By Sean James

Sandstone evokes images of dampness, crumbliness, sandiness and top-roping. London, Dave Turner, Tonbridge Wells and the south-east of Britain immediately spring to mind. If you have been climbing a bit longer you may also think of Australia and the big orange lump of shiny, rock known as Arapiles; a trad climbers paradise where you are required to place you own bolt hangers, known affectionately as carrots. If economy class syndrome and blood clots bother you and you are finally tired of France and Spain you may have visited the sandstone of Eastern Europe and the towers of Czechoslovakia. But no-one has ever visited this area except for Leo Houlding and a BMC expedition.

However, possibly the best crag in the world and about to become the number one destination for British climbers i.e. teachers with too much holiday, is an area located in the southern states of America. This premier climbing area is only 6 hours across the Atlantic and will take you less time to reach than the south of France after you have avoided the French lorry drivers and the tunnel. This area is famed throughout the US for having the longest and steepest endurance routes and is known as the Red River Gorge. It is of course sandstone. But sandstone with a difference; It is steep. Steeper than all the limestone you have and will ever seen. It is also compact and a joy to climb on. There is a local witticism that the RRG has the largest holds that you will ever fall off. As with most things American, I can testify that the RRG is bigger and better than anywhere else.

The Red River Gorge is actually a collection of crags located in the heavily forested state of Kentucky. There are six "official" crags that fall into the sports climbing category and as a consequence are the busiest. However this is being harsh as there are many other quality venues. The Motherlode is the most famous and is the place where a seventeen year girl onsighted the severely overhanging 5.14a/13.d route, Omaha Beach, on her 3rd day of climbing. All of the crags are within 30 minutes drive of each other and many people visit more than one during a day of climbing - the approaches being less than 10 minutes walk in most cases. Although the general nature of the routes is steep and overhanging, the area is most popular with climbers in the 5.10 to lower 5.12 grade (F5+ to F7a+) who will find an abundance of quality sports and traditional routes. If your idea of a holiday is to onsight F6a - F6c+ all day long, you will be hard pushed to tick the entire guide book in a 2 week trip. The variety and quality is unbeatable and whereas in Europe, routes of this grade often have single, hard crux's and are found at the side of the main climbing areas, nature has designed these routes to be continuous and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

For the climber looking for hard F7s and F8s your ego will be massaged like never before. A slight hint of power is enough for all but the hardest routes. Combine that with some stamina and you will find yourself, pumped and staring at the anchors after an onsight that would never have been possible in Europe. As with all routes that require stamina, the area is prone to initial overgrading and then abrupt downgrading. If you onsight something that you think you ought not to have, check in the guide book and accept the current grade. If you are are looking for an easy tick and a great route for your climbing C.V., try Harvest at The Motherlode. Given 5.13a (F7c+) for the first ascent, the way it is done now is more likely to be easy 5.12d (7b+/7c).