Rumney, one of the most popular climbing areas in the Northeast, is once again open. In April the Access Fund announced it will pay $60,000 to acquire some thirty acres near Rumney in central New Hampshire. This property contains 5.8 Crag, the Black Jack bouldering area, and the Monsters of Id crag, and provides parking and access to all the Rumney crags as well as other recreational opportunities.
The Access Fund's Land Acquisition Program is one of our most successful and high-profile projects. The purpose of this program is to preserve natural areas from development, and to ensure climbers' access. Last year the Access Fund obtained a $30,300 grant and donated it to the Mohonk Preserve for the purchase of a 40-acre parcel of land atop the Near Trapps cliff in the Shawangunks, New York. The Access Fund also has bought land in Unaweep Canyon, Colorado, and is working to acquire the crags of Henley Forgotten Wall in Missouri, the Society Turn Crag near Telluride and North Table Mountain in Colorado, the Upper West Bolton Wall in Vermont, Woodland Walls in West Virginia, Jailhouse Rock in California, and Gilbraltar Rock in Wisconsin.
The Rumney acquisition required months of negotiations, and cooperation between local climbers, the Access Fund, and the US Forest Service. The purchase agreement calls for the Access Fund to buy the property for $60,000; the Forest Service then will buy the land from the Access Fund for the appraised value of $45,000. Local climbers pledged to raise funds to pay for site improvements, including a new parking area and trail maintenance. A benefit party at the Rock Barn climbing gym on May 14 raised more than $2000, and funds raised locally now total more than $4000. The Access Fund has obtained pro bono legal counsel to handle legal requirements associated with the purchase.
Bill Supple, general manager of Wild Country and Access Fund Vice President, brokered the deal. Supple commented, "Rumney is a significant climbing area in the Northeast, and [acquisition of] this property was one of the Access Fund's highest priorities." Supple called the purchase "an excellent example of cooperation between government and private interests." In fact, a formal partnership between the Forest Service and Rumney climbers has been proposed, to protect the area and provide necessary improvements.
Eileen Woodland, Realty Specialist for the White Mountains National Forest, said, "We're excited about working with climbers. It's a tremendous help to us to have this kind of cooperation from a user group."
Local climbers, including Rock Barn owner Jim Shimburg and Joe Landry of the Appalachian Mountain Club, laid the groundwork for the purchase by establishing relations with the White Mountains National Forest and the land owner. The AMC also contributed $1000 for an early appraisal of the property.
Climbing at Rumney was curtailed last year when the land owner put the property up for sale. By permission of the owner, climbers may now cross the property to access the crags while the sale is pending. The purchase will be concluded as soon as a survey confirms the appraised property dimensions, and the closing is scheduled for mid-August.
On a related note, an active peregrine falcon nest was discovered at Rumney this spring. Several crags, including the Main Cliff, were closed temporarily to provide a buffer zone for the birds. Wildlife specialists were impressed by climbers' 100% compliance with the closure, which was lifted in June. Also, five or six species of rare plants were discovered in the area. The Access Fund is working with the Forest Service and New Hampshire Heritage, a botanical preservation group, to make sure that climbers will not threaten these plants.
For more information on Rumney, call Jim Shimburg at (603) 536-2717. To make a donation towards this important acquisition, contact the Access Fund at (303) 545-6772 or PO Box 17010, Boulder, CO 80308.