Open Cliffs

Each of these traditional crags has its own unique character, some of the cliffs listed below have immaculate rock quality while others are piles of kitty litter.

West Peak:

Hourglass Area, Chimney Rock, Radio Forest, West Buttress, Windy Wall, Leaning Wall, Notch, AMC Wall

East Peak:

Castle Craig, Amphitheater, Fall Wall, Alcove, Merimere Face

Cathole Mountain:

Cathole Pass

Chauncey Peak:

Buzzard Perch, Wildlife Sanctuary, Orange Spot, Looking Glass

Access and Permits

To access the cliffs in Meriden, climbers must be a current Ragged Mountain Foundation member. To obtain a climbing permit to Meriden cliffs, RMF members can either go in-person or call the parks and recreation department at 203-630-4259 during business hours M-F 8am-3:30pm. They are located at 460 Liberty St, Meriden, CT 06450. The yearly pass is $5.

Although climbing is allowed in city limits for permit holders, access is still sensitive. Permit holders must follow all rules and restrictions that the City of Meriden has outlined on the permit.

History

Climbing in Meriden dates back to the early 1930s, with ascents in the East Peak’s Amphitheater by Fritz Wiessner. Climbers established many routes on the Meriden cliffs between the mid 60’s and late 90’s prior to the cliffs being closed by the city of Meriden. Climbing in Meriden has been tolerated but not officially allowed for a number of years.

Climbing at the Meriden Cliffs

The Hanging Hills has some highest concentration of classic traprock routes in Connecticut. Climbs such as Thor’s Hammer, Rite of Spring, Dol Guldur, and Reflections of Fall are only a few. The Meriden cliffs include parts of the West Peak ridge line, all of East Peak, parts of South Mountain, and parts of Chauncey Peak. For the full list of open crags please take a look at the list below.

Notes

Many of the smaller and lesser-known cliffs of Meriden haven’t seen ascents in 30-40years. Expect that many areas will have loose rock and unmaintained approach trails. Other than the more frequented cliffs, do not expect there to be an approach trail at all. Typically, routes are accessed from the bottom, but for the blue trail system is the best option for approach for the majority of the cliffs in Meriden.