chopping the chopper

On July 16, 2007, Ken Nichols, a veteran rock climber and infamous bolt chopper from Connecticut, pled guilty to charges of violating a No Trespass Order and received a Continuation Without a Finding on willful destruction of property under $250 in Orange District Court, Orange, Massachusetts. The plea was the result of charges filed against Mr. Nichols for chopping bolts at Farley Ledge on April 27, 2007; an incident that had an eyewitness account. The charges and subsequent plea agreement were the result of a collaborative effort by the Western Massachusetts Climbers’ Coalition, landowners and the Town of Erving police department.

Originally, six Trespass Notices had been delivered to Mr. Nichols in June of 2005 prohibiting him from entering both Farley Ledge and Mormon Hollow properties, two popular crags in western Massachusetts managed in part by the WMCC. The initial charges against Mr. Nichols for the chopping incident at Farley Ledge included the trespass violation and a felony charge for destruction of personnel property valued at over $250.

Mr. Nichols plea agreement was the result of negotiations by members of the WMCC and Mr. Nichols attorney as well as the Northwestern DA Office. Conditions of his plea agreement included two years probation, a $250 fine, prohibition of him entering five western Massachusetts crags and the prohibition of him chopping or damaging any bolts or hangers on any climbing route.

This decision marks the end of a 3-year concerted effort by the WMCC to protect area crags from being repeatedly damaged. In addition, it demonstrates the effectiveness of a collaborative working group aiming to protect valuable climbing resources and makes a significant lawful statement about the actions and conduct of Mr. Nichols over the past 15-20 years.

For more information on Ken Nichols, among infamous debacle's, see Rock and Ice online's exclusive feature, "Top 10 Skirmishes From North American Bolt Wars."