The Monongahela National Forest is in the process of developing a Climbing Management Plan (CMP) for the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area.

The Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks area is home to a number of local climbing areas. These include Seneca, one of the premiere trad climbing destinations of the Mid Atlantic area and the Smoke Hole Canyon, an increasingly popular sport climbing area.

The Forest Service began the process of developing a CMP in August 2020 when four initial – virtual – meetings on the Monongahela Climbing Management Plan were organized by the Forest Service. The Forest Service website contains details of the meetings and a summary of what was discussed at each meeting. These links can be found on the Forest Service’s webpage.

Since then there have been no further developments, but it is expected that the preparation of a CMP will resume in the future.

In anticipation of this, PATC-MS has set up an informal coalition with other climbing organizations including the Access Fund, the American Alpine Club, Friends of Smoke Hole, Mid Atlantic Climbers, Friends of Seneca and several local Facebook groups and can be reached at [email protected]