Category: Harpers Ferry
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MAC and Partners Continue to Advocate for Access at Harpers Ferry
Last week, Mid Atlantic Climbers and our partners at the Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and Outdoor Alliance DMV sent a letter to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park urging park management, with the involvement of the public and representative organizations, to explore additional solutions to a permanent parking closure at Maryland Heights that prioritize visitor…
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Speak Up: Harpers Ferry Proposes Permanent Parking Closure at Maryland Heights
This month, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park proposed to permanently close the Maryland Heights parking areas, citing safety issues from illegally parked cars along Sandy Hook Road at busy times when legal parking was full. These parking areas have been temporarily closed since March 2020 due to COVID-19 safety protocols. The public can submit comments…
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Help shape the future of Harpers Ferry climbing
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, located on the border of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, is important to providing access to the outdoors for the DC metro region. It is a significant climbing resource in the mid-Atlantic, providing unique opportunities for multi-pitch traditional climbing, top roping, and bouldering. Mid Atlantic Climbers (MAC), Access Fund (AF),…
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Peregrine Falcon Closures at Harpers Ferry NPS and The Narrows
Significant portions of the climbing areas at both Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and The Narrows (aka Lover’s Leap) in Cumberland, MD are closed to visitors effective February 15- July 31, 2020. These closures occur seasonally to protect Peregrine Falcons during the nesting and mating season. Since human disturbance can cause nest abandonment and the…
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Progress on Harpers Ferry Campaign – Maryland Crags are Open!
Maryland Heights Re-opens: Last week, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park removed two temporary closures from the park’s website. Today, park officials confirmed with Mid Atlantic Climbers via email that two of the closures in effect have been lifted. With both the temporary closure from the June 2018 landslide, and the 2019 Peregrine Falcon season closure…
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Local Climbers Call on Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to Restore Access
Hundreds of climbers in the mid-Atlantic region urge the Park to develop a collaborative Climbing Management Plan Hundreds of climbers in the mid-Atlantic region are urging Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to lift its current climbing closures and develop a collaborative Climbing Management Plan based on public input and best practices. In the past three…
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Mid Atlantic Climbers and Access Fund respond to lack of public engagement in regards to climbing closures at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
On Friday, February 8, Mid Atlantic Climbers (MAC) and Access Fund (AF) sent a letter to express our disappointment in the continued lack of public engagement in regards to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park’s June 2017 Superintendent’s Compendium, Section 13 that lists rock climbing access closures and restrictions*. The letter also reiterated our request to lift the closures of…
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Mid Atlantic Climbers and Access Fund respond to new climbing closures and restrictions at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
On Monday, July 9, Mid Atlantic Climbers (MAC) and Access Fund (AF) sent a letter to express our disappointment in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park’s June 2017 Superintendent’s Compendium, Section 13 that lists rock climbing access closures and restrictions. The letter also requested that Harpers Ferry retract Section 13 and initiate a transparent, collaborative process…
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Maryland Heights Peregrine Falcon Closure 2017
Peregrine Falcons have again returned to Maryland Heights. These birds of prey were once endangered, and while their numbers have increased, they still need our support for successful breeding seasons at cliffs across the country. Effective Feb 17, 2017 a portion of the Maryland Heights cliff face and cliff top at Harpers Ferry National Historical…
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The Best Intentions…
The Best Intentions… Recently, approximately 500 feet of new trail was built between two small cliffs at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park without proper authorization by the National Park Service. While the trail builders likely had the best intentions – wanting to improve access between Balcony and Balcony Jr. and some of the nearby boulders-…