It was my first climb, AND I was the oldest in the group. It only made sense that I was volunteered to be the first one up! I quickly realized that I wasn't in as good physical condition as I'd thought. Our guide, Shelby encouraged me, and helped me to enjoy myself on what could have been a scary experience for me. She was absolutely the best; very professional, yet patient and friendly. (She even loaned me her gloves!)If yo enjoy a slightly challenging climb, with breathtaking views all along the way, DO this climb! would do this again in a heartbeat, and next time I would do the optional climb section!
a great overall experince to start my whirlwind tour of west Virginia. .. the guides are awesome, thanks matt and cody.the office staff was very helpful, and I enjoyed the cabinsI would suggest this to anyone who seeks adventure.
The Via Ferrata is a little known adventure that challenges the natural fear of heights. Experienced guides train you to be safe and monitor your progress during the 4 hour climb. This is a must do WV experience!
Fun day exploring the rocks. Guides were helpful and instructive. Via Ferrata style climbing gives one the feel of lead climbing without the exposure and rope skills required by Traditional climbs. Overall a great day.
NROC's via ferrata is one of the best outdoor adventure in the east. The location is fantastic, close to many other great hiking venues in eastern WV. We ended up staying two nights in their fairly new guest house. The rooms are spare, but very clean and adequate for short stays. Don't expect a hotel or hotel service, but everything was handled efficiently and with a smile. Pre-trip information about the via was very helpful. (Don't do this if you have a fear of heights or are not in good shape.) Our guide, Tony, was experienced, knowledgeable, and added much to the experience.
LOVE this place. We just got back from our 6th trip at Nelson Rocks. The VIA is always so much fun and our guide, Josh, was amazing. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. The staff is always extremely helpful, friendly and professional. The last time we went, we were expecting to do a moonlight climb but the weather did not cooperate. The staff rescheduled the climb for the next day and gave us back the difference in price. They are always so willing to accommodate. We stayed in the cabins which have had many upgrades since we first started going in 2010. There is now a bath house with running hot water. The cabins have solar power so there is a little light. I love it there and it's such a nice weekend getaway.
An experience I will remember forever. The views you get during this climb are incredible. It is certainly very scary and probably not for those afraid of heights. For the most part you are pretty much on your own to do the climb, and the guides provide minimal help but are very friendly.
Wonderful guided adventure. The Via Ferrata is super cool and the views are unmatched. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend the Via Ferrata to anyone. Second best attraction in WV behind the fall Gauley whitewater season. The Via Ferrata requires a 5 mile hike up and down steep terrain and lots of stamina to complete the climb but is so worth the effort. Views were unmatched. The tour passes a very rare American Chestnut tree over 150' up the cliff. The zip lines were OK. The Nelson Rock Preserve also offers camping, lodging and day use passes for their land ($5). Wear layered quick dry clothing, sturdy shoes and sun glasses. Via Ferrata tour will be rescheduled or refunded without penalty if the weather is bad. Truly a magical place. Close to Seneca Rocks. Good eats, lodging and micro brews available in and around Davis, WV. Via Ferrata tour runs year round! They have a great website if you have questions or want more info. Friendly staff even on the phone! Bring lots of water! Via Ferrata tour will take 4-5 hours with a big group.
We showed up without reservations on a Sunday morning in late October and Chris and Brian went out of their way to accommodate us. They called in another guide, Matt, who came in especially for us. My wife and I were on the only ones on the tour, except for Brian and Matt, our wonderful guides. These guys had great personalities and were quite enjoyable to be around! The tour was awesome. There were still some foliage on the trees, but enough leaves had fallen to allow great views down into the valley. I would definitely recommend this activity if you are in the area! Maybe next time we will get our nerve up for the Via Ferrata.
My wife and I went to NROC and did the Via Ferrata this past week. Our guide was Matt and we were joined by the new NROC marketing guy (Chris). Both of us are experienced climbers and we TOTALLY enjoyed the Via Ferrata experience. It was well guided with great conversation, some entertaining humor, and most importantly....it was safely done. This definitely challenges your fear of heights, but by the time you're a third of the way through, you feel very safe. This is a hidden gem in West Virginia and I'm glad we ran across it by accident online. It was just plain out excellent and I would say its a must-do for anyone who is visiting the Seneca Rocks area.Just do it....this was well run and well worth the money!One word of note....like the website says, if you are intensely afraid of heights, don't do it. Also, you don't have to be a star athlete, but you should be in reasonable shape. You don't have to be an experienced climber, but it is 4 hours of climbing and hiking and it is reasonably challenging.This was the best part of our trip to W.V.!!!!