I was introduced to climbing for the first time at Coopers Rock State Forest as an incoming freshman. As a participant with the Adventure West Virginia program, West Virginia University’s optional orientation class, I spent half of a day top roping and bouldering in Upper Rock City.  I was hooked on climbing, but it wasn’t until years later that I realized how much being introduced to rock climbing has changed my life and who I am.

After a couple seasons dabbling at Cooper’s Rock, Woodlands, and the WVU climbing wall, I got a job at the university’s wall.  My passion grew quickly, and when I changed my major to journalism, I decided to combine my passion with my career path. During my time at West Virginia University, I had the opportunity to restart a dead climbing club, guide for Adventure West Virginia and act as the graduate assistant manager of the WVU climbing wall.

Despite my travels around the country since starting to climb, the WVU climbing wall and Coopers Rock are where I have spent a majority of my climbing time. I have spent a lot of my time with the climbers, hearing stories and climbing the rocks that make Coopers Rock State forest the climbing area that it is, and I am sure I don’t even know the half of it.

I now live in Salt Lake City, Utah with my girlfriend, Melissa Shreve. I am currently working at Momentum climbing gym and getting to know the community of the Wasatch Range. This website is my thesis project for the P.I. Reed School of Journalism’s masters of journalism program. I hope you enjoy exploring the site and take away a holistic understanding of Cooper’s Rock State Forest.