Area 51 (CLOSED)
Area 51 (CLOSED) in West Virginia has 33 climbing routes with 17 difficulty grades.
- 33 routes
- 5.8 – 5.13d
- Sport · Trad · Bouldering
Best time to visit Area 51 (CLOSED)
Best months: August–October. 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.
Jan
38° / 19°
17 wet
Feb
43° / 22°
15 wet
Mar
50° / 27°
15 wet
Apr
64° / 37°
14 wet
May
72° / 46°
15 wet
Jun
79° / 54°
14 wet
Jul
81° / 59°
14 wet
Aug
80° / 57°
12 wet
Sep
75° / 50°
10 wet
Oct
64° / 38°
11 wet
Nov
52° / 29°
12 wet
Dec
43° / 24°
16 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Nebo 1 S, WV, 5 mi away at 1,953 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Area 51 is a climbing area in West Virginia, about 2 miles from the town of Mount Lookout. It sits among a cluster of closed climbing spots, with The Brilliant Pebble just 0.1 mile away and Cambodia 0.3 mile off. The area is closed, so plan around that status before heading out. The climbing here is sport-based, with 29 sport routes and one boulder problem among the 33 routes. Grades run from 5.8 up to 5.13d, with Natural Progression at 5.13d being the hardest. The YDS scale is the standard here, and the routes are spread across a range of styles and difficulties. For a change of pace, the Meadow River Gorge Trail is about 1.4 miles away, and the Meadow River Rail Trail is roughly 3.8 miles off. Battle Run campground lies about 6 miles away, and the Gauley River offers fishing about 8 miles from the area.
Routes (33)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Coliseum
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Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Gun Wall
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Gun Wall in West Virginia has 10 sport climbing routes across 6 grades.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)DC Memorial Boulder
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DC Memorial Boulder in West Virginia has 13 sport climbing routes across 11 difficulty grades.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)The Long Wall
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Long Wall, The is a climbing area in West Virginia with 21 routes.
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Narcissus Cave
~14 min drive
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Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Circus Wall
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The Brilliant Pebble (CLOSED)
~0 min drive
Brilliant Pebble (CLOSED) in West Virginia has 9 climbing routes.
Cambodia
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The Other Place (CLOSED)
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Mud Hueco (CLOSED)
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Mud Hueco in West Virginia has 30 climbing routes across 14 grades, offering sport and trad styles.
