Shades State Park Via Ferrata

[ChalupaCabras]

Recently spent 3 days at Shades State park in Crawfordsville. The trails were amazing, but I'm one of those troublesome individuals that doesn't always stay on the trails.

After scurrying down an incline to take a better picture of a waterfall (against the advice of the signs), I endeavored to find another path back to the top of the cliff / ridge line where the easy trail was. It was extremely steep, and I should have went back the way I came. In any case, on my way up I came to a small ledge adjoining a nearly over grown trail, which was in fact the starting point of an Alpine style Via Ferrata. I followed this for a short while, snaking my way along the face of a limestone cliff before it became too hairy for me to continue without proper equipment.

My better judgement finally won out, and I went back the way I came and followed the over grown path back to the maintained hiking trail. Saw a sign that said something about trail being closed because of falling rocks (which is a regular problem with all rock climbing anyway... Like saying the pool is closed because it's wet, and you could drown ).

Anyone ever explored this section of the park, or has it been closed for 50 years? I have a fair bit of rope and climbing experience, and have a mind to return with a helmet and harness just to see where this path leads. Someone obviously put a LOT of time and effort into constructing this trail. It must go somewhere.

 

[eric001]

Were you close to Sugar Creek?? It's been about 40-45 or so years ago, but they used to have a trail that went along the face of a cliff that looked out/down over the creek that was indeed closed because of falling rocks...and they couldn't safely anchor the posts to keep folks from falling down the cliff, so they just abandoned it. MIGHT be the same one you found.

 

[cobber]

Recently spent 3 days at Shades State park in Crawfordsville. The trails were amazing, but I'm one of those troublesome individuals that doesn't always stay on the trails.

After scurrying down an incline to take a better picture of a waterfall (against the advice of the signs), I endeavored to find another path back to the top of the cliff / ridge line where the easy trail was. It was extremely steep, and I should have went back the way I came. In any case, on my way up I came to a small ledge adjoining a nearly over grown trail, which was in fact the starting point of an Alpine style Via Ferrata. I followed this for a short while, snaking my way along the face of a limestone cliff before it became too hairy for me to continue without proper equipment.

My better judgement finally won out, and I went back the way I came and followed the over grown path back to the maintained hiking trail. Saw a sign that said something about trail being closed because of falling rocks (which is a regular problem with all rock climbing anyway... Like saying the pool is closed because it's wet, and you could drown ).

Anyone ever explored this section of the park, or has it been closed for 50 years? I have a fair bit of rope and climbing experience, and have a mind to return with a helmet and harness just to see where this path leads. Someone obviously put a LOT of time and effort into constructing this trail. It must go somewhere.

Limestone? Maybe sandstone, don't think there's any limestone at the Shades (maybe in the creek beds, with all the fossils, but the uplands in the Shades I don't think so. ). I used to climb and rappel out there in the 1970s, but then the DNR posted no rock climbing. The trail was still open, but it was pretty exposed, I'm guessing this it the one you found?

Issue wasn't falling rock, but rather falling climbers. Obviously not a problem with folks who know what they're doing, but in order to protect the stupid everyone was barred... Typical nanny-State response.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

Must be the one. It snakes along the cliffs that overlook Sugar Creek.

I noticed there USED to be wooden decks along parts of it that have rotten / fallen away between the sections of anchored cable. I can see how those would be difficult to maintain, especially for a park that seems to have essentially NO annual budget (trail markers fallen down or broken, trees fallen across "Easy" trails, NO staff present for 3 days).

I went above / around the remaining sections of decking, supporting myself with a walking stick to maintain multiple points of contact. I would not be concerned to finish the trail If I had some webbing and a few carabiners, but I can see how they would not want inexperienced or unequipped people trying to traverse it. IF you were to fall, you would be seriously injured or killed... But then again, its Shades - there are a thousand places to fall to your doom; heck the devils backbone in the Pines section is a few hundred feet high, less than 6 feet wide with sheer drops on both sides, and no guard rails. There are two sections of the backbone that have 4-5 foot drops you have to lower yourself down while free walking on a narrow ridge line.

Nobody seems to care about that though.

 

[dvd1955]

Shhh. They might be listening. I would hate for them to alter the pine hills trail.

Must be the one. It snakes along the cliffs that overlook Sugar Creek.

I noticed there USED to be wooden decks along parts of it that have rotten / fallen away between the sections of anchored cable. I can see how those would be difficult to maintain, especially for a park that seems to have essentially NO annual budget (trail markers fallen down or broken, trees fallen across "Easy" trails, NO staff present for 3 days).

I went above / around the remaining sections of decking, supporting myself with a walking stick to maintain multiple points of contact. I would not be concerned to finish the trail If I had some webbing and a few carabiners, but I can see how they would not want inexperienced or unequipped people trying to traverse it. IF you were to fall, you would be seriously injured or killed... But then again, its Shades - there are a thousand places to fall to your doom; heck the devils backbone in the Pines section is a few hundred feet high, less than 6 feet wide with sheer drops on both sides, and no guard rails. There are two sections of the backbone that have 4-5 foot drops you have to lower yourself down while free walking on a narrow ridge line.

Nobody seems to care about that though.

 

[Tactically Fat]

You were probably on the old closed trail. I think it was open when I was a kid, but by the time the mid 90s rolled around, it was closed.

Also - if you visit a state park, for the love of God, abide by the rules and stay on the freaking trails. It's not rocket science - it's trespassing.

(As for geology - there's plenty of limestone, sandstone, and shale to be found at Shades)