Encore: The Climbing Climate And Paddle Making, Inside Appalachia

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23d ago

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Rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some pumpy crags.

Also, climbers have also been working to make West Virginia's New River Gorge more inclusive.

And, a master craftsman, who makes one of a kind whitewater paddles, remembers some advice.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Adaptive And Inclusive Climbing

A young man climbs the side of a mountain. He wears a yellow helmet, blue t-shirt and khaki pants and climbing shoes. It's a sunny day. — Wearing an orange helmet and royal blue harness, Brian Liebenow holds onto the rock above his head looking down for the best place to move his feet. The green tinted sandstone looks like dragon scales in the morning light.
*Photo Credit: Katie Jo Myers/Adaptive Climbers Festival, 2023*

The mountains of Appalachia are home to some killer rock climbing, but they’re also accessible for some groups who’ve felt excluded in the past.

Adaptive sports reporter Emily Chen-Newton covers athletes with disabilities. She brings us this story, exploring why climbing festivals are making a home in Appalachia.

Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing

A black man climbing the side of a cliff at New River Gorge. — DJ Grant climbing a route at New River Gorge.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

In West Virginia, one of the most popular climbing destinations is the New River Gorge. Advanced rock climbers continue to pioneer new climbing routes there. The first people to climb these new routes are called “first ascensionists.” And they get the privilege of naming the routes. But what happens when dozens of those route names are plainly and clearly offensive?

In 2020 and 2021, Zack Harold followed the story of a climber at the New River Gorge who wanted to make the sport he loved more inclusive for his son.

Crafting A Classic Paddle

A man stands on the edge of a river holding a paddle boat and paddle. — Jon Rugh with his wooden paddle at the New River near Blacksburg, VA.
*Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Appalachia has several huge rivers — the New River, the Youghiogheny, the Pigeon — so, it’s no surprise whitewater paddling is popular across the region, but it wasn’t all that long ago that modern paddlers first started exploring these rivers, designing their own gear and even building their own paddles. Some of those DIY paddle makers became master crafters.

Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett followed one.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Sturgeon Creek, Anthony Vega, Oakfield, the Delorian, Biba Dupont, Marissa Anderson, Tyler Childers, Jerry Douglas and John Blissard.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: [email protected].

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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