SOUTHINGTON, Conn. (AP) - Hanging about 20 feet off the ground and staring up the steep cliff face of Ragged Mountain, Tyler Billehus was at a standstill.
The first-time climber didn’t know what to do next.
“That was tough, it kind of got in my head a little bit and I started to think too much about it and froze up,” he said. “After I got past that point it was pretty fun.”
Billehus moved to Connecticut two weeks ago from Minnesota and one of the things he wanted to do was mountain climb.
The 29-year-old Hamden resident searched online and found Paul Maresca of the Connecticut Climbers & Mountaineers (CCM) group, and a scheduled climb of one of the most popular climbing destinations in Connecticut - Ragged Mountain.
“Some people do it for the excitement some people do it for the atmosphere,” Maresca said.
Part of the Metacomet Ridge in Southington and Berlin, Ragged Mountain is known nationally among climbers. The area is managed by the non-profit Ragged Mountain Foundation, “originally formed by a group of concerned hikers and climbers who wanted to ensure proper stewardship of Ragged Mountain,” according to the group’s website. The foundation owns 56 acres of land in Southington governed by a conservation deed held by the Berlin Land Trust.
Ragged Mountain’s appeal is its varied terrain, with paths suitable for all skill levels, from expert to beginner, according to climbers.
Billehus said he got into climbing at an indoor climbing gym.
“I taught for a year in Minnesota and I had the summer off and I went to the gym a few times and I liked it,” he said. “When I moved out to Connecticut I told myself that I would start climbing outside.”
The biggest difference?
“It was awesome, it’s so much different than climbing inside,” he said. “They don’t have the preset ruts for you so you have to think on your feet on the way up.”
CCM was created 13 years ago. Maresca, one of the founders, said the group is more “laid back” than others.
The group meets on Wednesday nights all around Central Connecticut. On weekends, they take trips to bigger mountains.
Some weeks they will have anywhere from five to 15 people joining them, ranging from rookies like Billehus to climbers with over 30 years of experience.
Maresca, a Terryville resident, started climbing 28 years ago. He has climbed all over the world, and says there is nothing better then when you get to the top of a climb.
“That’s the best part, when you can top out on something big, and looking out and looking down on what you accomplished,” he said. “Everyday you could go out and be excited and accomplish something.”
From April to October, the group mainly stays on the mountains. During the winter, some ice climb and back country ski. A small group sky dive from time to time.
“The thrill, the adventure, the adrenaline rush,” Maresca said. “It’s just exciting, very exciting. Come on out, get in touch with us, it’s easy enough. We’ll give you a free lesson.”
If you don’t believe Maresca, Billehus backs it up.
“It’s not as scary as it looks,” he said. “If you find people with good experience that are good…you’ll have a lot of fun.”
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Information from: Record-Journal, https://www.record-journal.com
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