RMF Purchases North End of Ragged’s Main Cliff

By: David Fasulo, Nate McKenzie

The sale of the North End of Ragged Mountain, the historic Main Face section, from the town of New Britain to the Ragged Mountain Foundation is complete.

The North End purchase was completed in October 2015 and is a 1.221 acre parcel of the Main Face of Ragged Mountain, containing about forty-five established rock climbs.

With this purchase the entire Main Face cliff at Ragged Mountain, and an adjoining fifty-six acres, is now owned by the Ragged Mountain Foundation – ensuring continued access for hikers and climbers for generations.

To offset the cost, the Ragged Mountain Foundation applied for, and received, a grant from the Access Fund for $4000.  The purchase required a two year period of negotiations facilitated by local climber and guidebook author David Fasulo, as well as a change in a Connecticut State Statue regarding the sale of watershed properties.

The Ragged Mountain Foundation (RMF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation group dedicated to preserving natural resources and maintaining public access to Connecticut’s high and wild places.

Special Thanks

Thank you to David Fasulo for representing the RMF in negotiations with representatives of the City of New Britain.

Thank you to the Access Fund for providing a generous $4,000 in grants toward the project.

Finally, special thanks to Gill Bligh of the City of New Britain Water Company for assisting the Ragged Mountain Foundation with the approval process. Gill’s work on legislation allowing for the sale of certain watershed properties, many of which include traprock resources and the Metacomet trail corridor, was instrumental for the approval process.