How Can Climbers Protect the Places We Love?
As climbers, we have the privilege and duty to uphold enormous amounts of respect for the land we use. An awe-inspiring amount of folks ask us at CNHCA how they can be a part of the cause, or even just how they can contribute what they can in their day-to-day of climbing to conserve access and our resources.
Believe it or not, you personally make a BIG impact on climbing areas you attend. While it may seem like common decency, following these objectives can make a difference when gathering at the crags.
CNHCA board member, Mike Gagnon, came up with this list below!
Respect Access Guidelines:
Follow local regulations, seasonal closures, and private property rules. For example, many crags in New Hampshire, like Russell or Yellowjacket, have access rules to protect wildlife or respect private landowners. Avoid climbing during falcon nesting, parking near private roads and lands, and any observations that might be posted at the kiosks.
Practice Leave No Trace:
If you even have your small toe in the outdoor space, you’ve heard of this one before. It’s pretty simple…pick up your trash, eh? But there’s more to it. A big part of preserving climbing areas are things like foot paths, erosion control, fragile plant life, and human/animal waste. Sometimes you might think a rock is in a precarious place but moving it could potentially lead to long term effects on trails, belay areas and the ecosystem. New Hampshire is also home to many plants and animal species that may not look like much to the human eye but do their part to maintain these areas themselves. So, when we say leave no trace, we aren’t just talking about your Clif bar wrappers. Just leave it as it was when you found it and if something seems amiss, let your LCO (local climbing organization) know, and we will investigate correcting it.
Maintain and Respect Climbing Hardware:
While we do our best to make climbing routes a safe as can be, you assume all risk when you start up a climb. We can always use your help as eyes and ears out there. If you see bad bolts, worn anchors, or anything of the sort, please reach out to us on Instagram or at info@centralnhclimbers.org as soon as possible with info such as where and what you saw and we will be right on it. We care about your safety and experience even more than we care about our own climbing.
Routes aren’t cheap, please respect the hardware for those to come and avoid things like top roping through anchors and sending debris down that could damage bolts.
Educate and Lead by Example:
Everyone who attends the cliffs is a steward, whether you believe it or not. So be a good role model! Sometime, somewhere, someone will be looking to you for mentorship and will look up to you. It’s important to have good habits and show that you care, as they will probably pick up on the same ideations.
Not everyone can know everything. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to CNHCA. We are here to give back, not just in development and access issues, but in your climbing career itself.