Category: Access

  • Access Fund and Mid Atlantic Climbers Work with NPS to Open Climbing at Catoctin Mountain Park

    Thurmont, MD. June 22, 2016. As the nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of our National Park Service, Mid Atlantic Climbers and Access Fund applaud Catoctin Mountain Park for restoring bouldering access, allowing the mid-Atlantic climbing community a chance to discover one of the national parks in their own backyard. “In 2014, Mid Atlantic Climbers contacted…

  • Harpers Ferry/Maryland Heights Peregrine Falcon Closure 2016

    Effective March 1st, 2016 A temporary and partial closure is in effect for Maryland Heights to protect nesting peregrine falcons. All climbing routes on the Gully, the Sign Wall and the ABC Ramps are closed. A portion of the top of the cliff above these walls (accessible by hikers) is also closed to visitors. This temporary…

  • Catoctin Mountain Park Access Update

    As reported last February, comments to the Catoctin Mountain Park Superintendent’s Compendium by Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund resulted in the beginning of a dialogue with park staff about the future of bouldering access. Since 2012, bouldering in the park has been effectively disallowed, as park rules have confined all climbing to only…

  • An Epic Fall Season Caps off a Year of Stewardship

    On Saturday, November 14th, Mid Atlantic Climbers swarmed the boulders at Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park in Silver Spring, MD. More than 40 volunteers came out for a morning of trail work, graffiti removal, trash clean-up, and even the hard work of invasive species removal. After all the work was completed, volunteers enjoyed pizza, some…

  • New trail at Mt. Gretna/Park at Governor Dick will help minimize climber impacts

    On May 9, volunteers at the Park at Governor Dick, a popular diabase bouldering area in central Pennsylvania, built a new trail to the Beautiful Day Boulders.  Previously, there was no obvious path to these two sets of boulders, resulting in climbers bushwhacking at various spots in the forest.  The new trail will direct climber…

  • Skyline Drive Temporary Closure

    Heads up! Due to a winter full of freezes and thaws, there has been significant rockfall at the Mary’s Rock tunnel on Skyline Drive.  Shenandoah National Park will be closing Skyline Drive between mile marker 31.7 and 33 to perform maintenance at the tunnel. The park will begin work on May 4th and estimates the closure will…

  • Temporary Closure at Harper’s Ferry/Maryland Heights Summer 2015

    UPDATE August 11, 2015: All climbing routes at Harpers Ferry/Maryland Heights are OPEN. Thank you for your cooperation.  UPDATE June 2, 2015: The National Park Service has expanded the closure to include the ABC Ramps. See new picture below. The National Park Service has instituted a temporary and partial closure of Maryland Heights. All climbing…

  • Catoctin Mountain Park Access Update

    At the end of 2014, Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund submitted comments on the 2015 Superintendent’s Compendium for Catoctin Mountain Park in Maryland.  Since 2012, bouldering in the park has been effectively disallowed, as park rules have confined all climbing to only Work Rock, a small outcrop in the park.  Mid Atlantic Climbers…

  • Preserving Climbing Access Fall 2014

    Another fall season is in the history books, and along with some great days spent rock climbing, Mid Atlantic Climbers were busy preserving climbing access through stewardship events, education, and outreach. Thanks to the amazing efforts of our volunteers, Mid Atlantic Climbers hosted three Adopt-a-Crag events showing the climbing community’s continued commitment to the stewardship…

  • Catoctin Mountain Park Closed to Bouldering

    The temperature is dropping, and the leaves are changing. It is autumn in the Mid Atlantic and it’s prime time to climb. But before you go tromping through the woods, become access aware. Understand the land owners and land managers rules, and follow Leave-No-Trace practices. Observing closures and restrictions, and helping to spread the word about…