Mount Magazine State Park, which can be found on the highest peak in Arkansas, is an esteemed rock climbing destination in the state. 

A recent project, spearheaded by the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation in collaboration with the Arkansas Climbers Coalition, took place at the park's climbing area. 

Thanks to a grant provided by the Access Fund anchors and bolts were replaced and improved on 32 climbing routes and lower-offs were added as well. 

“All of these improvements make for safer rock climbing,” said Mitchell Allen, executive director of the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation.

After receiving the grant to supply hardware, Allen reached out to the Arkansas Climbers Coalition, a non-profit whose aim is to preserve and protect climbing areas in Arkansas, for help from experienced climbers for the rebolting efforts. 

“Mount Magazine State Park has a long history of climbing in Arkansas with some of the first ever sport routes bolted there,” said Allen. “The climbing there feels very different from the rest of the state, with huge exposure looking out over the Petit Jean River valley. The Foundation and Arkansas Climbers Coalition hope to continue working with Arkansas State Parks to improve the rock climbs and make sure the history is preserved.”

The project was a collaborative effort. 

“Being able to tap into advocacy organizations like the Arkansas Climbers Coalition helps reduce the burden on Arkansas State Parks staff, especially when it comes to really specialized work like replacing rock climbing hardware,” said Allen. “Knowing that the parks have that support really makes it easier for the parks to continue allowing so many different recreational uses. Working together on these projects is necessary to protect both the ecological and recreational resources we love.”

Among the climbers that helped with the project was Chase Webb, a volunteer with the Arkansas Climbers Coalition and a former board member at the non-profit. 

“A lot of the hardware in Arkansas is aging,” said Webb. “The heyday of sport climbing development at Mount Magazine was back in the late 80s and 90s into the early 2000s. If the original developers didn’t use stainless steel, then those bolts are now rusty and have questionable strength. There's been a huge push in the last decade to replace all of the old hardware with stainless steel and stuff that's long-lasting, which makes people feel a lot better when they're climbing out here.”

Webb comes out to the area on his own to climb, replace bolts, and take on new routes. 

“We moved to Arkansas in 2016 and really fell in love with Mount Magazine because it's one of the most unique climbing areas in Arkansas,” he said. “The rock is a little bit different here. It's savannah sandstone, which is very fine grained and most of the climbs are vertical and very technical. It’s different than a lot of the stuff north of here, which has pretty steep and powerful climbing. The climbing at Mount Magazine is very similar to a lot of climbing areas in the western United States, so it gives you a really unique experience for Arkansas.”

The climbing found at the park is a draw for Webb. 

“Mount Magazine, in my opinion, doesn't get the love or recognition that it deserves because it’s climbing style can take people a while to get used to,” he said. “But for me personally, I think it's some of the best climbing that we have in Arkansas. It's very similar to granite climbing, even though it’s sandstone, but the way the rock has formed creates a lot of different movement that you don't normally get elsewhere.”

Webb said there are over 100 routes at the state park from 5.6 to 5.12+. “So it's a pretty good grade range, beginner friendly to expert level,” he said. “Up until recently, there hasn't been many easier climbs, since a lot of the climbing lies in the 5.10 to 5.12 range, but that's changing as more beginner friendly routes get put in.”

The mountain itself is also a draw. 

“One other thing I want to mention that is unique about Mount Magazine specifically is it's one of the few places in Arkansas that you get a true sense of exposure," he said. "Being Arkansas’ highest point, it is pretty apparent how high up you are. And when you're climbing on the bluffs below the lodge, you get up above the trees and you can see down to the valley below. So it makes you feel like you're thousands of feet up in the air. At other climbing areas in Arkansas, it’s less common to get up above the trees, so it gives you a totally different experience.”

Climber Judith Brown was also among the volunteers at the rebolting work project at the park. 

The method used for removing bolts or anchors was hole-for-hole replacement. 

“Essentially, you try and not Swiss cheese the wall,” she said. “Because every time you need to replace an existing bolt or anchor, if you just drill a new hole, eventually you'll have a lot of holes. The idea is to try and be a little bit more forward thinking. Yes, it takes longer. When I go up there and replace anchors, it's going to take a lot more time than it would to just chop them with an angle grinder or a hammer. But it’s worth it to try and reuse that same bolt hole so that you can avoid drilling any new holes that could be avoided.”

The method takes more time but has an added benefit in terms of the Leave No Trace principles that are part of the Arkansas Climbing Coalition mission.  

“It is more time,” she said. “But it's forward thinking and our partners, the Access Fund and the American Safe Climbing Association, have been very helpful in progressing the technique of hole-for-hole and have also put a lot of resources into helping others learn these methods of removal and the importance of them."

However, when hole-for-hole replacement is not possible and a new hole is needed, they work hard to ensure the old one is filled with a material to blend in with rock. The work is similar to trail maintenance in parks, where preserving the natural environment is at the forefront of the Arkansas Climbing Coalition's mission during any project to further climbing.

“To me, it sounds almost poetic, but climbers have begun to use the term ‘vertical trail’ or ‘vertical terrain’ when we talk about development and maintenance of our crags to folks who are new to the idea of climbing, climbing advocacy, and climbing stewardship," said Brown. "Just like our hiking trails, the vertical trails need resource and attention to ensure they last for generations to come."

Maintenance is an ongoing endeavor. If a person notices something that needs addressed, the group offers resources. 

“They would want to get in touch with the Arkansas Climbers Coalition because we are kind of the one unified team across the state that sets up days like this once in a while,” said Olivia Vitaterna, secretary for the Arkansas Climbers Coalition. “We have at least one rebolt a year to go replace hardware.”

Vitaterna mentioned that climbing at Mount Magazine in particular stands out due to its adventurous setting, close accessibility, and variety of climbing available.  

“The setting that you get to climb in is really dramatic for climbing, which is nice,” they said. “I really appreciate that there's a good mix of these bolted climbing routes and traditionally protected climbing routes, where instead of clipping bolts that are already there as you go, as you climb up, you're placing your own protection in cracks or different features of the rock.”

Vitaterna said this type of climbing leaves room for one to be engaged with their climb with an added layer of technical involvement in the activity. 

“So there's options for both sport climbing and traditional climbing,” said Vitaterna. “We call it trad climbing. And I think it's really nice to have, it feels very wholesome to have, a good mix of those two.” 

A big slab of history also took place at Mount Magazine State Park. “As far as climbing history in Arkansas, the very first rock climbing route that was ever bolted with bolts to protect the climb is here,” said Vitaterna. ”It's a route called Scarlet Begonias. Which is a fun little name…There's thousands and thousands of bolted routes across the state. The very first one was here.”