Access Notes - Vol. 12 Winter 1995

Orenaug Re-Opened

On October 14, 1995, the Woodbury Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to re-open Orenaug Park to rock climbing. The area, one of Connecticut's most popular cliffs offering classic climbs in a variety of grades, was closed to climbing last spring after serveral accidents. The vote occurred after a thorough and careful examination of the nature, history and realities of rock climbing.

Woodbury Selectman Mark Alvarez gathered information for this decision from the Access Fund, the American Alpine Club, the Mohonk Trust, the Ragged Mountain Foundation, local public safety officials, the Woodbury Parks and Recreation Commission, and the town's insurance carrier and legal council.

Alvarez also researched the Connecticut Recreational Use Statute and a state regulation covering climbing on state property. This regulation was positively modified as a result of testimony by the Ragged Mountain Foundation at a public hearing three years ago.

Several important points came out of Alvarez's research:

Climbers can be a great safety resource. Regular climbers can discourage bad behavior, warn others of unsafe technique and help keep an area clean.
Bans are difficult to enforce and do not prevent suits.
Permits are cumbersome and hard to police.
Signs that indicate visitors climb at their own risk, while prone to vandalism, are necessary.
A "Friends of Orenaug" group is a good idea.

The town's main concern was liability. Connecticut's Recreational Use Statute (Title 52, Section 557(g)), upheld by the State Supreme Court, was determined by counsel to provide "substantial protection." The state of Connecticut based its regulation on climbing on state property upon this statute, recognizing that climbers pursue their sport at their own risk.

Reinforcing the legal protections in place was the documented recreational use history of lands such as the Mohonk Trust and the city-owned Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado, locations that experience thousands of visits, dozens of injuries and an occasional fatality each year - but no lawsuits. In addition, the Access Fund has no record of a landowner in the country being found liable in these situations.

Based on the recommendation of the insurance carrier, the town will be posting signs warning that rock climbing is dangerous, visitors should climb at their own risk, the town does not maintain the cliffs, and it is not liable for injuries sustained by climbers.

Credit must be given to the officials of the town of Woodbury and the climbing community for addressing a classic access situation in a manner that satisfied all parties. Many locals including, but not limited to, Pete and Katie Rutkowski, John and Laurie Maloney, Kim Pratt, Paul Ives, Darrow Kirkpatrick, as well as RMF Access Committee Chair Tom Wimler and RMF Director Leslie Brown deserve recognition for their efforts. Many other climbers from throughout Connecticut and around the country provided information and support to those working for access. A heartfelt thanks is deserved by all.

The lesson in this experience is that an organized, formal approach, spearheaded by locals provided with state and national resources, is truly the best method to address the many serious issues that confront our crags and sport.

For more information, contact Gary St. Amand, president of the Ragged Mountain Foundation, at 860.666.9710.

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