Do you know where the toothbrush was invented? West Virginia of course. If it had been invented anywhere else it would have been called the teethbrush.
I first heard that joke ten years ago while top-roping at Coopers. A West Virginia local delivered that joke to my Dad and me and then smiled ear to ear. I couldn’t resist staring into his mouth and I quickly counted how few teeth he actually had. I guess since he had more than one tooth he felt comfortable telling it. As I started to climb I think he continued telling similar jokes. My mind was clouded with banjo music and a sense of wanting to escape, to flee up the rock. I think the climb I was doing was called “stop and go.” I would have named it Deliverance.
At the time, after having just started climbing outside, I was convinced that Coopers Rock was where IT was at. The cutting edge of climbing. My goal was to tick off every top rope climb that was offered and maybe even establish something new. I vaguely recall setting up an anchor and looking over the cliff edge and noticing Brian and Jen (who would later become great friends of mine) walking past the amazing top rope climbs with their crashpads. I was intrigued at what they were doing. I figured they were missing out on the real classics of Coopers and sure enough they would be back and in line to try one of my top rope projects.
Once I realized that I wasn’t getting any better at the Coopers Rock top ropes and I wasn’t establishing any ground breaking first ascent top rope classics, I purchased a membership at the climbing gym in Pittsburgh. After climbing in the gym for about a month Brian told me to ditch the socks (the big white socks I wore with my climbing shoes) and get over on the bouldering wall (I had been traversing and climbing on the top rope walls in the gym with a friend). I started to get to know the Pittsburgh crew of climbers. They talked about sport climbing at a place called The New River Gorge and taking vacations to go bouldering in Bishop. I expected them to talk more about Coopers and the wonderful top roping potential. I later learned that where IT was at was somewhere far from what Coopers had to offer.
Over the years I got to experience the amazing sport climbing at the New River Gorge and took less and less trips to Coopers to top rope. I learned a lot from the fun top ropes but they could not compare to the aesthetics and quality of the New River climbs. Back in 2001, two friends of mine from the gym invited me to go bouldering at Coopers for a day. I thought back to the top ropes I was familiar with and realized that Coopers might have more to offer for me. I realized that I had come to a new level in my climbing and could take on new challenges in a place I love.
The day I went bouldering at Coopers for the first time was one of the best climbing days ever. My friends and I had a blast. I returned to Coopers plenty of times after that day and learned of many new challenges and climbs I never knew existed in a place I was so familiar with.
Last Thursday April and I, along with our friends Jason, Kathy, Karl and (baby) McKenna toured the boulders once again. As I passed the old top ropes I realized that 12 years had passed since I first started climbing there. I reflected on all the fun I had with my Dad climbing top ropes, hoping to develop the most ground breaking line Coopers had to offer and meeting the local West Virginia good old boys. I missed those times but I also realized I’ve come a long way from those days.
I’m glad to come back to the place where I started and be able to have as much fun with people I love. Thursday was another day to add to my list of best climbing days ever, thanks to Coopers Rock, WV.
Karl warming up on Tilted Tree Slab v0
Karl cruising Visitation v2
Paul sending the 4-star classic Twist Dah Hick v5
April sending Tilted Tree Arete v3
Jason slappin’ Bitch Slap Arete v5
posted by pjv
