Visiting Whipp's Ledges

posted by Jeff | Sunday, May 25, 2008, 9:22 PM | comments: 3

Despite having lived in this town for entirely too long, I often forget that I live close to Whipp's Ledges, this really cool ridge of giant ledges formed by the edge of the glaciers as they stalled out over Ohio in the last ice age. It's really quite amazing to think that such a thing even exists here in Ohio.

So for all of the dogging I do lately on Cleveland, this is one of the cooler things around, and it's only six miles from my house. Diana had no idea the ledges even existed, though that's less surprising since she's not a native. But I know people who have lived here all of their lives and don't know about it.

In any case, given the perfect weather today, we decided to have a little picnic out there. We made sandwiches, packed the chips, cookies and soda, and enjoyed the sun. After lunch, we started climbing about up on the ledges (photos on Facebook).

It's funny how people familiar with it know that there's this one "cave" that you can climb through, because it's closest to the trail head and easy to find. For the most part, the climbing opportunities are not dangerous because they're narrow a series of levels up or down. Don't get me wrong, there are sheer faces that are close to a hundred feet that you'd definitely not survive, but somehow people manage to not die very often. There are a couple of places you can climb with ropes if you have a permit.

So if you happen to be visiting the Cleveland area, and the weather is good, definitely check out Whipp's Ledges.


Comments

draegs

May 26, 2008, 1:47 AM #

Saw the pictures and didn't even know the place existed. Thanks for the tip :)

JRY13SP

May 26, 2008, 4:44 AM #

I didn't know it was there either. Jamie and I may have to go one of these weekends.

Junior

May 26, 2008, 4:47 AM #

We used to camp at a place in North Royalton when I wad in the Boy Scouts. We used to go over to Hinckley to hike around or swim over at the spillway. I always remember thinking the ledges were such a neat thing to look at and climb around.


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