Climbing in New England - info request

[ericandlucie]

Hi there:

We're planning to climb in New England this fall. We've never climbed there (except for ice).

Based on what we read, we're planning to climb at Cannon Mountain, Whitehorse Ledge and the Gunks. What's the best season to be there? Any recommendations on must-do routes?

Would you recommend climbing in the Adirondacks or Acadia National Park as well?

Help! and thanks!

 

www.ericandlucie.com

[cbcbd]

I'd pick Fall...late August-mid/end Oct. You get cooler weather, less bugs, trees with fall colors.

 

Haven't climbed too much on Cannon except for the classic, Whitney-Gilman. You can make it harder with the 5.8 and 5.9 variations. That one and Moby Grape are some Cannon must-dos.

 

Gunks is filled with classics... too many to list. Just walk down the carriage road and take your pick. High Exposure is one of the moderate classics - you can pick the 5.8 finish if you need more spice. Others... CCK, Easy O, Drunkard's Delight...

 

Haven't climbed in the ADKs too much except for at Wallface - along with Cannon and Katahdin, one of the NE's biggest walls. I did Diagonal, the classic, but Lewis Elijah looked pretty damn cool on the descent.

 

Acadia is a gorgeous park and there's very accessible climbing at the Otter cliffs, right on the water. On my designated climbing day there it rained... so can't help with specifics.

 

Katahdin is more of a haul, but there's nothing else like it in the NE. There's climbing from Chimney Pond in the South Basin. Didn't do rock there, but climbed excellent ice!

 

Doug

[wfinley]

If your dates are flexible, time it with the fall foliage -- the first 3 weeks of October are the height. Fall in New England is beautiful.

[skibum1087]

I second Moby Grape with the Reppys crack start. Also Recompsense/beast flake at Cathederal ledge right next to whitehorse is awesome.

[nkane]

If you want a sport day, don't forget about Rumney - great bolt clipping on super-featured schist. Bouldering at Pawtuckaway is also fun, if you're into that.

 

And when you're at Whitehorse, don't forget to walk next door to Cathedral Ledge for some longer, steeper lines.

[eric8]

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/new_york/adirondacks/pokeomoonshine/106050968

 

you won't be disappointed.

[ken4ord]

Ok I'll add my two cents. Late September to mid October are probably going to be the best time. Bug count is low, temps are awesome and leaves are starting to turn. Later bug count is still low and leaves are better, but sometimes the weather starts to turn. Now for my favorites.

 

North Conway Cathedral and Whitehorse are great cliffs, Whitehorse is longer and has more slabs, but there is a lot of steep stuff there. Catherdral is a little shorter, but generally steeper. Both have impecable granite.

 

For climbs on Whitehorse try, Hotter Than Hell, Inferno, Atlantis, Childrens Crusade (normally the first 3 pitches are done), Seventh Seal, Loose Lips, Tranquility and almost any of the slab climbs are my favorites.

 

Cathedral try, Nucracker, Chicken Delight, 3 Birches, Bombardment, FunHouse, Black Lung, Bird's Nest, Recompence or Recombeast, Diedre, Rapid Transist, Standard (though always crowded do an evening run up it, thinner is a great variation on the climb) and The Book of Somenity.

 

Cannon try, Whitney-Gilman (do the variations the normal has lot of loose rock, on Cannon there is a lt of loose rock is just part of climbing there), British are Coming, Moby Grape, Union Jack, Lakeview. Do yourself a favor in finding if there are some sections that are unsafe, generally each spring big sections come down and make those areas quite unsafe. By fall the cliff is pretty settled.

 

The Gunks rocks, its the best trad cragging area I have ever been to. There is a ton of info out there for climbing in that area. My favorite that I did was Modern Times any of the classics are great.

 

The Dacks is great area there is everything there. I have only climbed there a few times, so I don't have any suggestion for routes.

 

Acadia has some fun climbing. Single to 2 pitch climbs on beautiful pink granite. It is a fun place to climb, bring a picnic and ennjoy the views. There are about 5-7 crags on the island to climb on. Do your self a favor and do not climb at Otter Cliffs, it is top roping, the rock is not good and there is a ton tourons. Great Head has steep exposed climbing.

 

Enjoy.