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Well, the blog will be going on hiatus while we're on vacation. My son is staying at home to hold down the fort (and feed the cats).

We haven't been to this section of West Virginia in four years. We're very much looking forward to seeing it again and venturing to some spots we've never seen. Barring Internet access at some point, I'll speak to you folk in a couple of weeks!

Bear Rocks in the Dolly Sods Wilderness.

Me, at Bear Rocks.

Seneca Rock. This is a major rock climbing area for the east coast. They claim it's one of the best places around to learn the sport of rock climbing.

If you'll look closely, you can see tiny ant-like humans climbing the sheer cliff walls. Click to see this image at full size.

West Virginia Rock

I took this one in Dolly Sods at a place called Bear Rocks.

One of our favorite vacation places is West Virginia. Sadly, we don't go there nearly as often as we once did, but we still try to get there at least once per year. It's kind of like our secret, in a way, for we have rarely encountered crowds at any of the parks we've visited.

One thing about West Virginia is that it has a lot of genuine high country. Well, genuinely high by eastern standards. 4800 feet above sea level would be far underground in many locations in the western USA, but here in our half of the continent, that's pretty good.

And among the most beautiful parts of West Virginia are the really highest peaks--the stuff around the Allegheny Front. Here there are dozens of miles of ridges that break the 4,000-foot barrier and lots and lots of exposed rock that juts up like claws through the green fur of the great West Virginia park lands. If you've never been, you're in for a treat.

Looking up at Seneca Rock.

Taken from Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia.

If you click on this photograph and look closely, you'll see tiny little humans climbing up the sheer face of Seneca Rock.

Lindy Point.