Grant Simmons – Photo by Matthew Van Biene
I landed in Acadia by way of a chance meeting in a far-flung granite valley in Chilean Patagonia. It was there that I struck up a friendship with the owner of the Atlantic Climbing School, a guiding outfit based in the tourist town of Bar Harbor, and before I knew it, I had signed on for a season of guiding work. The coast of Maine was new to me, and the idea of climbing with the ocean in sight was wonderfully novel.
Grant on Commander Salamander (5.10c), Canada Cliffs. Photo by Vincent Lawrence.
With an enthusiastic bunch of coworkers, I was quickly ticking the classic routes across the island and seeking out the obscure lines, discovering along the way that many of them were worthy of a guidebook star or two. I hiked across the barren ridges, explored the wooded valleys, and swam in the lakes and ponds. I was amazed by the accessibility, diversity, and beauty of Acadia, especially regarding its climbing. I loved the intimidation that came with climbing at Great Head; the calmness of the perfect, speckled granite of the South Wall; the mystery of the deep green, primeval forest of Canada Cliffs. And I loved looking for more; for new lines and for those that were long forgotten and buried under lichen.
That excitement of discovering and connecting to this place is what led to the idea of writing a new guidebook. I knew the area well already, but I knew that the process would connect me even more intimately to the climbing and the place that I’ve come to love so much. With the process well underway, I am excited to share my knowledge with Acadia’s climbers, both locals and visitors alike.
Buy Grant’s Rock Climbs of Acadia and pay less than in app here. Learn more about Acadia here. Check out Grant’s Rock Climbs of Acadia site here.