History of Rock Climbing & Safety Bolts at Merriam Woods

Key Information

  • The deed states: “The property shall not be posted against trespass by the public, and public access thereto and use thereof shall be permitted to insure conservation and/or preservation of the property for public benefit and recreation.” The deed strongly supports forestry and agriculture and prohibits the development of buildings or commercialization of the land.

  • The rock at Merriam woods is mudstone. Mudstone is strong enough to hold the force of a climber’s fall, but removable climbing gear such as wired, tapered nuts or expanding “cam” devices” would shatter the rock in the event of a fall. Climbers have always installed bolts into the rock here for this reason. Modern bolts are designed to be as unobtrusive, and by anchoring their ropes temporarily to safety bolts, climbers avoid damage to clifftop trees and fragile vegetation. 

  • The deed states: “No man-made structure such as a road, dam, fence, bridge, culvert, or shed shall be constructed or introduced onto the property except as may be necessary and desirable in the best interests of the agricultural and forestry uses of the property as under-stood in those trades.” Climbers feel that small safety bolts are not a structure of this nature, and the fact that these bolts were already in use prior to the Merriam Family gifting the land could imply that the family was in favor of climbing there.

  • Modern safety bolts can not be removed. With two feet on the ground, power tools can be used to shear off the bolt head so that only the body of the bolt remains. However, chopping bolts off steeply overhanging cliffs is incredibly difficult, strenuous, and specialized labor. The results of bolt chopping are always unsightly and leave rock scarred and damaged forever.

  • The climbing cliffs at Merriam Woods are limited to the Southeast corner of the property just before the road transitions on to Forest Service land. A recreation management plan should be established to consider the desires of all outdoor enthusiasts relative the the intent of the Merriam Family as indicated in the deed.

Climbing History at Merriam Woods

A 1963 Holderness yearbook references rock climbing at Russell Crag - which is the name climbers have historically used for this climbing area. The yearbook caption mentions professional mountaineering equipment installed at that time. (See yearbook picture, caption, and pitons from that era.)

In 1980, the Merriam Family gifted a parcel of forest land to the Town of Woodstock (see deed) for “public benefit and recreation”. The majority of the land is forested rolling hills, traveled by hikers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts. The southeast corner of the property is dominated by steep rock cliffs, which climbers have visited for generations.

Through the 1990’s and turn of the century, climbers continued the precedent and practice of installing safety bolts. However, all new climbing routes were listed under the name Russell Crags. 

The next generation of rock climbers continued the practice of installing modern safety bolts to replace outdated equipment and add a plethora of new climbing routes. Please note that these climbers (unaware that this area had been gifted to the town) researched Russel Crag and found no indication that replacing bolts or adding bolts was unwanted, or that the Conservation Committee oversaw the land. Climbers have apologized sincerely for this oversight and demonstrated their commitment to work with the conservation committee to develop and uphold a climbing management plan for the area moving forward.

In recent years, covid closures, word of mouth, and social media have resulted in a major increase in traffic to this area - some hikers, many tourists, and more rock-climbers. The uptick in usage caused concern for local landowners and climbers alike. Climbers began to flag trees to route visitors around flora and to limit spidering trails. Climbers also connected with the Audubon Society to establish cliff closures during Peregrine Falcon nesting season. Local landowners brought their concern to the Conservation Committee. The Conservation Committee contacted the Rumney Climbers Association as well as one of the climbers who had installed new bolts - leading to the present warrant article.