‘They will spend money.’ Climbers bring millions to renowned Kentucky area.
The economic impact of rock climbers visiting the Red River Gorge has increased significantly in recent years, according to a study released this week.
The study estimated climbers spend a total of $8.7 million annually in five counties around the gorge, a renowned sport-climbing destination.
That spending supports 104 jobs and $2.6 million in local wages, according to the study.
A similar report released in 2016 estimated annual spending in the area by climbers at $3.6 million.
There are several factors at work in the increased spending, including the growth of available Airbnb units around the gorge, expanded legal alcohol sales, the growing popularity of outdoor recreation and access to more climbing routes, said James N. Maples, a professor of sociology at Eastern Kentucky University and director of the Division of Regional Economic Assessment and Modeling.
“It increases every single year,” Maples said of the number of climber visits.
Maples carried out the study with Michael J. Bradley, a professor at Arkansas Tech University, using economic modeling that incorporated information gathered last year through surveys of climbers.
The Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition has bought land in the area that made hundreds of more climbing routes available since the 2016 study, according to Jereme Ransick, president of the coalition, and executive director Billy Simek.
The growth in the number of climbing gyms has attracted more people to the sport, and social media has helped popularize it as well, Ransick said.
The gorge is an easy drive away from Lexington, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and has potentially thousands of climbing routes, including some of the most challenging in the world.
“The climbers hold this area very dear,” Ransick said.
The study area covered Powell, Lee, Estill, Wolfe and Menifee counties. The results are conservative estimates of the economic impact of rock climbing in the area, Maples said.
The study estimated that there are 102,000 climbing visits a year to the five-county area.
Dedra Brandenburg, tourism director for Lee County, said climbing has developed into an important piece of the local tourism economy.
Climbers spend money on lodging in the county and buy food at stores, the farmers market and in restaurants, Brandenburg said.
“That’s a big leap,” she said of the increased spending in the area.
The study identified cabin rentals, indoor dining and gas as the biggest areas where climbers spend money, and most of the jobs their spending supports are at restaurants.
The average age of climbers who responded to the survey was 34, with 44 percent reporting they had at least a bachelor’s degree and 63 percent with annual incomes of more than $50,000.
Supporters said the study shows that climbing can help diversify the economy of the area, where many people travel to Lexington or other Central Kentucky cities to work.
“If we can create access to climbing areas, climbers will come, they will spend money,” Maples said.
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 2:18 PM.
