- #152a- Jump Low Start V5- Rarely dry, but quality movement. Best to climb in November. Start low on Dark Serpent and break right across crisp edges and crimps to link into Jump V2. The V2 finish is surprisingly difficult after the start!
FA: Andrew Leich October 27, 2024
Underlook Area-
pg. 260- #68a- Drop Juice V5- Start on the incut crimps of Space Juice, and make a big cross to a knob. Use sloping holds to then head straight up. Basically, climb around the Span crux of Space Juice and share the same finish.
FA: Andrew Leich November 7th, 2024
pg. 261- #75a- Appalachian Shuffle V8- Sit start on Tribute to John Gill V4, and work your way left into Appalachian Hustle V7. Quality rock that stays dry. Might as well do it!
FA: Mason Allen May 13, 2024
pg. 261- #80a- Sea Floor Traverse V5- Beginning on Sea Floor Speakers V1, traverse right across excellent crimps to reach the dihedral of She Smells V0. Top out or step off. This is an excellent crimp trainer.
FA: Dylan Griffith
Upper Rock City-
pg. 273- #21a- The Enclosure V5- Climb the face just to the right of the arête of The Freedom Enclosure V5, and break left at the roof to top out.
FA: Ray Weber
pg. 273- #21b- Dead End Crack V0- Start low at the base of the lovely splitter inside the cave, and climb the crack to its dead end, where you must traverse far to the left to top out above the Freedom Enclosure V5.
pg. 273- #23a- The Cranny Crescent V0- Not included in the book because it’s short and dumb, but climb the crescent feature on the far right side of the Cranny. Takes about two moves.
pg. 273- #24a- Warm Ways V4- Stand start with your right hand on the arête and your left on a credit card crimp. Use two nice slopers left of the arête before snagging an iron spike and topping out.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior November 5th, 2024
pg. 273- 24b- Sisters of the Moon V7- Just left of Warm Ways V4, stand start with a left gaston and an imaginary right crimp. Complete some delicate moves utilizing a right-hand sloper shared with Warm Ways. The arête to the right is off.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior November 17th, 2024
pg. 274- #28a- Isn’t It Midnight? V1- Stand start just left of Over My Head using an obvious incut pocket and a left-hand iron crimp. D stand up to a jug and finish it off.
FA: Slab Justice Warrior November 13th, 2024
pg. 277- #49a- Pointing Fingers (Project) V11?- Stand stars under the roof about 12 feet left of Rock City Crack V0. Pull over the roof with easy moves and reach high to a single-pad mono crimp. Crank a ridiculous move to decent holds, or fall onto the slab behind you. This highball can be protected, but it will require a number of pads due to the landing on the slab. However, it climbs quality rock.
pg. 277- #49b- Rock City Rampage Project V12?- Climb the beautiful face a body length left of Rock City Crack V0. Use an interesting array of faint pockets to pull the initial overhang, then head straight up on barely-there sloping crimps before powering to an edge just below a pocket, and topping out in the notch. This will be very proud and high-quality.
pg. 277- #49c- Rock City Crack Eliminate (Project) V5- Establish on the ledge to the left of Rock City Crack, then climb straight up using nice crimps and making a huge reach to a perfect pocket. Great climbing, but kinda dumb because it’s a highball eliminate.
pg. 279- #65a- Extra hard Project V12?- Just right of Ultravisitor V10, use a series of right-facing sidepulls to power up to the high horizontal crack. Pull the small roof and quickly realize it’s not over. This line will be high-quality and nails-hard.
pg. 279- #66a- Unnamed V4- To the right of Seneca Simulator V6, Pull a roof above a small boulder using nice crimps, and finish up easier terrain out the top of the corridor.
pg. 279- #66b- V2 Roof Crack- In the back of the corridor, start low and climb over the bulging roof using finger locks, and finish out the top of the corridor. Not much of a landing on this one, just like it’s neighbor.
pg. 280- #67a- Spider’s Scuba Slab V0- Around the arête about 6 feet right of Spider’s Breath Slab V2, climb good rock to a stance under the imposing roof above, and end the problem there. Traverse right for an easy downclimb, or downclimb the route.
pg. 280- #67b- The roof above Spider’s Scuba Slab V0 is called Welcome to Coopers, and was toproped at 5.12a, but has yet to be bouldered. The top used to be clean, but now is completely overgrown.
pg. 290- #158a- Hadouken V7- Climb the steep face of the Roundhouse Boulder directly above the center of the Landing Zone Boulder. The difficulty is pretty much all in the topout. Face an abrupt, awkward landing if you biff it.
FA: Pete Clark
pg. 292- #161a- Death Highball V2- Ok probably a bit of a hyperbole, but there certainly isn’t a good way to fall off this thing. From the top of the Roundhouse Boulder, on the downhill side of the Rattlesnake Trail, climb the taller adjacent boulder. Lockoff through a slightly steeper face until more vertical terrain up high. You may have to downclimb the route to get off. This boulder has no climbs on it in the guidebook, and is greyed-out on the map.
Le Crocodile (Project) V3?- Reminiscent of the infamous Fontainebleau lowball, lie-down start under the triangular roof and flop over. Located down the hill from the Roundhouse Area.
The Sea-
pg. 299- #15a- Jump the Gun Project V5?- Climb over the right side of the big roof on the Jump Boulder, and use sidepulls to pull through good rock.
pg. 304- #60a- The Fin (Project) V8?- The line is often wet, being deep in the corridor between the Coffee Buzz Boulder and the Attraction Boulder. The hope was to sit start and climb the entire hanging arête, but the low jugs flex, and it could drop a refrigerator-sized block on you. Instead, start low just beneath the arête, and pull through the weird pinch features of the fin to top it out.
*The next six lines are on the face to the climber’s right of the Fin Project, and are listed from left to right.
pg. 304- #61a- Badonka Chonk V3- Immediately right of Seams Appealing V3, stand start using a large jug flake. Find a nice Left incut crimp and work up to a ledge, where the climbing eases significantly.
pg. 304- #61b- Floofed Tail V3- Immediately right of Badonka Chonk, stand start using a flat left-hand jug just below a crimp, and a right-hand slot. Use small holds while standing on good feet, hit two iron crimps, and reach the ledge. Top out on dirty but easy terrain, or hop off.
pg. 304- #61c- Laser Pointer Drum Fill V3- Stand start three feet right of Floofed Tail in a larger horizontal slot, and move up to a high left-hand gaston-pinch, then a right gaston-knob, and hit the lip of the ledge. Like the other lines on the face, top out on easier but dirtier terrain, or drop off.
pg. 304- #61d- Ferocious Feline Pounce V2- Stand start with your right hand in an arrow-shaped slot f pointing to the right, then move right to a very good crimp before using an undercling to reach the lip of the ledge. Drop off or top out of you want. FA: Ezra Ree, July 2024
pg. 304- #61e- Kittens Nap V0- Stand start using a giant flat hold and move over a slight bulge to hit a round jug. Top out just left of the point. FA: Ezra Ree, July 2024
pg. 304- #61f- Cat’s Favorite Tree V0- Start low with an obvious jug and move up to a slopey-looking hold before topping out at the point. FA: Ezra Ree, July 2024
*The next six lines are on the gently overhanging face climber’s left of the Fin Project, and are listed from left to right.
pg. 304- #61g- Cat Feet V1- On the face across from Kittens Nap V0 (The corridor of the Coffee Buzz Boulder), sit start under the overhang and move right to the arête before topping out on a filthy ledge. FA: Ezra Ree, July 2024
pg. 304- #61h- Tabby Daddy V3- Sit start using a protruding jug flake under the short roof, perched above a permanent puddle. Reach out to the lip and bump to the flat ledge just above the roof. Mantle and continue up the face to join Calico Cat V2, and topping out on the filthy ledge by a tree, or dropping off at the jug horizontal below it.
pg. 304- #61i- Calico Cat V2- Stand start in broken horizontals and work left before heading straight up to top out on the dirty ledge by a tree, or drop off at the jug horizontal below it. FA: Ezra Ree, July 2024
pg. 304- #61j- Cat Nip V4- Start a few feet right of Calico Cat V2 underneath a faint, vertical right-facing feature. Move left and use a crimp on the face to reach the horizontal jug ledge, where you can drop off, or go a on a filthy adventure to the top. FA: Ezra Ree July 2024
pg. 304- #61k- Cuddly Tortoiseshell V4- Across from Seams Attractive V3, sit start on a flat jug under a small roof halfway along the left side of the corridor. Fire up to a crimp and use an undercling to join Cat Nip V4. Use smears and the obvious vertical feature to reach jugs. Drop off, or top out carefully on dirty stuff. The most-ok line on this face.
pg. 304- #61L- Kitten’s Adventure V1- Traverse from the start of Cuddly Tortoiseshell and finish on the start of Cat Feet on the climber’s left side of the wall. Finish up Cat Feet if you want. FA: Ezra Ree, July 2024.