New Hampshire’s Rumney Rocks is the primo outdoor sport-climbing destination in the Northeast. And with the American Alpine Club’s (AAC’s) recent acquisition of a close-in campground, the climbing legacy at Rumney will carry on.
A post shared by Access Fund (@accessfund) on Sep 15, 2017 at 8:42am PDT
Jesse Billingham, lodging director for AAC, tells GrindTV, “So many new climbers are starting in urban gyms, so Rumney is a great first step for those people trying sport climbing outdoors. It’s close to major population areas like Boston, New York and Montreal, and with 1,000 routes, there’s so much range.” An estimated 22 million Americans and Canadians are within reach of this crag on any given weekend. By purchasing the existing 15-acre Rattlesnake Campground, the AAC is helping to ensure climber-friendly access and educational opportunities at Rumney Rocks. “It’s great for us, because we can be part of educating new generations of climbers coming from the city,” Billingham says.
A post shared by Practical Climbing (@practical_climbing) on Sep 8, 2017 at 3:23pm PDT
Climber Erik Lambert, of Golden, Colorado, can’t wait to visit. “The AAC has a history of developing and improving the facilities they purchase. I wish they had purchased the Rumney campground a decade ago when I was learning to climb there!” he tells GrindTV. “I envision that the local community scene will benefit, as they’ll use the space as a clubhouse of sorts to host climber gatherings, stewardship projects and maybe even a full-blown Craggin’ Classic festival.” Ready for a road trip to Rumney? Here’s the lowdown. Getting here
A post shared by Lottie (@lalalottiebird) on Sep 2, 2017 at 12:30pm PDT
Pick a weekend with a decent weather forecast, although don’t hold your breath, because this part of the White Mountain National Forest is known for it variable weather, says Lambert. Rumney Rocks is just two hours from Boston, with plenty of pit stops along the way: Manchester, Concord and Plymouth, New Hampshire, which is the closest civilization (and beer) to the crag. Camping here
A post shared by Igor Torves (@igortorves) on Aug 28, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT
While there are a few different campgrounds in the area, the AAC’s 15-acre Rattlesnake Campground is closest to climbing adventures and offers overflow parking adjacent to the main lot, which is often filled to capacity on weekends. There are 16 first-come, first-served primitive grass sites ($8 per night for AAC members and $12 for non-members) along the Baker River, but a few spots can be reserved for larger parties. The campground includes portable toilets, fire pits, picnic tables and potable water at an on-site barn, which the AAC has plans to develop as a space for hanging out, hosting events and educational opportunities and maybe even featuring showers one day. “We’re keeping things communal, asking campers to be neighborly and share their spaces and fire pits,” says Billingham. Climbing here
A post shared by Jeremy Lafleur (@snowboardingmademehard) on Sep 7, 2017 at 1:35pm PDT
Rumney Rocks is ideal for all climbing ability levels, featuring sport routes ranging from beginner-rated 5.3 selections to super-challenging 5.15 options, plus traditional climbing and bouldering. Billingham says the easiest routes are doable “even if you’ve never set foot in a gym.” Consider hiring a climbing guide (check with the Rumney Climbing Association) to rig gear and navigate the area’s sprawling matrix of trails to cliffs and crags. Rumney’s sheer variety is as interesting as its fine-crystal schist rock. “It’s not one massive cliff, but rather lots of crags spread out along Rattlesnake Mountain,” Billingham says. “So you can find 10 routes — and privacy — at your own cliff in the forest.” Read more stories about hiking from ASN
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
New Hampshire’s Rumney Rocks is the primo outdoor sport-climbing destination in the Northeast. And with the American Alpine Club’s (AAC’s) recent acquisition of a close-in campground, the climbing legacy at Rumney will carry on.
A post shared by Access Fund (@accessfund) on Sep 15, 2017 at 8:42am PDT
A post shared by Access Fund (@accessfund) on Sep 15, 2017 at 8:42am PDT
Jesse Billingham, lodging director for AAC, tells GrindTV, “So many new climbers are starting in urban gyms, so Rumney is a great first step for those people trying sport climbing outdoors. It’s close to major population areas like Boston, New York and Montreal, and with 1,000 routes, there’s so much range.”
An estimated 22 million Americans and Canadians are within reach of this crag on any given weekend.
By purchasing the existing 15-acre Rattlesnake Campground, the AAC is helping to ensure climber-friendly access and educational opportunities at Rumney Rocks. “It’s great for us, because we can be part of educating new generations of climbers coming from the city,” Billingham says.
A post shared by Practical Climbing (@practical_climbing) on Sep 8, 2017 at 3:23pm PDT
A post shared by Practical Climbing (@practical_climbing) on Sep 8, 2017 at 3:23pm PDT
Climber Erik Lambert, of Golden, Colorado, can’t wait to visit.
“The AAC has a history of developing and improving the facilities they purchase. I wish they had purchased the Rumney campground a decade ago when I was learning to climb there!” he tells GrindTV.
“I envision that the local community scene will benefit, as they’ll use the space as a clubhouse of sorts to host climber gatherings, stewardship projects and maybe even a full-blown Craggin’ Classic festival.”
Ready for a road trip to Rumney? Here’s the lowdown.
Getting here
A post shared by Lottie (@lalalottiebird) on Sep 2, 2017 at 12:30pm PDT
A post shared by Lottie (@lalalottiebird) on Sep 2, 2017 at 12:30pm PDT
Pick a weekend with a decent weather forecast, although don’t hold your breath, because this part of the White Mountain National Forest is known for it variable weather, says Lambert.
Rumney Rocks is just two hours from Boston, with plenty of pit stops along the way: Manchester, Concord and Plymouth, New Hampshire, which is the closest civilization (and beer) to the crag.
Camping here
A post shared by Igor Torves (@igortorves) on Aug 28, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT
A post shared by Igor Torves (@igortorves) on Aug 28, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT
While there are a few different campgrounds in the area, the AAC’s 15-acre Rattlesnake Campground is closest to climbing adventures and offers overflow parking adjacent to the main lot, which is often filled to capacity on weekends. There are 16 first-come, first-served primitive grass sites ($8 per night for AAC members and $12 for non-members) along the Baker River, but a few spots can be reserved for larger parties.
The campground includes portable toilets, fire pits, picnic tables and potable water at an on-site barn, which the AAC has plans to develop as a space for hanging out, hosting events and educational opportunities and maybe even featuring showers one day. “We’re keeping things communal, asking campers to be neighborly and share their spaces and fire pits,” says Billingham.
Climbing here
A post shared by Jeremy Lafleur (@snowboardingmademehard) on Sep 7, 2017 at 1:35pm PDT
A post shared by Jeremy Lafleur (@snowboardingmademehard) on Sep 7, 2017 at 1:35pm PDT
Rumney Rocks is ideal for all climbing ability levels, featuring sport routes ranging from beginner-rated 5.3 selections to super-challenging 5.15 options, plus traditional climbing and bouldering. Billingham says the easiest routes are doable “even if you’ve never set foot in a gym.”
Consider hiring a climbing guide (check with the Rumney Climbing Association) to rig gear and navigate the area’s sprawling matrix of trails to cliffs and crags. Rumney’s sheer variety is as interesting as its fine-crystal schist rock.
“It’s not one massive cliff, but rather lots of crags spread out along Rattlesnake Mountain,” Billingham says. “So you can find 10 routes — and privacy — at your own cliff in the forest.”
Read more stories about hiking from ASN
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
