Central NH Climbers’ Association and Access Fund Purchase Property Critical for Access and Infrastructure

Access Fund and Central New Hampshire Climbers’ Association (CNHCA) are excited to announce the purchase of a key parcel of land in Thornton, New Hampshire that will provide access to climbing along Tripoli Road, including Merriam Woods and Russell Forest. This purchase will not only provide access to some of the newest crags in New Hampshire but will allow climbers to play a pivotal role in developing critical parking infrastructure that will ensure climbing remains a sustainable activity in the area.

"We are excited to acquire this land and work to build a new parking lot,” says CNHCA president Jay Knower. “With the increasing popularity of Merriam Woods and the surrounding Russell Crags, this project will help alleviate potential issues caused by visitor use and foster good will among the community at large."

Merriam Woods and the crags of Russell Forest are two of the most recently developed climbing areas in New Hampshire. The area has even been compared to the iconic Rumney in terms of its potential for high-quality climbing and its natural setting. The acquisition encompasses five acres of land that abuts the White Mountain National Forest and Merriam Woods—conservation land owned and managed by the Town of Woodstock, New Hampshire.

Exploration of the unique climbing resources near the Town of Woodstock is ongoing. Use of Merriam Woods and Russell Forest is only expected to increase—and with that increase comes the need to develop sustainable climbing infrastructure.

In the Spring of 2023, CNHCA President Jay Knower connected with the sellers. “We noticed that this piece of land was the only privately held parcel near Merriam Woods,” says Knower. “So we approached the owners about purchasing it, figuring that it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” The owners agreed to sell their property to CNHCA and were very supportive of the organization’s plans for it.

At the same time, discussions were underway between local climbers and the Woodstock Conservation Commission regarding the imperiled climbing access to Merriam Woods. One of the key concerns raised by local residents was the need for sufficient parking along the road to the crag.

“Climbers from CNHCA and Access Fund spent a significant amount of time working with the Town of Woodstock to keep climbing open and conserved at Merriam Woods,” says Brian Tickle, Access Fund’s national acquisitions director. “This acquisition is a reminder that climbers play an essential role in developing infrastructure beyond just trails and fixed anchors, and also serves as an example of climbers addressing the needs of neighboring landowners.”

The purchase of this property will address current parking concerns and should help mitigate future access issues. CNHCA intends to build a small parking lot to provide designated parking for climbers and other recreationists at a new trailhead to access the area’s amazing climbing resources. The lot will address landowner concerns and provide an avenue for sharing up-to-date information about proper use of these areas.

While the initial funding has been provided to purchase the property, CNHCA now needs the community to help raise $160,000 in order to pay down the loan and build the necessary infrastructure for the parking lot. You can donate to the project at https://donorbox.org/cnhca-donation

Access Details

Prior to the completion of the parking lot, CNHCA asks that visitors park on the side of the road by the Forest Service gate on Tripoli Rd. Be sure to park off the road and be respectful of neighboring landowners. The trail to the cliffs starts right by the gate. Please do not walk along the road.

About CNHCA

Central New Hampshire Climbers’ Association (CNHCA) is a non-profit organization in the state of New Hampshire. We are a group of climbers who are dedicated to maintaining and

preserving the climbing resources in central New Hampshire. This area includes all climbing accessed off Tripoli Road and Highway 49. This triangle represents a vast and largely unheralded climbing destination, ranking among Rumney and North Conway as a significant climbing location in the state. For more information, visit https://www.centralnhclimbers.org/

About Access Fund

Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that leads and inspires the climbing community toward sustainable access and conservation of the climbing environment. Access Fund represents more than 8 million climbers nationwide in its work to protect and conserve the land, fight for sustainable access, and build a community of inspired advocates. Access Fund is an accredited land trust that has helped acquire more than 90 climbing areas, protecting more than 13,000 routes and preventing 19,000 acres of climbing-rich lands from being sold, developed, or closed to climbing. For more information, visit accessfund.org.