The Cave
Cave, The is a West Virginia climbing crag with 5 sport routes.
- 5 routes
- 5.12a – 5.13d
- Sport
Is Cave, The open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Monongahela National Forest. It doesn't name Cave, The, so check the source for the area it covers.
NFS Road 76 Road Closure for Public Health and Safety
Agency closure covering Monongahela National Forest · USFS · Monongahela National Forest
National Forest System Road 86 Closure for Public Health and Safety
Agency alert covering Monongahela National Forest · USFS · Monongahela National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Monongahela National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit The Cave
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.
Jan
43° / 22°
8 wet
Feb
47° / 23°
7 wet
Mar
55° / 30°
10 wet
Apr
67° / 38°
11 wet
May
74° / 48°
12 wet
Jun
81° / 55°
10 wet
Jul
84° / 59°
10 wet
Aug
83° / 58°
10 wet
Sep
77° / 51°
8 wet
Oct
68° / 41°
7 wet
Nov
56° / 32°
8 wet
Dec
46° / 25°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Franklin 2 Ne, WV, 11.3 mi away at 1,900 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
The Cave is a sport climbing area in West Virginia, on the Potomac Ranger District of the Monongahela National Forest. It is managed by the Forest Service and sits among a cluster of climbing areas and hiking routes. The climbing here is all sport, and the five routes range from 5.12a to 5.13d. Nightmare and Apex Predator are two of the standouts, with Nightmare at 5.13a and Apex Predator at 5.13c. Flyin' lion, the hardest at 5.13d, was first ascended by Matt Fanning in November 2018. For timing, September is a comfortable month with typical highs around 77°F and lows near 51°F, based on averages from a nearby weather station in Franklin. Late spring is similar, with May highs around 74°F. Winter brings typical highs in the low 40s. Climbers can find Cockscomb East Face and Southeast Corner just 0.1 mile away, and the Pipeline Trail is 0.2 mile off. Seneca Shadows campground is about 1.4 miles away for an overnight stay.
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