Seneca Rocks
Encyclopedia
Seneca Rocks is a large crag
and local landmark in Pendleton County
in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
, USA. It is easily visible and accessible along West Virginia Route 28 near U.S. Route 33
in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area
of the Monongahela National Forest
. One of the best-known scenic attractions in West Virginia, the sheer rock faces of Seneca Rocks are a popular challenge for rock climbers
.
, which contain several other similar "razorback" ridges or "fins" such as Judy Rocks
and Nelson Rocks
, all on the west side of North Fork Mountain
. Seneca Rocks is a prominent and visually striking formation rising nearly 900 feet above the confluence of Seneca Creek
with the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River
. They also overlook the community of Seneca Rocks
, formerly known as "Mouth of Seneca". The Rocks consist of a North and a South Peak, with a central notch between. Formerly, a prominent pinnacle — "the Gendarme" — occupied the notch.
Seneca Rocks and nearby Champe Rocks
are the most imposing examples in eastern West Virginia of several formations of the white/gray Tuscarora
quartzite
. The quartzite is approximately 250 feet thick here, located primarily on exposed ridges as caprock or exposed crags. The rock is composed of fine grains of sand that were laid down in the Silurian
Period approximately 440 million years ago, in an extensive sand shoal at the edge of the ancient Iapetus Ocean
. Eons of geologic activity followed, as the ocean slowly closed and the underlying rock uplifted and folded. Millions of years of erosion stripped away the overlying rock and left remnants of the arching folds in outcrops such as Seneca Rocks.
Evidence suggests that the Native Americans of the Archaic Period may have camped frequently at the mouth of nearby Seneca Creek
at the foot of the Rocks. The famous Great Indian Warpath
, known locally as the "Seneca Trail", followed the Potomac River
, allowing the Algonquian
, Tuscarora
, and Seneca nation
s to transit the area for purposes of trade and war. Excavation for the building of the present Seneca Rocks Visitor Center uncovered evidence of two villages, the more recent of which thrived about 600 years ago. About a dozen dwellings were found.
The first European
visitors to see the region were surveyors who passed through around 1746
, and the first settlers arrived at Mouth of Seneca fifteen years later. At that time, West Virginia (or western Virginia
as it was then) was the edge of the great wilderness. The Rocks were visited and sketched by the well-known writer and magazine
illustrator
David Hunter Strother
(known by his pseudonym "Porte Crayon") around 1853. His sketches were reworked and published two decades later as a popular wood engraving in an 1872 issue of Harpers New Monthly Magazine
.
It is unknown who the first person was to climb Seneca Rocks. Undoubtedly Native Americans scaled the rocks prior to European settlers reaching the area, but there is no record of their ascents. The historic ascent of Paul Brandt, Don Hubbard, and Sam Moore in 1939 found an inscription of "D.B. September 16, 1908." This has been attributed to a surveyor named Bittenger who was known to be working in the area.
The documented climbing history of the Rocks begins in 1935 with a roped ascent of the North Peak by Paul Brandt and Florence Perry. In the 1930s and 40's only a few climbers, mostly from the Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh areas, attempted to climb Seneca Rocks.
In 1943 and '44, as part of the West Virginia Maneuver Area
, the U.S. Army used the rocks to train mountain troops in assault climbing in preparation for action in the Apennines
of Italy. Evidence of this training can still be found on the rocks in the form of rusty old soft iron piton
s.
The Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area (NRA) was established within the Monongahela National Forest by an act of the U.S. Congress on September 28, 1965. The Rocks themselves were purchased by the federal government in 1969 from the heirs of D. C. Harper.
The original visitor center was opened in 1978, constructed on a grant of $297,000. A 1985 flood severely damaged the facility. On October 22, 1987, "the Gendarme
", an isolated and prominent pinnacle of the Rocks, fell to the ground. On May 26, 1992, the visitor center was destroyed by arson. The current visitor center, called The Seneca Rocks Discovery Center, was completed in the fall of 1998 on a $5 million dollar grant.
The "Seneca Rock" turnpoint at 38°50′03"N 79°22′04"W has been used by glider
pilots for gliding competitions
and soaring awards because its distinctive appearance in aerial photographs made it suitable for photo documentation of the flight performance. This turnpoint was used on many 500 km out-and-return course flights from Ridge Soaring Gliderport
in Julian, Pennsylvania
, including an October 15, 1995, flight by Canadian
pilot Walter Weir that was recognized as a world record at the time.
Due to the hardness of the Tuscarora Formation
, and the degree of climbing difficulty, Seneca Rocks offers rock climbers an opportunity unique in the east. There are over 375 major mapped climbing routes, varying in degree from 5.0 (the easiest) to 5.13 (the hardest). There are two climbing schools located in the communities of Seneca Rocks and nearby Riverton
who train prospective climbers in beginning and advanced rock climbing. The school in Riverton also offers a climbers rescue course.
Both the East and West faces of the North and South Peak offer single and multi-pitch routes up to 300 ft in length. Technical routes also exist on the Lower Slabs, located on the slopes below the west face of the North Peak, and on the Southern Pillar, directly across Roy Gap from the South Peak. Because of the way the rock was uplifted, there are many vertical cracks that offer excellent jamming and good protection. Routes range from 5.2-5.13, nearly all of which require the leader placing protection (traditional climbing). Some routes and their rating in the Yosemite Decimal System
are represented in the picture on the right. The South Peak is rumored to be the tallest peak east of Devils Tower
in Wyoming that is only accessible by 5th class climbing.
According to the MNF, 16 people have died in falls while climbing Seneca Rocks since 1971.
of the Rocks — "The Betrothal of Snow Bird, Princess of the Seneca Indians" — was written many decades ago by Harry Malcolm Wade. West Virginia writer J. Lawrence Smith provides the following short summary of the story:
state, and what Seneca tribesmen passed this way were strictly transients.
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
and local landmark in Pendleton County
Pendleton County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,196 people, 3,350 households, and 2,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 5,102 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA. It is easily visible and accessible along West Virginia Route 28 near U.S. Route 33
U.S. Route 33
U.S. Route 33 is a United States federal highway that runs northwest-southeast for 709 miles from northern Indiana to Richmond, Virginia, passing through Ohio and West Virginia en route. Although most odd-numbered U.S...
in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area located within the Monongahela National Forest of eastern West Virginia, USA.The National Recreation Area protects three prominent West Virginia landmarks:...
of the Monongahela National Forest
Monongahela National Forest
The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally-owned land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Region and portions of 10 counties.The MNF includes some...
. One of the best-known scenic attractions in West Virginia, the sheer rock faces of Seneca Rocks are a popular challenge for rock climbers
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
.
Geography and geology
Seneca Rocks is at the northern end of the River KnobsRiver Knobs (West Virginia)
For other "River Knobs", see River Knobs .The River Knobs — formerly known as East Seneca Ridge — are a ridge and series of knobs in western Pendleton County, West Virginia, USA, along a stretch of the North Fork South Branch Potomac River...
, which contain several other similar "razorback" ridges or "fins" such as Judy Rocks
Judy Gap, West Virginia
Judy Gap is an unincorporated community in Pendleton County, West Virginia, United States. Judy Gap is located at the junction of U.S. Route 33 and West Virginia Route 28 west-northwest of Franklin, just west of the mountain gap also called Judy Gap. The Judy Rocks geological formation is just to...
and Nelson Rocks
Nelson Rocks
Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center , previously known as Nelson Rocks Preserve, is an outdoor recreation area located in the North Fork Valley of Pendleton County, West Virginia...
, all on the west side of North Fork Mountain
North Fork Mountain
North Fork Mountain is a quartzite-capped mountain ridge in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA...
. Seneca Rocks is a prominent and visually striking formation rising nearly 900 feet above the confluence of Seneca Creek
Seneca Creek (North Fork South Branch Potomac River)
Seneca Creek is a tributary of the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River located entirely within Pendleton County, West Virginia, USA....
with the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
. They also overlook the community of Seneca Rocks
Seneca Rocks, West Virginia
Seneca Rocks is an unincorporated community located in Pendleton County, West Virginia, USA. The community of Seneca Rocks — formerly known as Mouth of Seneca — lies along West Virginia Route 28/West Virginia Route 55 near the confluence of Seneca Creek and the North Fork South Branch Potomac...
, formerly known as "Mouth of Seneca". The Rocks consist of a North and a South Peak, with a central notch between. Formerly, a prominent pinnacle — "the Gendarme" — occupied the notch.
Seneca Rocks and nearby Champe Rocks
Champe Rocks
Champe Rocks are a pair of large crags in Pendleton County in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, USA. Easily visible from West Virginia Route 28, they are situated within the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area...
are the most imposing examples in eastern West Virginia of several formations of the white/gray Tuscarora
Tuscarora Formation
The Silurian Tuscarora Formation — also known as Tuscarora Sandstone or Tuscarora Quartzite — is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.-Description:...
quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
. The quartzite is approximately 250 feet thick here, located primarily on exposed ridges as caprock or exposed crags. The rock is composed of fine grains of sand that were laid down in the Silurian
Silurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
Period approximately 440 million years ago, in an extensive sand shoal at the edge of the ancient Iapetus Ocean
Iapetus Ocean
The Iapetus Ocean was an ocean that existed in the Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic eras of the geologic timescale . The Iapetus Ocean was situated in the southern hemisphere, between the paleocontinents of Laurentia, Baltica and Avalonia...
. Eons of geologic activity followed, as the ocean slowly closed and the underlying rock uplifted and folded. Millions of years of erosion stripped away the overlying rock and left remnants of the arching folds in outcrops such as Seneca Rocks.
History
Seneca Creek (North Fork South Branch Potomac River)
Seneca Creek is a tributary of the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River located entirely within Pendleton County, West Virginia, USA....
at the foot of the Rocks. The famous Great Indian Warpath
Great Indian Warpath
The Great Indian Warpath — also known as the Great Indian War and Trading Path, or the Seneca Trail — was that part of the network of trails in eastern North America developed and used by Native Americans which ran through the Great Appalachian Valley...
, known locally as the "Seneca Trail", followed the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, allowing the Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
, Tuscarora
Tuscarora (tribe)
The Tuscarora are a Native American people of the Iroquoian-language family, with members in New York, Canada, and North Carolina...
, and Seneca nation
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
s to transit the area for purposes of trade and war. Excavation for the building of the present Seneca Rocks Visitor Center uncovered evidence of two villages, the more recent of which thrived about 600 years ago. About a dozen dwellings were found.
The first European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
visitors to see the region were surveyors who passed through around 1746
Fairfax Line
The Fairfax Line was a surveyor's line run in 1746 to establish the limits of the "Northern Neck land grant" in colonial Virginia....
, and the first settlers arrived at Mouth of Seneca fifteen years later. At that time, West Virginia (or western Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
as it was then) was the edge of the great wilderness. The Rocks were visited and sketched by the well-known writer and magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
David Hunter Strother
David Hunter Strother
David Hunter Strother was a successful 19th century American magazine illustrator and writer, popularly known by his pseudonym, "Porte Crayon" .-Early life:...
(known by his pseudonym "Porte Crayon") around 1853. His sketches were reworked and published two decades later as a popular wood engraving in an 1872 issue of Harpers New Monthly Magazine
Harpers Magazine
Harpers Wine and Spirit Trade Review or simply Harpers is a British fortnightly publication for the wine and spirit industry. Founded in 1878, it has a circulation of 5,224 fully subscribed readers. It is read across all sectors of the drinks industry including producers, distributors,...
.
It is unknown who the first person was to climb Seneca Rocks. Undoubtedly Native Americans scaled the rocks prior to European settlers reaching the area, but there is no record of their ascents. The historic ascent of Paul Brandt, Don Hubbard, and Sam Moore in 1939 found an inscription of "D.B. September 16, 1908." This has been attributed to a surveyor named Bittenger who was known to be working in the area.
In 1943 and '44, as part of the West Virginia Maneuver Area
West Virginia Maneuver Area
The West Virginia Maneuver Area was a vast, five-county training ground in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia used by the U.S. Army during World War II to train soldiers in low-altitude mountain operations...
, the U.S. Army used the rocks to train mountain troops in assault climbing in preparation for action in the Apennines
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
of Italy. Evidence of this training can still be found on the rocks in the form of rusty old soft iron piton
Piton
In climbing, a piton is a metal spike that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock with a hammer, and which acts as an anchor to protect the climber against the consequences of a fall, or to assist progress in aid climbing...
s.
The Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area (NRA) was established within the Monongahela National Forest by an act of the U.S. Congress on September 28, 1965. The Rocks themselves were purchased by the federal government in 1969 from the heirs of D. C. Harper.
The original visitor center was opened in 1978, constructed on a grant of $297,000. A 1985 flood severely damaged the facility. On October 22, 1987, "the Gendarme
Gendarme (mountaineering)
A Gendarme is a pinnacle of rock on a mountain ridge. They are typical of Alpine areas. Gendarmes often form on the intersection of two ridges due to the lower erosion of glaciers here. The name originates from the French Alps, where they were seen as resembling the gendarmerie police....
", an isolated and prominent pinnacle of the Rocks, fell to the ground. On May 26, 1992, the visitor center was destroyed by arson. The current visitor center, called The Seneca Rocks Discovery Center, was completed in the fall of 1998 on a $5 million dollar grant.
The "Seneca Rock" turnpoint at 38°50′03"N 79°22′04"W has been used by glider
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
pilots for gliding competitions
Gliding competitions
Some of the pilots in the sport of gliding take part in gliding competitions. These are usually racing competitions, but there are also aerobatic contests and on-line league tables.-History of competitions:...
and soaring awards because its distinctive appearance in aerial photographs made it suitable for photo documentation of the flight performance. This turnpoint was used on many 500 km out-and-return course flights from Ridge Soaring Gliderport
Ridge Soaring Gliderport
Ridge Soaring Gliderport is a public-use glider airport located two nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Unionville, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is privately owned by Knauff & Grove, Inc....
in Julian, Pennsylvania
Julian, Pennsylvania
Julian, is a census-designated place in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 152 at the 2000 census...
, including an October 15, 1995, flight by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
pilot Walter Weir that was recognized as a world record at the time.
Rock climbing
Tuscarora Formation
The Silurian Tuscarora Formation — also known as Tuscarora Sandstone or Tuscarora Quartzite — is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.-Description:...
, and the degree of climbing difficulty, Seneca Rocks offers rock climbers an opportunity unique in the east. There are over 375 major mapped climbing routes, varying in degree from 5.0 (the easiest) to 5.13 (the hardest). There are two climbing schools located in the communities of Seneca Rocks and nearby Riverton
Riverton, West Virginia
Riverton is an unincorporated town on the North Fork South Branch Potomac River in Pendleton County, West Virginia, USA. Riverton lies along U.S. Highway 33/West Virginia Route 28 in the Monongahela National Forest....
who train prospective climbers in beginning and advanced rock climbing. The school in Riverton also offers a climbers rescue course.
Both the East and West faces of the North and South Peak offer single and multi-pitch routes up to 300 ft in length. Technical routes also exist on the Lower Slabs, located on the slopes below the west face of the North Peak, and on the Southern Pillar, directly across Roy Gap from the South Peak. Because of the way the rock was uplifted, there are many vertical cracks that offer excellent jamming and good protection. Routes range from 5.2-5.13, nearly all of which require the leader placing protection (traditional climbing). Some routes and their rating in the Yosemite Decimal System
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
are represented in the picture on the right. The South Peak is rumored to be the tallest peak east of Devils Tower
Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River...
in Wyoming that is only accessible by 5th class climbing.
According to the MNF, 16 people have died in falls while climbing Seneca Rocks since 1971.
Popular legends
A popular romanceHistorical romance
Historical romance is a subgenre of two literary genres, the romance novel and the historical novel.-Definition:Historical romance is set before World War II...
of the Rocks — "The Betrothal of Snow Bird, Princess of the Seneca Indians" — was written many decades ago by Harry Malcolm Wade. West Virginia writer J. Lawrence Smith provides the following short summary of the story:
"Princess Snow Bird, who had grown to maidenhood in the shadow of the rocks and scaled their heights many times, proposed a contest to her father, [Chief] Bald Eagle. She would climb to the crest of the rocks as prospective suitors followed. The first to take her hand would become her mate. Bald Eagle agreed,In reality, the Seneca homeland was in what is now western New York
and at the end of the climb, of seven suitors, only one remained, the others having turned back from fear or fallen
to their deaths. From their lofty perch, Snow Bird and her future mate surveyed the surrounding realm of the Seneca
that would be theirs to rule one day."
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state, and what Seneca tribesmen passed this way were strictly transients.
External links
- Monongahela National Forest (USDA Forest Service site website)
- "The Betrothal of Snow Bird, Princess of the Seneca Indians" at the MNF website