Lower Slabs
Lower Slabs in West Virginia has 33 climbing routes across 14 grades.
- 33 routes
- 5.4 – 5.11c
- Trad · Mixed · Sport
Is Lower Slabs open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Monongahela National Forest. It doesn't name Lower Slabs, 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 Lower Slabs
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, 11.5 mi away at 1,900 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Lower Slabs is a rock climbing area in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, within the Potomac Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the spot sits alongside the North Peak - West Face and North Peak - East Face climbing areas, each about 0.1 mile away. The area has 33 routes, 26 of them traditional, with six mixed and one sport route. Grades range from 5.4 to 5.11c. Among the named routes are "It ain't the meat, it's the motion" at 5.4, "Dark Star" at 5.11c, and "For Slab Rats Only" at 5.8. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 77°F, with lows in the 40s and 50s. Seneca Rocks Trail lies about 0.3 mile away, and Seneca Shadows campground is roughly 1.5 miles off. Seneca Creek, a canoeing destination, is about 4 miles away, and Big Bend offers river fishing at about 7.7 miles.
Routes (33)
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