RRGCC purchases 718 acres of the former Ashland WMA!

Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) is ecstatic to announce a historic 718-acre acquisition as part of the larger sale of Ashland’s former Wildlife Management Area in Lee County, KY. The $1.7 million purchase conserves a massive swath of land in the Cave Fork region while also adding several tracts contiguous with the existing Miller Fork (MFRP) and Pendergrass-Murray (PMRP) recreational preserves. This serves as the largest land acquisition of its kind ever completed by a local climbing organization in the United States.

Cave Fork Recreational Preserve (CFRP) is established as RRGCC’s fourth major property at 582 acres, while MFRP grows to 418 acres and PMRP bumps up to 727 acres. Over 14 miles of largely undeveloped cliff line meander through the property, hosting a handful of existing climbing areas along with opportunity for many more. The collection of high-quality crags in the Hell Creek drainage — Monster Wall, Devil’s Kitchen, Outer Space, & Corn Flake — add to MFRP’s already world-renowned rock climbing. Two-wheel drive cars across the region can share in the excitement too as a new parking option has been secured on the ridge above Miller Fork to provide a more accessible trailhead for the area. Additionally, two tracts neighbor the Coal Bank portion of PMRP and a parcel at the tip of Sore Heel hollow confirms access to the entirety of Purgatory & North 40, two of PMRP’s flagship crags.

On top of climbing potential, the land holds an immense conservation value and increases that of RRGCC’s existing properties. Preserving incredibly important habitat for threatened species such as Virginia big-eared bats, Indiana bats, and the Kentucky arrow darter. Field Supervisor at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Kentucky Field Office, Lee Andrews states, “We are happy that [RRGCC] purchased the land that surrounds a portion of Hell Creek that contains the federally-threatened Kentucky arrow darter (Etheostoma spilotum) and designated critical habitat for the species. This species only occurs in the upper Kentucky River watershed and its populations are disconnected from each other, making protection of each population very important."

Now you might be thinking, $1.7 million is a lot of money, how could a small non-profit like RRGCC manage that? It would have been impossible to do it alone.

• USFWS Kentucky Field Office and Kentucky Natural Lands Trust (KNLT) provided $350,000 from the Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund to further the conservation of critical habitat in the Hell Creek corridor.
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS) granted RRGCC $600,000 through their Community Forest Program in a partnership to create a 570-acre community forest as part of the acquisition.
• The James Graham Brown Foundation in Louisville awarded RRGCC with a $500,000 grant. This generous contribution highlights JGBF’s commitment to supporting transformative initiatives.
• The down payment of $110,000 was paid from RRGCC reserves, built over time by its generous donor base through memberships & event revenue.
• RRGCC secured private loans from an anonymous donor and Jordan Wood to cover the difference of the purchase cost.

RRGCC is ever thankful for its incredible partners who helped in monumental ways to push this deal through!

What’s next? Well this is where you come in. Paying off $100,000 in loans and investing another $100,000 to build out property infrastructure is quite the project. Our friends over at Black Diamond Equipment decided to kickstart our fundraising campaign — donating over $11,000 of product in incentives for donors. “Black Diamond is committed to climbing. That commitment comes in ways of support for great organizations like the RRGCC and all the work they do to perpetuate climbing in the world class destination of the Red River Gorge,” says Black Diamond’s Director of Sports Marketing, Adam Peters. “As they continue to lead the way in land acquisition, stewardship and relationships with land managers, we value their leadership in these areas and want to support in whatever way we can.” RRGCC has a goal to raise $150,000 in order to pay off its loans and install an initial wave of infrastructure immediately. RRGCC is now calling on the community to show its support for this historical purchase by donating today!

UPDATE: All Black Diamond gear incentives have sold out!

RRGCC wants to extend a final thank you to all of its partners — USFS, USFWS, Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, James Graham Brown Foundation, Jordan Wood, our anonymous donor, Black Diamond Equipment, Ian Teal Real Estate, the Ventura Family, Access Fund, and the primary architect behind the entire deal — longtime RRGCC BOD member, Jereme Ransick.

More information, including trail and route development frameworks, will be forthcoming as the RRGCC develops and implements its infrastructure plans.

Photo: Joe Segreti (@joe_segreti)