Description

Camden State Park has an incredible variety of climbing grades and types. The drive is an hour an a half from ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to a dirt parking lot that usually isn’t full. The Lost Valley crag at Camden offers 16 sport climbs that range from 5.7 to 5.12d. The approach can be a little tricky and long, but most of the time you’ll have the crag all to yourself. The views from the top of the cliff are spectacular and the wall gets plenty of sunshine.

If you’re looking for trad climbing, the Guide’s Wall has plenty of short climbs that range in grade from 5.4 to 5.9+. This cliff is southeast facing and has a mostly flat mile long approach :).

There is also plentiful ice climbing at Camden State Park!

Trailhead Location:

Maiden Cliff Trailhead, 321-415 Turnpike Dr, Camden, ME 04843

44°14’50.3″N 69°05’15.0″W

Description

Shagg Crag has one of the highest concentrations of excellent quality hard sport climbing routes in the entire New England area. The cliff itself hangs off the side of Bald Mountain overlooking Shagg Pond. The approach is fairly burly compared to typical sport crags and involves hiking for about 10 minutes on flat terrain followed by 15 minutes of uphill hiking. Most of the classics have perma-draws which makes projecting and backing off of routes very easy and low stakes. In addition, the main section of the cliff stays dry in almost anything (the classic “Ginseng Route” (12c) has been climbing in a hurricane). As you approach the base of the cliff, you’ll notice a large crack traversing the cliff face, which marks a 5 bolt 10c “warmup” route called The Great Escape. The mountain project page for the area is very well established and has almost all the routes at the crag on it. Although its home to almost exclusively hard sport routes, it’s worth going to if you’re new to sport climbing. Go with someone who knows the area and can lead some harder stuff.

Callum Douglass ’16 on the deadpoint below the upper crux of Shaggadelic (13c)

Directions

The trail head appears shortly after passing Shagg Pond on the right. Drive up a steep hill and park at the pullout on the left as soon as you reach the top of the. The trailhead is immediately across from the pullout. Follow the trail until it reaches Little Concord Pond (See link in additional notes below). Immediately before the small clearing that leads down to the lake, take a right. There should be a green sign which points up a steep rocky ramp visible immediately. Follow the trail that leads up this ramp, and follow it for 15ish minutes. When you are slightly below the Bald Mountain summit, you’ll be able to see a faint trail heading off to the right towards a cliff which may or may not be visible through the trees depending on the season. If you reach a sign directing you to the Bald Mountain summit, you’ve gone about 500 ft too far (Although the summit is well worth the extra 2 minute hike). Once on the climbers path, follow it down to the cliff.

Trailhead Location:

272 Shagg Pond Rd. Bryant Pond, ME 04219

44.427222°N,  70.542033 °W

Additional Notes

The birds perch ledge is home to a peregrine falcon nest. Make sure to steer clear of this area in the spring and summer while the birds are nesting. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ alum Callum Dougllas ’16 has the first ascent of Shaggadelic. Good luck repeating it!

See also: Bald Mountain;ÌýÌýLittle Concord Pond

Description

Arguably the closest crag from ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (~1:15 from door to crag), Tumbledown Dick, also known as the dick, is an expansive hillside located close to the road with several different cliffs. Most of the climbing is trad, but it’s super easy to hike to the top of all of the cliffs and set up top ropes. Mostly slab climbing with some steeper harder stuff mixed in on super nice schist. A great place to practice trad climbing or to test out your anchor building skills and tope rope some stuff. If its warm out, pop over to Evan’s notch and take a dip in the Wild River (about 5 minutes away).

Directions

Turn right onto Bridge st. in Gilead and then take another right onto North Rd. Follow N Rd. past some farms until you hit a forested patch. As you crest a hill, the cliffs should be visible off to your right. Drive to the bottom of the hill and park on the side of the road across from a 10 ft tall roadside cliff.

Directly above where you park, there is a ~40ft cliff called the forehead (it looks like a forehead). There three cracks that go up this face are super fun and the left one is pretty dam hard. All climbs on the forehead are easily top roped. As you walk along the cliffs to the left you will reach the amphitheater, which has some great cracks as well which are easily top roped.

Continuing along the cliffs to climbings left, you will see a small hand line leading up a ramp directly before reaching a giant alcove with a chimney in the back. Follow this ramp up to the 2nd tier. Some of the better climbs on the second tier are located at the top of the ramp where the ramp widens. Thin Air climbs up to a small ledge with a tree, continues in a crack out left, and then another crack out right. Two other 5.9s climb the face to the right of Thin Air. All the climbs here have bolted anchors and are easy to walk around to. Make sure you have a 70m rope. If you continue up past the end of the 2nd tier ramp you reach the 3rd tier, which has some good stuff as well.

From the road, if you continue along the cliffs past the 2nd tier handling and alcove, you will eventually reach the sharks fin. tucked in a corner to the left of all the sport routes is an awesome 5.7 crack. Straight up the sharks fin face there is a super hard 12a crack that stays dry in anything. All routes here are easily top roped.

Continuing along the cliff to climbers left for another couple minutes, you will reach a large clean slab called the Illegal Alien Wall. The rout Illegal Alien is one of the best 10a’s in the North Conway area in my opinion. Climb directly up to the small overlap near the top of the slab. Head right and follow another crack system to the top. The routes directly right and left of Illegal Alien are also 10s. All routes are easily top roped with a 70m rope.

Location:

1700 N Rd, Gilead, ME 04217

44.405054°±·,Ìý70.939026°°Â

Additional Notes

The North Conway Rock Climbs guidebook has the dick in it as well almost all the crags in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ area. If you’re in to climbing you should pick one up.