West Virginia · Rock climbing · Fayette

6) Thieves Area

6) Thieves Area in West Virginia has 13 climbing routes across 9 grades.

13 routes
5.9 – 5.12d
Trad · Sport

Is 6) Thieves Area open right now?

No closures listed

The National Park Service lists no closures for New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

As of · Source: NPS · New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit 6) Thieves Area

Best months: April–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    42° / 23°

  2. Feb

    46° / 25°

  3. Mar

    55° / 31°

  4. Apr

    68° / 40°

  5. May

    75° / 49°

  6. Jun

    81° / 58°

  7. Jul

    84° / 62°

  8. Aug

    83° / 61°

  9. Sep

    78° / 54°

  10. Oct

    68° / 43°

  11. Nov

    56° / 33°

  12. Dec

    46° / 27°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Anstead Hawks Nest Sp, WV, 4.9 mi away at 1,296 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Thieves Area is a climbing area in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Fern Buttress and Wild Seed Area both about 0.1 mile away and Workmen's Buttress a similar distance off. The Endless Wall Climbers' Access Trail is roughly half a mile away, giving hikers another way into the area. The climbing here is a mix of trad and sport routes, with 13 routes in all. The YDS grades range from 5.9 to 5.12d. Baptism by Fire and Peanut Butter and Pineapples are both 5.9 trad routes, and Tongue-in-Groove and Use Your Power are sport routes at 5.12a and 5.12d. The median grade is 5.11a. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs of about 75°F in May to around 78°F in September, with lows near 49°F and 54°F in those months. That station sits about 300 feet lower than the area, so expect temperatures here to run slightly cooler.

Routes (13)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

E) Kaymoor SlabsPhoto: Wv funnyman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

E) Kaymoor Slabs

~1 min drive

14-route climbing crag in West Virginia with sport and trad options.

F) Flash Point AreaPhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

F) Flash Point Area

~1 min drive

F) Flash Point Area in West Virginia has 8 routes with 7 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad climbing.

I) Honeymooner's AreaPhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

I) Honeymooner's Area

~1 min drive

I) Honeymooner's Area in West Virginia has 30 climbing routes across 17 grades.

G) Diamond PointPhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

G) Diamond Point

~1 min drive

G) Diamond Point in West Virginia has 19 climbing routes with 13 difficulty grades.

P) Jacob's Ladder AreaPhoto: tr.robinson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

P) Jacob's Ladder Area

~2 min drive

Jacob's Ladder Area in West Virginia has 9 climbing routes with sport and trad options.

Fern Buttress

~0 min drive

Fern Buttress in West Virginia has 13 climbing routes ranging over 11 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad options.

5) Wild Seed Area

~0 min drive

Wild Seed Area in West Virginia has 10 sport climbing routes across 6 grades.

3) Workmen's Buttress

~0 min drive

3) Workmen's Buttress in West Virginia has 9 climbing routes across 7 grades.

Fern Gully

~0 min drive

11 traditional climbing routes at Fern Gully in West Virginia.

7) Orchard Wall

~0 min drive

7) Orchard Wall in West Virginia offers 14 climbing routes across 10 difficulty grades, with sport and trad options.