Mid Atlantic Climbers

Rockfest 2013 Recap

Edwin Bachetti — Sat, 11 May 2013 16:34:23 +0000

In just a few hours on a sunny Saturday in April, more than 75 volunteers tackled invasive bamboo, removed graffiti and prevented trail erosion at Rocks State Park in Jarrettsville, Maryland.

Rocks is home to some of the best routes in Maryland, including classics like Strawberry Jam and the Breakaway Wall. With opportunities for fishing, hiking, picnicking, canoeing and tubing in addition to climbing, the park sees a lot of users and deserved some special treatment.

Volunteers from areas throughout the Mid Atlantic region spent the morning working on park maintenance and trail improvement projects throughout the throughout the park including:

Removing graffiti with a power washer from the cliff at Kilgore Falls
Re-mulching and updating the Nature Exploration Area
Cutting down invasive bamboo near the park headquarters
Installing water bars and four steps on the Orange trail at the Rockridge Pavilion
Trimming back poison ivy and prickers around the climbing and bouldering areas
Replacing rotting steps on several bridges on the white trail

In 2012, Mid Atlantic Climbers hosted Rockfest at Rocks and our volunteers were instrumental in developing the park’s Nature Exploration Area-- a natural playscape that features a miniature rock climbing area, an oversized birds nest, stump jumps, balancing logs, and other natural playground activities for kids. This year, volunteers continued to work on the project, mulching and lining the area to preserve it for the future.

Rocks has a long history of being a special place for both locals and outdoor enthusiasts. The King and Queen Seat on the top of the 190 foot rocky outcrop were once a ceremonial gathering place of the Susquehannock Indians, and continues to be both a fantastic climbing resource and a beautiful spot for a day trip.

Rockfest was made possible through generous support from the American Alpine Club. Earth Treks Climbing purchased and prepared lunch for our hungry volunteers.

Additional support was provided by Patagonia, Skratch Labs, REI, Misty Mountain, Sportrock, Rock Candy Holds, Mammut, Spiroll Rope Protectors, Blue Water Ropes, Alpine Inspirations, Mountain Khakis, La Sportiva, Organic, Five-Ten, Solid Rock Climbers for Christ, and Petzl.

Bolting is not allowed at Carderock

Penny Riordan — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:42:01 +0000

If you’ve never seen a bolt at Carderock, there’s a reason for that. That’s because it is illegal for them to be placed.

In early April, however, a MAC member and longtime area climber found two improperly placed bolts at a lesser known climb off the beaten path at the popular Maryland climbing destination.

The glue-in bolts were incorrectly placed and the person who found them removed them by hand with little effort. The bolts were the type that were designed to be glued in, but did not have the proper glue. They would have not held in a fall.

National Park Service regulations prohibit bolting or disturbing any of the natural resources in this historical national park. While Carderock does have some historical bolts in situ, the current regulations prohibit new bolts of any kind. MAC and Access Fund oppose climbers placing bolts in violation of law, and are actively working with the National Park Service to address this issue.

Situations such as this not only threaten access for future generations of climbers, but also endangers (literally) our community.

Please remember:

1. Always climb responsibly, don’t blindly trust fixed gear. We understand that climbers assume a certain amount of risk when using fixed gear, but do your best to inspect bolts and anchors and talk to locals– these bolts were pulled out by hand.

2. Be aware of your crag’s policies. If you have questions, MAC is happy to help.

3. Respect other climbers and land managers, including the NPS.

If you have any questions or concerns about this incident or others in the area, email midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com.

Mark your calendars for Rockfest 2013

Penny Riordan — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:38:57 +0000

Mark your calendars for Rockfest 2013, one of the best adopt-a-crag events at one of the region’s most beautiful places to climb.

The fourth annual event will be held on Saturday, April 27 at Rocks State Park in Jarrettsville, MD. This event brings together rock climbers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts for stewardship and outdoor recreation. MAC volunteers will spend Saturday doing a variety of service projects in the park including fixing a pedestrian bridge, pruning and trimming trail corridors, and trail maintenance.

To register, go here. For more information, including a map of the location, go here. More details about the event are also posted on our Facebook page.

What to bring:

Water bottles
Sturdy, close toed shoes
Dress for the weather, the event is rain or shine
Climbing gear if you plan to stick around after

How to get there:

The park is located in northern Harford County about 30 miles north of Baltimore and 8 miles northwest of Bel Air on Route 24. From Baltimore, take I-95 north to Route 24 north exit. Continue north on Route 24 through Bel Air, Rock Spring, and Forest Hill. The Park is located approximately 5 miles north of Forest Hill.

Rocks State Park
3318 Rocks Chrome Hill Road
Jarrettsville, MD 21084

Schedule:

8:30am – Check In
9am – Safety briefing and project work
12pm – Lunch provided
2pm – Wrap up project work; followed by raffle and presentations
Enjoy the rest of the day and climb with your fellow climbers!

We hope to see you there!

Meet the 2013 Access Fund Conservation Team Crew!

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:38:00 +0000

Check out this year’s members of the Access Fund’s Conservation Team!

Last year the Access Fund Conservation Team came to Northwest Branch and installed several stone steps over the course of a few days. A select crew of MAC members worked with the team to haul rocks from across the river, dig placement holes, and fill in gravel to improve the trail between the entrance platform and the warm-up boulders. The steps look great and make the trail safer for climbers and hikers.

While the Conservation Team won’t be visiting us this year, MAC will still be back at NWB doing more trail work. We’ll be there in the Fall, so keep an eye out on a date and help us protect local climbing!

Call for Action – Shenandoah Rock Outcrop Management Plan 2012

admin — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:52:00 +0000

As we mentioned last month, Shenandoah National Park released an update to their Rock Outcrop Management Plan (ROMP). After reading through the document and working with other organizations including the Access Fund, the Mountaineering Section of the PATC, and the American Alpine Club, we feel the following points are the most relevant to climbers.

- The ROMP focuses heavily on climbing, despite the fact that other activities such as hiking draw far more people into the park and as a result, have far greater impact. To use an example from the ROMP itself, Old Rag is visited by an estimated 50,000 people annually, but the number of climber use-days for the entire park is estimated at only 500.

- Several areas are closed to climbing: Marys Rock, North Marshall, Hawksbills Summit, West Summit of Old Rag, and 35 meters north of the “chute” trail at Little Stony Man. While the ROMP does provide general information about impact and natural resources at risk, little detail is given on the types of impact in specific areas. There does not appear to be any definitive evidence cited that identifies climbing as a source of significant adverse impact within the park. More detailed information should be provided to further explain the need for restrictions.

- Given the fact that climbers make up only a small percentage of rock outcrop users, the park should consider the possibility that some climbing access could be allowed, even if other user groups are not. Park planners should consider ways to protect the natural resources without prohibiting access to climbing. Climbers have a rich history in Shenandoah National Park, and this history should be preserved as much as possible.

Mid Atlantic Climbers will be filing a letter jointly with the Access Fund voicing these concerns. However, we strongly urge you to file your own comment, as a climber and an individual, by the deadline, Saturday, January 12, 2013. No matter how brief, the more climbers that file comment the more our message is heard. Simply click the “Comment on Document” button at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=274&projectID=19298&documentID=50505.

If you have any questions or comments on this, or about filing your own comment, please feel free to contact us at midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com.

Shenandoah ROMP Update and Extension

admin — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:09:00 +0000

As some readers may have already heard, Shenandoah National Park recently released an update to their Rock Outcrop Management Plan, or ROMP. This latest version had some new restrictions on climbing in the park, and there was a very short comment period.

A joint effort from Mid Atlantic Climbers, the Mountaineering Section of the PATC, the Access Fund, and the American Alpine club was successful in getting the comment period extended until January 12th, 2013.

We encourage all climbers to read the ROMP, however we at Mid Atlantic Climbers be posting our thoughts along with suggested comments.

You can find the 2012 update to the ROMP here.

For a highlighted comparison between the 2008 and 2012 version, click here. Thanks to Jenny O’Brien for this.

Two Day Membership Special

admin — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:02:00 +0000

We’ve had a really productive 2012, and we’re excited about doing more in 2013. We’re thankful to all the climbers in our community that have become members of the Access Fund, because as the local affiliate, we receive a portion of their membership dues. These funds help us organize our Adopt-a-Crags every year and continue to be a force in protecting local climbing.

Today and tomorrow, the Access Fund is hosting a membership drive at 20%off.

Join or renew your Access Fund / Mid Atlantic Climbers membership today to ensure that we end the year strong and continue to protect climbing in 2013.

PS – this is a great opportunity to give someone a really awesome holiday gift!

Shenandoah National Park ROMP

admin — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:27:00 +0000

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Do you really care about Climbing?

admin — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Do you want to be able to support local and national climbing access in one easy step?

Join, or renew your membership with the Access Fund. If more people support the Access Fund more resources will be given directly to Mid-Atlantic Climbers, helping to ensure local access and funding future service events like Rockfest and future Adopt-a-Crags.

As an organization, we need to get 50 new members by the end of 2010 to fund our 2011 access goals!

Help us ensure climbing access in the area by joining today.

Fill out this form on the Access Fund’s website- be sure to put “Mid Atlantic Climbers” in the Affiliate Organization box!

As an Access Fund member, not only do you get the assurance that you’re helping the climbing community, you will also receive discounts on great outdoor gear and merchandise from prAna, Mountain Gear, Zeal, Rock & Ice, and others; in addition to discounts on merchandise from the AF store, a subscription to the 3x yearly AF publication Vertical Times, and of course, the benefit of helping to protect our climbing areas.

Become an Access Fund member today and support Mid-Atlantic Climbers while you’re at it.

The Access Fund is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. https://www.kintera.org/site/c.tmL5KhNWLrH/b.4917803/k.BEA7/Join/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=tmL5KhNWLrH&b=4917803&en=kfIKISOuG5IFLNPnGbIOJZPIJjLOKYPuFeIPLTMxHcJOKaK

Fall 2012 Adopt-a-Crag Recap

admin — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 01:04:00 +0000

For ten years, Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund have been hosting Adopt-a-Crag events in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. This year, the climbing community showed once again that they are seriously committed to stewardship. At four events this Fall, taking place in Maryland and Virginia, more than 160 volunteers came and gave back to climbing areas that have given us so much. In total, more than 613 hours of service.

Ilchester Adopt-a-Crag, Patapsco State Park, MD.
- Over 30 volunteers.
- Significant trail work and erosion controls above and below the Ilchester Cliff. These improvements will slow erosion and help preserve the anchor and plant life at the top of the cliff.

National Public Lands Day and Carderock Adopt-a-Crag, Caderock Recreation Area, C&O Canal National Park, MD.
- Over 50 volunteers.
- Mulching along the top and base of the cliff to help control erosion.
- Social trail brushing.

10 Year Anniversary Great Falls Adopt-a-Crag, Great Falls National Park, VA.
- Over 30 volunteers.
- Trail work near Cow Hoof Rock to help control erosion as well as provide a safer slope for hikers.
- Social trail brushing.
- Trash pickup.

Northwest Branch Adopt-a-Crag, Northwest Branch Park, MD.
- Over 30 volunteers.
- Trail repair due to fallen tree from storms earlier this year.
- Installation of water bars to divert water off trails and control erosion.
- Invasive species removal.
- Trash pickup.

Thank you to everyone who came out both in the Fall and earlier this Spring to help give back to the areas we love and to show that climbers are committed to our outdoor communities.

We’ve already begun planning for 2013. If you have any thoughts, comments, suggestions, or would like to get more involved with Mid Atlantic Climbers, please e-mail us.