Just ten minutes from Plymouth there is a small town called Rumney. Now Rumney is just like any other small town in New Hampshire. It has one gas station one general store, and one mountain that is littered with small schist crags. The mountain is Rattlesnake and the place is Rumney Rocks. Over the past couple years Rumney has blossomed into one the premier sport climbing destinations in the North East. Hosting around 400 climbs mostly sport and some traditional climbing. Rumney really packs a punch. I walk on the trails on a crisp fall day and hear an agonizing scream from somebody trying to stick a crazy dyno and I just smile. Those that have climbed there understand what I mean and probably have vivid memories of bloody flappers at the end of their fingertips. For the people who don’t know then it’s about time to find out.
Sport climbing is the safest way of rock climbing. It involves routes that have bolts placed in the rock all the way up the climb and fixed anchors at the top. A climber just needs quick draws, atc unit, shoes, harness, rope, chalk and a partner. When lead sport climbing a climber brings enough quick draws for the whole climb and clips them into the rock route and then to his or her rope that is tied into a their harness. If the climber falls their belayer will catch them by locking off on the harness. When starting off rock climbing its best to tope-rope climbs. That is when one walks to the top of the cliff and clips the rope into the anchors and then just climb. If one wants to learn how to rock climb they could take the course offered here at Plymouth or check out the Outing Club and ask about any rock climbing trips.
To get to Rumney drive over to Tenney mountain highway and take a right onto smith bridge road, which turns into Quincy road. That leads to the Rumney village just drive straight through the stop sign until you see the sign for Rumney parking lot. One could also drive down twenty-five and take a right onto Stinson Lake road. Then take a left at the stop sign in Rumney village. The parking lot is just a little ways down Buffalo Road.
Rumney has become very popular over the last several years, after top world climber Dave Graham set up dozens of hard routes and heinous boulder problems. Now Rumney attracts all sorts of strong climbers who want to test their strength on the stunning routes of the Waimea wall. Over the past year Rumney has made the cover shot and main article in the two most popular rock-climbing magazines,
Climbing and Rock and Ice. Rumney isn’t just for the hardman despite having the most 5.14’s in the Northeast. Rumney has wide range of beginner, moderate, and hard climbs. It also has the a very good variety of climbing, from overhanging jug halls, to crimpy face climbing, a couple crack climbs and some of the funkiest looking rock anywhere. All these things attribute to the full parking lot on the weekends. During the week though, there isn’t anybody at all, and anybody who climbs from Plymouth knows what a blessing that is.
So if you want a work out and enjoy the beautiful weather check it out. If you don’t have enough money to get all the climbing gear buy the shoes and chalk and go check out the boulder problems. There are two main areas: The pound and Black Jack. The Pound is on Quincy Road at the top of the hill. The boulders are huge one can’t miss them. Black Jack is located just left of the trail that leads to Bonsai and Waimea walls. Bouldering just involves doing moves on boulders called problems. Stop by and somebody there will have a pad. To get a full run down about rock climbing the Rumney guide is available at Ski & Sports downtown and also at Rumney General store. One will find that rock climbing it is quite a work out, a rush, and adventure all tied into one. Definitely more exciting then looking at yourself sweat in the gym’s mirror. Maybe you don’t understand but when you get to the top of climb you never done, and your fore arms are swelling, you have cotton mouth and your breathing out chalk and then you turn around to look at the beauty around you won’t be able to get any higher.