An Update on Merriam Woods/Russell Crag with Chris Vaughan and Mike Gagnon of CNHCA

Today Chris Vaughan and Mike Gagnon join me on the pod to discuss the latest developments at Merriam Woods and Russell Crag! We’ll talk about the history and future of Merriam Woods, how the development of a parking lot will majorly improve access, some of the best routes at the crag (for all skill levels!), the land management challenges in the area, the importance of community support to keep the crag accessible and thriving, and how you can get involved through The Central New Hampshire Climbers Association. If you’d like to learn more about or donate to the Central New Hampshire Climbers Association, visit https://www.centralnhclimbers.org/Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcastDo you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. Disclaimer: The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.