Category: climbing

  • Access Update: Catoctin Mountain Park Bouldering

    Since 2016 when Catoctin Mountain Park restored bouldering access, Mid Atlantic Climbers has been working with National Park Service staff to steward climbing areas and develop educational materials for the climbing community. In recent years, Park resource experts have expressed concerns about the impact of climbing on the sensitive natural resources the Park seeks to…

  • Bolts at Alberton Rock Raise Safety Concerns

    Three sets of bolt anchors have appeared at the top of the wall at Alberton Rock. Upon investigation, concerns about the placement of several of these bolts were discovered, with one set judged to be at significant risk of failure. Due to this high risk, the hangers have been removed from all bolts in order…

  • Challenging Racism in the Outdoor Industry and the Light at the End of the Tunnel

    Hello fellow Mid-Atlantic climbers! We hope that you have been able to stay safe and healthy this sweltering summer so far. The past few months has been an emotionally intense time for the climbing community as a whole, as voices that have been speaking up against racism in our community are starting to be amplified…

  • Chopped Bolts At Friction Wall Replaced

    At Patapsco Valley State Park, new anchor bolts have been added to Friction Wall’s main attraction, “The Truth” aka “40 Weight”. A typical vertical anchor setup using 2 bolts and chain fit well into the limited space. Normal practice is to use the heavy duty rap ring for rappelling only. Please use your own carabiners…

  • COVID-19 Guidelines for Mid-Atlantic Region Climbers

    To the climbing community: Our organizations had originally planned to distribute the following COVID-19 climbing guidelines at an earlier date. When George Floyd’s murder and the collective response to police brutality gripped the nation, we decided to delay publishing in order to not take up space from the Black Lives Matter movement. The crisis of…

  • Chopped Bolts at Friction Wall Raise Concerns

    Recently, a MAC crag steward discovered that the anchor bolts atop The Truth, a popular route at Friction Wall in Patapsco Valley State Park, had been chopped. We don’t know who did this or why, but a pair of holes near the anchor suggests that perhaps someone was interested in replacing these bolts and for…

  • Get Involved: Volunteer with Mid Atlantic Climbers!

      Did you know Mid Atlantic Climbers is an all volunteer organization? As our membership continues to grow, we’re looking for new volunteers to help fulfill our mission of preserving access to climbing areas in the Mid-Atlantic region, while promoting responsible climbing and environmental stewardship. Currently we are seeking to fill an open board position…

  • MAC Open Meeting – The Future of Climbing Needs Your Voice!

    Mid Atlantic Climbers is excited to host a public meeting at the new REI Flagship store in Washington, DC. This meeting is open to everyone regardless of membership status. It will be a great opportunity to find out what Mid Atlantic Climbers is all about and what events and projects we have in the works. It…

  • The Sykesville Secret is Out!

    Mid Atlantic Climbers is excited to feature this guest blog post by local climber John Brunson. This post is the third in a series focusing on some of the great climbing in and around the Mid Atlantic region. The two previous posts explored the historical climbing in Patapsco State Park. Local Bias After living in Sykesville,…

  • Climbing’s Past and Future in Patapsco State Park part 2

    Mid Atlantic Climbers is excited to feature this guest blog post by local climber John Kelbel. This post is the second in a series focusing on some of the great climbing in and around the Mid Atlantic region, you can read the first post here.   Climbing in Patapsco State Park Patapsco State Park encompasses…