Northwest Branch is one of the Mid Atlantic’s hidden bouldering gems. Located just north of the DC beltway in Silver Spring, MD, this urban crag experiences a high volume of visitors and more than it’s fair share of litter and other environmental impact. MAC has been hosting Adopt a Crags here annually for many years, and is committed to preserving this resource for generations of climbers to come.
Registration in advance is required – register here!
Schedule:
- Registration: 8:45am
- Project work: 9am-12:30pm
- Lunch and Raffle: 12:30pm
What We’ll be Doing:
Several boulders were tagged with graffiti over the summer, and there are a few spots of older graffiti. We will be removing the graffiti using Elephant Snot – an environmentally friendly product that will be applied with brushes, scrubbed vigorously, and then washed off the rock with pressure washers.
Depending on the number of volunteers signed up, there is potential for a subset of volunteers to break off for trail work or trash pick-up as well.
Where To Meet/How To Get There:
If using GPS, the parking area is located at Burnt Mills East Special Park. We will be meeting in at the trailhead in the far corner of the lot.
From the north (Columbia, Baltimore, etc):
- Take Route 29 south
- Shortly after crossing 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) you’ll see a shopping plaza on the left with the Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, California Tortilla, etc. Go through the light and make a u-turn.
- Now heading north on Route 29, turn right into the parking lot with the old red brick building.
From the 495 Beltway and DC:
- Take Route 29 North
- After crossing over Route 193 (University Blvd.) and going down the hill, look for the old red brick building on the right side and pull into the parking lot.
What to Bring:
Because this is a graffiti project, wear clothing you don’t mind getting dirty in. We recommend long pants and long sleeves, as some volunteers have reported minor skin irritation due to prolonged skin contact with the graffiti removal product we will be using. We provide all PPE (goggles, gloves, masks), but if you have your own working gloves in your preferred size, please bring them along.
- Food/snacks and water for the day
- Good sturdy boots
- Long pants
- Long sleeved shirts preferred for graffiti removal
- Working gloves (if you have them) – we will provide if not
- Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
Register Here:
Questions?
E-mail us at adoptacrag@midatlanticclimbers.org.