Climbing out of Coal Country: The Economic Impact of Rock Climbing in West Virginia’s New River Gorge

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the economic impact of rock climbing in West Virginia’s New River Gorge. Central Appalachia’s current economy is partly the result of uneven development through resource extraction wherein value is created by permanently removing resources such as coal. In contrast, outdoor recreation economies find economic value in leaving natural spaces, such as mountains, in place. Outdoor recreation, which includes rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and other sports dependent on natural features, now represents an important part of the nation’s economy. This study finds that persons living outside of Fayette, Nicholas, and Raleigh Counties visiting West Virginia’s New River Gorge to climb spent an estimated $12.1 million in 2018. Non-local climber expenditures supported an estimated 168 jobs and $6.3 million in wages in the study area. Over 70 percent of climbers in the sample had a bachelor’s degree or higher, with one in five possessing graduate degrees. Altogether, 48 percent of climbers in the sample made $50,000 or higher in annual personal income, with one in ten reporting six-figure annual personal incomes. Overall, this study gives cause for further examination of economic growth through outdoor recreation and its economic contributions.