New Hampshire Rock Climbing Information Request

[TimL]

OK all you East Coast transplants, I'm looking for information about climbing in New Hampshire around Cannon Cliff and Cathedral Ledge. Specifically, what are the recommended guide books for the areas? Are Cannon Cliff and Cathedral Ledge a fairly close drive to each other? Since I'm only going to be visiting the areas once for only four days, could I get recommendations for classic single and multi-pitch routes from 5.7 to 5.12-? I heard the Prow is awesome! Also, what are the best places to camp? Are there any free camping areas?

 

Thank you for any and all information.

[Alex]

There is a good guidebook to Cathedral, Whitehorse, and a few of the routes on Cannon, I can't remember the exact title but IME or EMS in North Conway will sell it. There is a seperate guide on Rumney I think.

 

Cannon and Cathedral are "fairly close" to each other in that they are both around the Mt Washington area; North Conway is the epicenter of that part of the world. Recommended routes: for you and Elena you must do Whitney Gillman on Cannon cliff. Its an East Coast classic, and with the leaves turning and the crisp air now it will be a total adventure. On Cathedral there are a number of 1-2 pitch routes (its not a high cliff by Western standards) that are good: Rose Crack is a classic single pitch .9 jamcrack, Thin Air is the classic multi-pitch moderate (.7?) up Cathedral, and the Standard Route on Whitehorse Ledge is a good longer 5.5 slab route. There's lots of harder stuff, like Liquid Sky, for you to get on.

[Rad]

Cannon cliff has a wonderful alpine feel despite the highway running up the bottom of the canyon. Access is easy, walkoff the top. I don't recall the guidebook, but the one I have is undoubtedly out of date anyway. All of these routes will be in a guide:

 

 

Routes:

 

Whitney Gilman ridge. 5 pitches. 5.7 Good views, fun position. Pretty casual.

 

Moby Grape. 5.8, about 8 pitches. Excellent quality and variety on this route. Climb Reppy's crack as a variation start. Finger of fate pitch is probably unlike anything you've climbed before. Very fun.

 

VMC Direct direct. 11b, 9 pitches. I have not done this one, alas, but it gets great ratings and press.

 

One useful link: http://6degrees.com/~travis/Climbing/Cannon.htm

 

Note: rockfall on the cliff sheared off the 'old man of the mountains' and may have taken out some routes (not the ones I've mentioned) in the process.

 

Not sure about free camping as those things change over time. It may be peak foliage season which means there will be oodles of bumblies ogling foliage.

 

Have a great trip.

[ken4ord]

Hey Tim, Ed Websters guide is the guide to have for the area, it is a great read too. If you find the old one it has Cannon, Whitehorse, Cathedral, and surrounding crags. The newest guide only cover Cathedral, Whitehorse, and surrounding crags, with the intention of producing a Cannon and surrounding crags guide. There is a Roxfax guide that sort of sux but has the classics listed, there is also a Cannon guide that is ok. The Rumney guide is good. If you want to borrow any get in touch with me.

 

Alright routes. The Prow rocks and it is fairly easy to french free if you can't pull the cruxs 5.11 5-6p. Ok here the list, not complete though:

 

Cathedral

Thin Air 5.6 4p (link first 2 with regular length rope)

Funhouse 5.7 2p (outside corner fun var. 5.8)

Still in Saigon 5.8 1p

Three Birches 5.8 2p

Pine Tree Eliminate 5.8 1p

Bombardment 5.8 1p (link)

***RecomBeast 5.9 5p (Recompense w/ Beast Flake var)

***most anything on the Barber Wall 5.9-5.12 1p

***Diedra 5.10a 5p (first couple pitches can be done in the rain)

***Rapid Transit 5.10a 3p

***North End has several single pitch cracks 5.7-5.11

 

Whitehorse

Short Order 5.9 1p (walk up to the second pitch don't do first, dirty)

***Inferno 5.8 4p

***Hotter than Hell 5.9 4p

***Children Crusade 5.9 3p (old skool 9, bolted on lead)

***Children Crusade Complete 5.11 2-3p more

***Last Unicorn 5.10c 4p

***Seventh Seal 5.10b 1p

***???Thin crack next to SS 5.1od 1p

***???From the top the last two stand on block lean into the wall up then traverse out left 5.10a 1p

 

Cannon

***Whitney Gilman obvious ridge on LH side of the cliff 5.8 4p

***Moby Grape 5.8 9-11p in the middle of the cliff.

IMO Cannon is not that safe nor as asthetic, but it was one of the few alpine options. Those two routes rock.

[PaulB]

Lots of good beta on routes above. Here's the scoop on logistics:

 

As usual in the east, be prepared for old school grading on some routes. When you top out on Cathedral, chat up the tourists and/or look pitiful, and if you're lucky, they'll give you a ride back down to the base while you thrill them with tales of the ascent.

 

We used to camp for free (somewhat illegally) in the trees between Cathedral and Whitehorse. As long as you set up late, and left early, no one seemed to care, but that was a few years ago. There are lots of pay campsites in the nearby national forests which work on the honor system when the attendent isn't around. There are coin-op showers at the Pinkham Notch visitor's centre.

 

The two climbing shops in North Conway are IME and EMS. IME has a used gear shop in the basement which is worth checking out. The lobby of EMS has the best public washroom in town. You can also visit the Wild Things factory store. My favourite climbing shop was Ragged Mountain Equipment, which is in Intervale, about 5 minutes north on HWY 302. They manufacture slings, clothes and various other items, and will usually re-sling cams overnight (sometimes while you wait).

 

Lots of good eats around, but it can be expensive (for us Canadians, everything there was expensive!). Delaney's "Hole in the Wall" pub/restaurant is a good choice.

 

Also, be aware that driving through North Conway on a busy weekend can take forever. The main street (HWY 302) gets totally backed up with tourists and outlet store shoppers. To avoid this, when you leave Cathedral, watch for West Side Road on your right, which runs parallel to 302 and takes you to HWY 16.

 

Have fun, it's a great time of year to go. It is less crowded than the summer, the temps are better, and the view from the crags is amazing once the leaves change color.

[ken4ord]

Oh yeah forgot to mention that I have all the books and maps. You can borrow them if you want. Also I know of some good free camping, it is just easier to point that shit out on maps, if you are interested. Westside Road is definitely the way to go around the valley. Also if you do Whitney G do the 5.8 variations, the 5.7 had some recent rockfall on it and the 5.8 variation is more true to the ridge. Also there is a great last pitch variation to WG that goes at 5.9+ it is a cool step out above the Black Dike. Cannon is notorious for big rockfall, mainly in the spring.

 

Oh yeah if you are going there with your girl, make sure to go to Bellini's awesome italian food, go with a giants appetite though, usually a long wait which can be spent at the bar. Or what my girlfriend I used to do is order a single meal and sit by the river and eat what we could have have leftovers for lunch for both of us, I am serious 4 meals in 1.

 

Have fun

Edited September 21, 2004 by ken4ord

[ClimbingGirl33]

I can't add much to the recommendations - In Thin Air is one of my favorites - and Moby Grape is certainly worth doing.

 

For up-to-date route details check out this web site: http://www.chauvinguides.com/guidebook.htm

 

If you go to North Conway you have to stop at the Moat for some beer and great food.

 

Have a blast!

 

B

[ken4ord]

Hey yeah CG33, I forgot all about the Moat, definitely go there over Delaney's, good brew, alright bbq, and other eats.

[ClimbingGirl33]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm quesidillas.

 

 

I miss the Moat . . . how could you forget!!!

[Nate]

www.neclimbs.com has lots of route info with photos, search the forum for recommended routes. Secrets of the Notch by Jon Sykes has the Cannon route info.

[TimL]

Ken, thanks ofr the beta. I'm not in Seattle right now, but thanks for the offer to let me borrow your guide to the area.

 

How long would you say the approach is to the base of the cliff from the car?

 

We are thinking of climbing hte VMC Direct Direct or Moby Grape and something else.

 

Thanks!

[Bean]

Old cannon, Weisner, and Lake View on Cannon are nice climbs also. 5.6 range.

[Rad]

The approach for Moby Grape and VMC direct direct is straightforward. Hike on well-maintained trail a short distance (check guide for more detailed info) and then ascend steeply up talus to the base of the wall. Time will depend on your physical condition. Perhaps 30-60 minutes?

 

Reppy's crack is easy to spot, and the VMC roofs are quite prominent as well. Look at guidebook photos to guide you.

[ken4ord]

Hey Tim, The base of Cathedral and Whitehorse are reached in less than 5 minutes, farther ends of the cliffs are reached in 20 minutes. Cannon is 30 minutes approach from the car to the base, park at the south end of the lake that you pass alongside the highway going south. The parking lot is acessed by going south bound only. Walk down the bike path until you see a big boulder next to the trail with a climbers trail next to it, shoot straight up the talus to the base. This is the standard approach now-a-days, it is new trail that was opened up by a big rock slide a few years back. Scary story to go along with that, it came down just two days before a friend and I were going to climb underneath it. At the base hang a left go about 150 yards the will be a big gully/dike/choss then a narrow buttress split by a hand crack that is Reppy's Crack var. for Moby Grape. Follow along the base for another 150 yards to reach VMC Direct Direct is the hardman free classic on there I have only done the first 5 pitches, it is awesome, can't remember what the start looks like, sorry. Don't bother with Wiesners, Lakeview and such that was recomended, the Old Man kissed all those climbs goodbye for a while. No matter where you are on the cliff you are bound to see some rock fall, hopefully little buzzers, but Moby Grape, VMC and Whitney G is about as safe and solid as you can get on the cliff.

 

Check out Old Town Hall road for free camping in the No. Conway area, it is North of No. Conway on the right (past Ragged Mountain gear store) on 302. Follow road for a while until you are past the residential area. North Conway cragging is freaking great.

[TimL]

Thanks to everyone for all of the great route information. New Hampshire is such an amazing place to climb at during the Fall.

 

We left Toronto late on Wednesday and pulled into the Cannon Cliff parking area late. Thursday we climbed Moby Grape and then tried to traverse over the top of the cliff to the left side so we could climb the Whitney Gilman as well. After some nasty bushwacking, we went back to the car.

 

Friday drove over to Cathedral and climbed the Prow free with some good falls. Route is an a beautiful free climb. The palming/stemming corner to the roof crack on the second to last pitch was outstanding. Then climbed this route called Three Birches and Fun House.

 

Saturday climbed at the Barber Wall which was in light mist and did Nutcracker and Lichens Delight. Nutcracker was short but super sustained and hard for the grade. Lichens Delight was amazing! Finished off the day early by climbing, They Died Laughing, in the rain.

 

Sunday climbed ReconBeast with the Beast Flake variation. What can I say but another amazing route.

 

Standard free climbing rack for both places. Expect Index like grades in terms of dificulty. The cliff is close to the road and all the climbs are very close so it is really easy to get a full day of climbing. Also, expect the standard East Coast crowds and line ups for routes. The entire place reminded me so much of Index.