Contact Zone
Contact Zone in West Virginia has 17 routes across 11 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
- 17 routes
- 5.8 – 5.12b
- Sport · Trad
Best time to visit Contact Zone
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, 1.1 mi away at 1,900 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Contact Zone is a climbing area in West Virginia, about 1.5 miles from the town of Franklin. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots, with Parking Area Wall just 0.1 mile away and Riverbend and Impact Zone each about 0.2 mile off. The area is known for its sport climbing, with 16 sport routes and one trad route among its 17 total routes. The routes run from about 5.8 to 5.12b on the YDS scale, with the median grade around 5.10c. Sport climbers will find several options in that range, including Sticks and Stones at 5.8, Eddie's 10b Roof at 5.10b and Sizzle at 5.12b. The trad route, Unknown, is rated 5.9. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Franklin show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 77°F, with July the warmest month at about 84°F. Beyond the climbing, the Brandywine Loop hike is about 8 miles away, and Brandywine Campground is about 8.2 miles off. Paddlers can reach the North Fork South Branch Potomac River, roughly 9 miles away.
Routes (17)
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Parking Area Wall
~0 min drive
Parking Area Wall in West Virginia has 7 sport climbing routes.
Riverbend
~0 min drive
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