West Virginia · Rock climbing · Summersville

DC Memorial Boulder

DC Memorial Boulder in West Virginia has 13 sport climbing routes across 11 difficulty grades.

DC Memorial BoulderPhoto: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
13 routes
5.9 – 5.13b
Sport

Best time to visit DC Memorial Boulder

Best months: April–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.

  1. Jan

    41° / 21°

  2. Feb

    44° / 23°

  3. Mar

    52° / 29°

  4. Apr

    65° / 38°

  5. May

    72° / 48°

  6. Jun

    78° / 57°

  7. Jul

    81° / 61°

  8. Aug

    80° / 59°

  9. Sep

    75° / 53°

  10. Oct

    65° / 41°

  11. Nov

    54° / 32°

  12. Dec

    45° / 26°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Summersville Lake, WV, 3.1 mi away at 1,768 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

DC Memorial Boulder is a climbing area in West Virginia's Summersville Recreation Area, managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with The Long Wall and Gun Wall each about 0.1 mile away and The Coliseum at a similar distance. The Climbers Trail also starts within a tenth of a mile. The area is a sport climbing destination. Thirteen routes are listed, with grades ranging from 5.9 to 5.13b. Among them are "Climb On" at 5.9, "Skinny Legs" at 5.13b, and "Delayed Stress Syndrome" at 5.11b. The median grade is 5.12a. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from the Summersville Lake weather station, about 3 miles away, show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 75°F, with July peaking near 81°F. The Gauley River, about 0.7 mile away, offers river fishing. Summersville Lake Shelters and Battle Run, both within about 4 miles, are camping options.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive