RMF Secures Pinnacle Cliff
The Ragged Mountain Foundation is pleased to announce that we have negotiated a deal to protect Pinnacle Cliff in Plainville, Connecticut, preserving passive recreation to this traprock gem.
Climbers after toping out Dream Weaver
Over the past year, the Ragged Mountain Foundation worked with Tilcon to carve out a 3 acre parcel which gives the community access to the majority of the amazing, well traveled climbs and trails Pinnacle Cliff is known for. The purchase of Pinnacle Cliff also gives the community access to a small section of the blue trail that travels over the summit, securing this high point forever.
Although users of the property have never been asked to leave, the transfer of ownership of this historic area, to the RMF, will guarantee that this special place remain accessible to all, indefinitely.
Long standing board member and Pinnacle advocate, Anne Parmenter on Sunshine: photo by: Liz Bannon
The importance of this purchase can not be understated. Pinnacle Cliff is not only the site of many climbers' first leads but the property connects to a larger parcel of land to the north, linking the summit of Pinnacle Cliff to town owned land in Farmington. This purchase increases the size of protected land in the corridor between Rt. 6 to the north and I-84 to the south.
As always, please continue to use the property just as you have been. Make sure to pick up trash and glass that is always abundant at Pinnacle and make sure to carpool to the cliff using one of the many commuter lots found off New Britain Ave., in Plainville, CT. Please be respectful of our neighbors and park away from driveways and off lawns. Say hello to our neighbors and help create a friendly environment with the many other users of the property.
Trail work under Right Wing Wall completed by Rock Climb Fairfield
Thank you to all who have contributed to making this project possible. A special thanks goes out to the Connecticut Land Conservation Council for awarding the RMF a TAG grant for the needed survey of the property, and to Friends of Metacomet and Plainville Speaks who gave overwhelming support on behalf of the RMF to be able to purchase these parcels during the town variance process. Please consider showing your support for the RMF and our partners by getting involved and considering becoming an active member of these communities.
We also owe a debt of gratitude to the following donors who stepped up big during the early stages of the fundraising portion of this project. Our matching campaign is made possible due to the generosity of the following people and families: Matthew Shove, Don Pelletier and Ginger Bowes, Dan Friedman and Megan Elias, Brent Quesenbury and Trish Simmons, Anne Parmenter, and Kevin Johnson and Rebecca DiSciacca. Thank you to everyone for your support with this project.
Although our donors fronted a large portion of the funds needed to purchase these properties, we are still raising money to pay for the cliff. If you climb at Pinnacle and would like to support this or future projects, please consider upgrading your membership to our Trap Rock Tier or donating directly to the Pinnacle Cliff purchase. Any donation large or small will help us raise the funds to protect Pinnacle and future acquisition projects.
A special note: The RMF would also like to recognize Anne Parmenter for all the work she did over her tenure as an RMF board member to negotiate access with former land owners of Pinnacle. Before Tilcon took ownership of Pinnacle Cliff, Anne spent decades ensuring climber access and with consistent clean-ups and persuasive conversation. We all owe her a debt of gratitude for all the volunteer work she did to ensure access to this popular climbing resource.