Vermont Tough Schist, Granite, and Quartzite Rock Climbing by Travis Peckham

Buy or rent Vermont Rock here and save money versus purchasing from within our app via Apple or Google. It’s exactly the same guidebook, but offered at a lower price on rakkup.com.
Climber at Brandon Gap, Vermont

Brandon Gap

Cows, maple syrup, and the world’s best beer- yes, we have those things here in Vermont. We also have great rock climbing. Vermont has amazing geological diversity that includes quartz-banded green schist along the Green Mountain spine, granite in the Northeast Kingdom, and quartzite at Lake Dunmore. Being further from major population centers and less obvious than cliffs of North Conway and New Paltz, Vermont’s climbing areas were long overlooked. None the less, Vermont has slowly and quietly evolved into one of the most beautiful, challenging, and varied climbing areas in the Northeast.

Eric Seaton at the 82 Crag

Eric Seaton at the 82 Crag

The epicenter of Vermont rock climbing is Bolton. A short, 30-minute drive from Burlington, Bolton’s collection of schist crags offers many options for trad, sport, and top-roping. Chockstone (5.8), The Rose (5.10a) and The Thorn (5.11a) are some of the best crack climbs in the area and should not be missed. Those seeking 5.11 and 5.12 sport climbs will find inspiration on the big overhangs at the Carcass Crag and the giant breaking wave of The 82. Don’t miss the chance to clip bolts on Truffle Hog (5.10a), The Cat’s Ass (5.11d), Doggfather (5.12b), Who’s Your Daddy (5.12c), and Encryption (5.12d). Lower West is Bolton’s best top-rope area with a popular collection of moderates up to 5.10. While the cliff can be a bit crowded when college is in session, it’s usually not a problem to get on something fun even on the busiest days.

Climber at Lone Point, Vermont

Lone Point

In north-central Vermont, the great cleft of Smuggler’s Notch breaks Mount Mansfield from its northern sibling, Spruce Peak. Here, towering alpine cliffs rise hundreds of feet to overlook long, wet gullies filled with loose scree and talus. Long known as an ice climbing and bouldering destination, Smuggs is also home to some of the northeast’s most unique multi-pitch climbs. Roped climbs here have challenging approaches, steep rock, amazing views, and crap-your-pants exposure. Few climbs in the east can be compared to routes like Airavata (5.12b), a wild 4-pitch sport climb up the 300-foot overhanging left arête of Elephant’s Head.

Climber at Wheeler Mountain, Vermont

Wheeler Mountain

Standing on the “diving boards” atop of the 400-foot buttress of The Deep End (5.11b), looking down a thousand feet into the notch below is memorable to say the least. While multi-pitch alpine sport climbs are one of the things that make this area stand out, old-school trad classics like Elephant’s Head Crack (5.9+) and Quartz Crack (5.9+) never disappoint those looking for an alpine adventure.

Heading east from the Green Mountains schist yields to granite, and the big cliffs of the Northeast Kingdom present some of the highest quality rock in New England. The fine-grained white granite slabs of Wheeler Mountain rise hundreds of feet to challenge both footwork and resolve. Bold face and friction climbing in their purest forms are found on classics like VJ’s (5.6), The Right Stuff (5.9), and Whine and Cheese (5.11b). It’s impossible to miss Wheeler’s crown jewel: The Great Corner (5.11a), a huge open book rising from the top of a beautiful 300-foot slab. An hour south of Wheeler is a second big granite dome, Marshfield Ledge.

Matt Bressler on The Fissure Stony (5.8+)

Matt Bressler on The Fissure Stony (5.8+)

Here you’ll find Marshfield Corners (5.10b), a route whose climactic 3rd pitch is as good as it gets. Perfect fingers and hands splitting a hundred-foot left-facing corner with expansive views of lakes, marshes, and the vast uninterrupted wilderness of Groton State Park. While many of the cliff’s climbs are multi-pitch faces and cracks in the 5.8 to 5.10d range, Marshfield Ledge is also home to the High Grade wall, a stunning 110-degree sport crag where you’ll find pumpy enduro-fests up to 5.14. When climbing in the Northeast Kingdom, drop by Parker Pie or Hill Farmstead Brewery to sample some of the world’s most sought-after quaffables.

Travis Peckham at Bald Hill

Travis Peckham at Bald Hill

Further to the southeast, Lake Dunmore provides one of the better beginner areas in the state on cliffs of diamond-hard Cheshire quartzite. The cliffs have a short approach through a wonderful old hemlock grove and the views from the crags are spectacular, encompassing a significant portion of the central Adirondacks. The cliffs have a good selection of top-rope climbs in the 5.5 to 5.7 range. Bring extra-long rigging or a static line to set up anchors as the trees are set back significantly from the edge of the cliff. Lake Dunmore itself, and the nearby Falls of Lana, offer excellent swimming in the summer and should not be missed.

Phoebe Peckham at Lake Dunmore

Phoebe Peckham at Lake Dunmore

Schist, granite, quartzite, trad, sport, beer, cows- Vermont has a lot to offer. Tough Schist reveals decades of rock climbing exploration and route development on roadside crags, backcountry cliffs, and alpine rock.

Learn more about Travis Peckham here.

Carderock Climbing by Brian Florence & Derek Braun

Buy or rent Carderock here and save money versus purchasing from within our app via Apple or Google. It’s exactly the same guidebook, but offered at a lower price on rakkup.com.
Erica Braun on The Laundry Chute (5.7).

Erica Braun on The Laundry Chute (5.7).

Carderock has been Washington, DC’s favorite escape for rock climbers for almost a hundred years, for good reason. Conveniently nestled at the edge of residential Washington, DC and overlooking the Potomac River, it’s a perfect stop for climbers looking for a quick fix before heading home for dinner. Because the crags are less than a hundred yards from the parking lot, and the Billy Goat C trail runs through the crag, access to the top and the bottom is quick and easy. It’s no surprise that Carderock is busy every night during the summer with campers, climbing classes, and regulars.

There is a pervasive myth that Carderock is a beginner’s crag. This myth probably took hold because of the presence of families with young children scrambling on the rocks. The locals know that the climbs are heavily sandbagged, rated by hardcore climbers decades ago before quartz holds broke off and the schist wore down to a smooth polish, turning Carderock into “the grease of the East.” In reality, Carderock has a breadth of difficulties. It has easy laybacks and fun chimneys for beginners. But, it also has many of the most difficult friction slab routes on the East Coast. Chris Sharma, arguably the best climber in the world, fell repeatedly on Evan’s Bolt Ladder (5.12d) during a televised National Public Radio interview. We have tried to address the pervasive sandbagging in our guidebook by re-rating some climbs as objectively as we could; this results in some surprising differences between our ratings and those historically known. Let us know what you think!

Carter Braun at the top of Trudie’s Terror (5.8)

Carter Braun at the top of Trudie’s Terror (5.8)

The rock is a mica schist with quartz knobs arising from the Wissahickon bedrock formation. The schist is slick during the humid summers. Shoes stick best during the spring and fall when the air is brisk and dry. Because the schist is slick and friable, protection can slip out or break out easily. Therefore, lead climbing is not recommended at Carderock, and all its routes are top-roped and usually tied into trees or boulders.

To get started climbing at Carderock, you only need minimal equipment. If you’ve never climbed outdoors before, we strongly recommend taking a climbing class offered by Earth Treks, REI, or a local guide, because almost all accidents at Carderock have happened with inexperienced climbers. We recommend a 40 meter dynamic climbing rope, 30-40 meters of burly static line, and at least two additional locking carabiners. If you can manage to rock a pair of Carhartt’s double-duck pants and tie your anchors using bowline hitches, you’ll blend in with the old-school locals.

In our guidebook, we touch on Carderock’s storied history. It was the site of some of the earliest technical climbing in North America, dating to the 1920s. Herbie’s Horror, one of the first 5.9 routes in North America, is at Carderock. Herbie’s wife, Jan Conn, went on to participate in the first all-female ascent of Devil’s Tower, Wyoming. The Conns named climbs at Seneca Rocks, in New Hampshire, and out west. Many accomplished climbers and mountaineers climbed here who went on to first ascents at prominent peaks in the Tetons, Denali, and elsewhere. Noel Odell, who was the last person to see George Leigh Mallory alive on Everest in 1924, is said to have climbed at Carderock.

Today, Carderock is a section of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Its continued conservation is because of the efforts of the Mountaineering Section of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC-MS) and dedicated local climbers like John Forrest Gregory, the ‘mayor of Carderock.’

In creating our guidebook, we tried to make it comprehensive and easy to use. We include the main walls at Carderock but also less climbed areas, including Outlook Rocks, Easter Egg Rocks, Jam Box, and Vaso Island. We’ve also included photos showing you where to place your top-rope anchors, since climbs look much different looking down than they do when you’re looking up from the bottom. We hope that our guidebook helps you find the challenge you seek and that it adds enjoyment to your day. We’re going to keep working on our guidebook until we feel that all our photographs are perfectly clear and our beta is rock solid, even if this takes us years. And, if you see us around at Carderock and recognize us, don’t be a stranger – say hello!

Climb on!

Learn more about Derek Braun here.
Learn more about Brian Florence here.

Thank you Climbing!

Climbing Magazine's must have climbing apps.

Climbing Magazine’s must have climbing apps.

We have come a long way since the Editor’s Choice award, and we appreciate the recognition.

Climbing writes:

In 2014, we awarded Rakkup our Editors’ Choice Award and with good reason. From our original review: “This intensely detailed app utilizes GPS tracking, turn-by-turn directions, and photos to get you directly to the base of the route—even if that includes fourth- or fifth-class scrambling. A compass with a direction-of-travel arrow and a map that moves with you keep your group heading in the right direction so you can avoid wasted time and energy. Wall and route descriptions include nearly all the beta you’d ever need, with zoomable topos, rack info, descent info, and individual pitch descriptions. It’s similar to our other favorite app, Mountain Project, but instead of relying on user-generated content, Rakkup uses professionals and guidebook authors to write descriptions and gather info. Game changer: ‘Belay View’ photos that show you exactly what the route looks like from the bottom belay stance, as opposed to that far-away and unhelpful view of the whole wall.”

 

Adirondack Poke-O Moonshine Rock Climbing by Jim Lawyer

Buy or rent Adirondack Rock Climbing here and save money versus purchasing from within our app via Apple or Google. It’s exactly the same guidebook, but offered at a lower price on rakkup.com.

When New York is mentioned, you might think of the most populated city in the U.S., not wilderness climbing. It may come as a surprise that just a few hours north of Manhattan is the largest protected land area in the U.S. (outside of Alaska.) The NY State owned Adirondack Park (aka the “Dacks”) has 3200+ rock climbing routes scattered on more than 320 cliffs.

Leslie Ackerman on P1 (5.4) of Good Intentions (5.7).

Leslie Ackerman on P1 (5.4) of Good Intentions (5.7).

The centerpiece of multi-pitch climbing in the Dacks is Poke-O Moonshine Mountain. It’s located adjacent to the Northway, the north-south interstate with easy access and some of the best routes in the park. The Main Face is east-facing and is immense—400′ tall and more than half a mile wide. The granitic gneiss is grippy with irregular cracks that split sheer faces. One of these is the mega-classic Fastest Gun, on the short list as the best 5.10 in the U.S. for its four pitches of 5.10 with every crack size imaginable. Other crack test pieces are The Great Dihedral, a 5.9+ finger- and hand-crack with a fearsome 120′-tall corner, and Bloody Mary, 140′-tall with stout 5.9+ laybacks.

Liam Schneider on The Sting (5.8).

Liam Schneider on The Sting (5.8).

Poke-O is also known for face climbing. These sheer faces are actually textured with crisp edges and use bolts to link naturally protected features. Poke-O is known for perfect tiny slots that appear exactly where you need them. Five-star routes in this style include Maestro, a 5.10c masterpiece of bolt- and RP-protected face climbing; C-Tips, another 5.10c sport pitch up a black waterworn face; and Pentecostal, a 5.12c fingertip journey up micro-crimps protected by bolts.
Easy routes at Poke-O are rare: The Snake, 5.4, wanders up an impressive amphitheater of overhanging rock, Puppies on Edge, a 5.6 juggy arête, and the popular Catharsis (5.5), four pitches of south-facing slab. Jump up a few grades to the sought-after moderates: Gamesmanship, a five-pitch 5.8+ crack line, and The Sting, a single-pitch 5.8 hand crack that provides a great warmup. The cliff truly shines with its 100 or so routes in the 5.10-5.11 range. These are the highest quality routes on the cliff. Freedom Flight, Southern Hospitality, The Snatch, Son of Slime, Cooney-Norton Face, Psalm 32, Casual Observer, and The Gathering—to name a few— should be on everybody’s tick list.

Jim Lawyer on P3 (5.10b) of Morning Star (5.10d).

Jim Lawyer on P3 (5.10b) of Morning Star (5.10d).

My first visit to Poke-O was in May of 1987 with Tad Welch. I had met him at a slideshow and asked if he wanted to climb. “Sure!” he responded enthusiastically. “Have ya been to Poke-O?” I’d heard of it, but I was intimidated by its reputation for stout climbing. I put my apprehensions aside and made plans with Tad for the weekend. I was young and had recently discovered lay-backing, a technique I’ve since all but removed from my repertoire in favor of less-strenuous jamming, and I told him all I wanted to do was layback. Tad was on fire and, armed with a bunch of nuts, hexes, and a couple cams, he pounded out pitch after pitch: Psychosis, Gamesmanship, The Sting, Bloody Mary, Fastest Gun, Royal Savage, Scallion, Cirrhosis. I lay-backed them all. As if that wasn’t enough, we added the face routes Homecoming, Ukiah, Space Walk and Catharsis. Nearly 30 years have passed and this climbing day remains my most memorable; I’ve never been able to repeat that much climbing in a single day. Poke-O is perfect for big days like this—you can drop your pack in one place and do it Tad-style.

Martine Schaer on P1 of Freedom Flight (5.10c).jpg

Martine Schaer on P1 of Freedom Flight (5.10c).jpg

Poke-O imparts a unique climbing style. There’s a lot of off-vertical face climbing that requires a “go for it” attitude with the knowledge that protection will just present itself, so developing a knack for this is helpful. Poke-O cracks are rarely uniform, peppered with hidden incuts and square-cut edges on the face. Hone your jam skills, and maybe even tape up.

Colin Loher on P3 of Pandemonium (5.10b).

Colin Loher on P3 of Pandemonium (5.10b).

Poke-O has had several resurgences since my first visit. A crew of dedicated locals got busy in the early 90s with many bolt-protected lines, then again in the early 2000s on the Pilgrim Wall. Today there is something for everyone, well into the 5.12 range. Most routes are trad mixed with bolts, but there are sport pitches too. Bring a double rack of cams and nuts to 3″, a single 4″ for some routes, and a 70m rope. Double ropes or a tag line come in handy for the long rappels.

Monica Wormaid on C-Tips (5.10c).

Monica Wormaid on C-Tips (5.10c).

These fantastic routes don’t come easy. The setting is close enough to the road that highway noise is noticeable at first, and helmets are recommended due to rock-fall, especially if following another party. Some of the excellent routes tend to grow back with lichen if they are not popular, so replace that useless toothbrush in your chalk bag with a proper wire brush to touch up key holds.

Dennis Luther on Son of a Mother (5.10b).

Dennis Luther on Son of a Mother (5.10b).

The camping scene in the Dacks is relaxed—camp anywhere on state land 150′ from a road, trail, or water. The campground at the base of Poke-O is regretfully closed, but parking and the approach to the Main Face still begins there. Free car-camping spots can be found in the Chapel Pond region. The state runs a number of excellent pay campgrounds as well, listed here Dept. of Environmental Conservation Campgrounds.
So, are you looking for multi-pitch slabs, one-pitch cragging, long free routes, steep faces and cracks? Poke-O Moonshine has it all.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Learn more about Jim Lawyer here.
Learn more about Jeremy Haas here.

Ferguson Canyon Rock Climbing by Tony Calderone

Buy or rent Tony’s Ferguson Canyon Rock Climbing rakkup guidebook here for a lower price versus purchasing from within our app via Apple or Google. It’s exactly the same guidebook, but offered at a lower price on rakkup.com.

Salt Lake locals know Ferguson Canyon has a niche following in the area’s well-deserved reputation for quality crags. The climbing is on granite, but is uniquely different than the glacier-polished slabs of nearby Little Cottonwood. Typically steep cracks and seams are often horizontal, and large crystal holds are common. The canyon is a favorite with dog owners who are not allowed to bring their pups into the Cottonwood Canyons.

Trying to escape the heat? Another reason climbers love Ferguson. Nearly all the routes are shaded for most of the day. And the swamp cooling effect of the nearby stream is an ever-present pleasure when temps soar. Climbing here is a pleasurable outing, rather than an adventurous commitment. Some of the best routes in the canyon include: Monogamy (5.7), Crystal Healing (5.8+), Imperial (5.9), Extreme Unction (5.10-), Delirium Tremens (5.11-), and Fuego (5.12a). Vertical finger and hand cracks may show up for a move or two, but they are, strangely, the exception. Chimneys abound.

Routes didn’t start going up here until the 1980s. Many of the originals were free-soloed or led using micro-nuts in flaring seams. The early pioneers included Les Ellison, Brian Smoot, and Drew Bedford. The 1990s saw slightly better protected routes going up with hand-drilled bolt placement by Hank Armantrout. The turn of the century brought a radically different approach from Greg Martinez. His routes provide the majority of sport climbing in the canyon.

Long-time local guide, Tony Calderone, provides excellent, up-to-date information on the most comprehensive compilation of over 150 Ferguson Canyon rock climbing routes.

 

Learn more about Tony here.