Hi,

My name is Jonathan Vickers and this site is my (unfinished) master’s project for the P.I. Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University. It is a combination of research in the field of journalism and an exploration of my passion as a rock climber.  I wanted to explore non-linear storytelling, by letting an audience (you) interact with the information in whatever order bests suits you. I am still putting it together. If you come across it and it interests you please return in the Spring when it should be near completion. Below is a link to my project proposal which explains more about the research behind this site.  I hope you come back soon.

Coopers Rock State Forest is the first place I ever rock climbed. I was a participant of the Adventure West Virginia program, a freshman orientation program for West Virginia University that used the outdoors to facilitate a smooth transition to college life. Ever since that day toproping and bouldering in Upper Rock City I have been obsessed with rock climbing. This passion has steadily increased over the last 6 years to the point where rock climbing has now become a large part of who I am.

The gritstone maze of Coopers is a special place that shaped who I am. In fact, it has done the same for others and is dear to many. I am now sharing this very special place with you, but for others to benefit and be able to enjoy such an awesome area, we must respect it. This story has no real beginning or end and the avenues that you choose to take may differ from others. I hope whatever time you spend exploring this site and Coopers Rock itself leaves you with a holistic understanding of some of the complex issues climbers and all those who recreate face.

The story of “Climbing Cooper’s” is a story that could be told by many a climber in many a place. Though the climbers and stone may differ, many things remain the same.  Access issues, guidebooks, ethical debates and questions of impact exist in every climbing community. In fact, a lot of these stories and themes are present in many of the ways we play outdoors.

This site should act as a means to explore many facets of the growing sport of climbing through the stories, people and rocks at Cooper’s Rock State Forest. I have learned a lot and come up with many questions about the balance between the sport I love and the nature that provides it. My hope is that as you explore this site you may learn and think about how the many elements of rock climbing affect one another.

There are many ways to explore this site and the story of rock climbing at Cooper’s Rock State Forest. There isn’t an intended place to start or order of how you should proceed. The story has the ability to be added too and may continue to grow with the addition of more stories.

You might start by looking at the navigation bar at the top to orient yourself with the content and looking through the pins and there corresponding stories on the map. Once you have started please feel free to use the built in navigation (map or navigation bar) or move through the story using the hyperlinks provided within the text.

Thanks,

Jon Vickers

Link to the project proposal

My flickr

My Vimeo