Early season rock climbing abounds at Stonehill

Songbirds chirp overhead as the melting April snow around town pivots minds from skiing and ice climbing to sunny spring days spent rock climbing.  

Getting ready for the first climbing weekend of the season means gear of all sorts makes its initial appearance for the new year. Duffels are loaded with cams, ropes and carabiners crammed next to summer sleeping bags. Countless bulging packs are loaded into the back of a red F-150 along with a cast of characters primed for a weekend of Koocanusa climbing. Winding up past Eureka and along Lake Koocanusa with our rig crammed to the brim, we took turns peering out the backseat to lay eyes on the Stonehill climbing area until our car finally skidded to a stop.  

The south facing walls of the Stonehill climbing area grant climbers a getaway destination during the spring months when skiing and ice climbing are on their way out. The sun beats down on the quartzite faces, where it dries the cracks and crimps enough for eager climbers to whet their appetite and get back into the swing of things after a long winter.