Bolton Quarry
Guidebook: Vermont Rock, by Travis Peckham
Mountain Project: Bolton Quarry
The Climbing: The Bolton Quarry takes the prize for Vermont’s most accessible climbing, with a hike of 90 seconds from car to rock. The Cat’s Ass wall is among the first in the state to dry with the Dwarf Wall coming in a close second. The main Quarry routes stay cool and shady, making them excellent mid-summer options when everything at The Dome and 82-Crag are charred. In the winter The Quarry holds excellent ice climbing, both for beginners looking to toprope and for WI5 climbers looking for an accessible pump just a short drive from Burlington.
Don’t Miss: Wandering the Halls (5.7), Happy (5.9), Junior’s First Bolt (5.9+), Sweet Sweet Choss (10a), Collateral Daveage (11a), Cat’s Ass (11d)
Access Story: In 2004, CRAG-VT purchased the Bolton Quarry, a 30-acre parcel that includes stunning vertical ice pillars and some classic rock climbs. CRAG-VT then worked with the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) to establish a conservation easement that ensures permanent protection for future climbing and recreation.
Thank You to Our Partners: Funding for the Bolton Quarry acquisition was provided by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), the Vermont Recreation Trails Grant Program, The Access Fund, and Climb High/Mammut. The donations from 125 CRAG-VT members were also critical to the project’s success.
Historical Context: CRAG-VT’s acquisition of the Quarry was the first land conservation purchase specifically for rock and ice climbing in Vermont. The Quarry acquisition project received a fair amount of local media attention including articles in the Burlington Free Press, Seven Days, and NE Cable News; as well as nationally in Rock & Ice, Climbing Online, and Access Fund Vertical Times. While the publicity was important to the project’s success, it also brought attention to CRAG-VT’s mission and was an important foundation for future projects.
