Carpooling Recommendations for Our Local Traprock Climbing

By Matt Shove
RMF Board Member

Our local climbing is awesome and everyone wants to go climbing on beautiful days. However, parking at all of our crags can be limited.

The RMF believes we can reduce congestion in the neighborhoods if more climbers begin carpooling. We hope that folks can leave a few minutes earlier, meet in a parking lot, and ride together to the crag.  We know that it’s not always possible, and someone in the party might have to leave before everyone else.  

Believe it or not, more No Parking signs are going up and the neighbors do actually notice you. All we ask is that you do the best you can to help limit our profile in the neighborhood parking areas. There is room for about 7 cars at Pinnacle Rock and about 10 at Ragged.

Please take as few vehicles as possible to the residential parking areas do your best to maintain a low profile. These small considerations go a long way in helping us maintain good relationships with the neighbors which in turn helps us keep our crags open.

Best Practices for Responsible Climbers

• Don't block regular traffic on the roadway
• Don't park within 25ft of a mailbox, driveway or intersection
• Pack and rack up before you arrive at the cliff.  Please don’t rack up in the road or step foot on the neighbors lawn.
• Leave your hammocks and stereos/speakers at home. The crags can be a sounding board.
• Please don’t change your clothing in the road. There are women and children watching.
• Please don’t drink celebratory beers by your cars.
• Say hello and wave to our neighbors - be friendly and respectful if confronted.
• Pick up some trash while you're there and throw it away at home.

Below are some convenient places to meet you partners and arrange carpools to the crag.

Ragged Mountain Carpooling:

These areas work well for Ragged, Cathole and the neighboring areas.

• Timberlin Park
  330 Southington Rd, Berlin, CT 06037
  Please park in the main lot near the golf course
   
• Big Y/Starbucks/Parma Pizza
  275 New Britain Ave, Plainville, CT 06062
  Also near Pinnacle Rock
   
• Ferndale Plaza, Roger's IGA Grocery
  45 Chamberlain Highway, Kensington, Connecticut 06037
   
• Corbin's Corner Shopping Plaza
  1445 New Britain Avenue West Hartford, CT 06110

Pinnacle Rock Ridge & Rattlesnake Mountain Carpooling

• Big Y/Starbucks/Parma Pizza
  275 New Britain Ave, Plainville, CT 06062

If you have questions or more parking and carpool recommendation, please reach out to info@raggedmtn.org.

Thank you for being a responsible climber and helping reduce congestion in the residential parking areas at our crags.

Prepared by Matt Shove
Ragged Mountain Guides
matt@raggedmountainguides.com