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Thor's Hammer
5.9,
Trad, TR, 80 ft (24 m),
Avg: 3.8 from 38
votes
FA: FA: Sam Streibert, John Dowd, February 1964; FFA: Mike Heinz, Tony Trocchi, Ken Nichols, July 1975
Connecticut
> Central Valley
> E Peak
> Merimere Face
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
This route ascends the obvious stairstep dihedral on the Merimere Face. A Connecticut classic. Although obvious from the road below, this is somewhat tricky to find when approaching from the blue trail from the parking lot at the castle. Be sure to look at the landmarks around the climb as you drive up.
Climb the relatively easy corner to the first roof, undercling left (crux), and continue up a wide crack through another smaller roof to the top. A belay can be set after the first undercling to lessen rope drag.
Approach from the Metacomet trail. A gully on the south side gives access from the trail.
This can be toproped but a fall from under the crux overhang generates a very wild swing into space.
Protection
Bring some big stuff (#4, #5 camalot) if you want to lead this. Doubles of the bigs might be nice, mainly to keep the rope off of the first one as you turn the massive corners.
[Hide Photo] Dan Champagne in the chimney
[Hide Photo] Kim Smith top of 1st pitch in Nov 1987. We broke it up into two pitches for rope drag and photo ops.
[Hide Photo] Traversing under the first roof. You need a large cam to protect the second roof above.
[Hide Photo] Kim Smith starting the 2nd pitch, Nov 1987
[Hide Photo] Topping out in the chimney section
[Hide Photo] This is what you're looking for as you hike in from the upper parking lot.
[Hide Photo] Top of Thor's Hammer
[Hide Photo] Shot from the access road. Tarp used to mark top of route for anchor placement. Tarp was roughly 5'x 5' to give you an idea of face height. One 60m rope toproped was perfect length wise.
[Hide Photo] Here is a shot from the base of the route.
[Hide Photo] Thors Hammer from the base with my friend half way up...
Chocorua, NH
Las Vegas, NV
Recommend rappeling to the bottom because hiking it is the suck lol.
Bar Harbor, ME
General Delivery
Fort Collins, CO
Wakefield, RI
Lowell, MA
Very much recommend rapping in rather than bushwhacking to the base. Also suggest stopping at the bottom of the splitter corner on a sloping ledge (build an anchor) rather than rapping all the way to the bottom. This avoids the poison ivy bushes and the dirty, chossy section. Needless to say we did not do these things. Oct 5, 2018