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Merimere Face
Connecticut
> Central Valley
> E Peak
Access Issue: Permits Required to Climb on City of Meriden, CT properties.
Details
After many years, the City of Meriden has come to recognize climbing as a legitimate
recreational activity on town land only for those individuals who maintain active membership
with the Ragged Mountain Foundation.
As of late 2019, active members of the RMF can obtain permits sanctioned by Meriden’s
Department of Parks and Recreation that allow for the responsible use of the town’s many cliff
sides, trails, and boulders in pursuit of rock climbing.
Permits can be obtained (by active dues paying RMF members only) from the Meriden Parks
and Recreation building located at 460 Liberty Street between the hours of 7:30 am and 3:30 pm
for a $5 fee. The Parks Department maintains a list of all active RMF members. You can
purchase or renew your RMF membership here. You can also become a member via the “Joint-
Membership Program” with the Access Fund. Please be aware that it may take up to 30 days
between the time of purchasing a membership with the Ragged Mountain Foundation and
appearing on the city’s list of individual climbers authorized to receive permits. Also,
please be aware that permits are issued on an individual basis, and are not interchangeable
between multiple members in a single party.
The permits from the City are good for one calendar year from the date of payment, so you will
need to renew again the following year. Please keep a copy of your RMF membership and a copy
of your permit from the City (electronic image okay) on hand. As part of the agreement, park
rangers and City officials have been informed to ask for identification if they observe
climbers/climbing. Climbers without proper credentials are subject to fines.
This is a massive step forward in the relationship between climbers and the City of Meriden. For
more information on the agreement, please look at the RMF Blog.
As always, be safe and be respectful.
Description
Several 60-80', S and E facing cliffs overlooking the Merimere Reservoir - surprisingly beautiful spot for the area. Solid dark basalt rock, pretty secluded.
By
John Peterson:
This area contains a number of different rock faces. As you look across the water from the approach road, Ampitheater is the biggest face, on the left, Fall Wall is a smaller face to the right, and Merimere Face is the rightmost of the larger cliffs, easily identified by the roofs of Thor's Hammer.
There are many smaller routes on the crags near the castle but these are mostly garbage (literally). Of all the routes in the green book in the castle area, the only one I'd reccomend is Glassworks.
Getting There
Take Route 691 about 2 miles past Meriden and exit onto Main St. Go about 3/4 mi east to Hubbard Park. Drive N in the park and park under the overpass. The gate is closed in the early evening, so don't drive in unless you will definitely be out early. If you can get out early it is only a few hundred yard walk east to the top of the cliffs.
From the overpass, walk about 1/2 mi up the road and cut left at the Southern edge of the reservoir. Follow a trail for a few hundred yards. When the trail cuts uphill and hard left, continue straight up a spur path. Hike another 10 minutes up the scree.
Routes from Left to Right
[Hide Photo] Here's a distance shot of East Peak - Merrimere Face.
[Hide Photo] Thor's Hammer is the corner that starts at the highest of the trees at the base and jogs left twice.