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Elevation: 800 ft
GPS: 44.2123, -71.4046
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 65,738 total · 325/month
Shared By: Casey Bald on Aug 10, 2007
Admins: Jay Knower, M Sprague, Lee Hansche, Jeffrey LeCours, Jonathan S, Robert Hall

Description Suggest change


NOTE: The winter ice routes for this area are found as a sub-area in the "area "NH ICE and ALPINE CLIMBING".

A multi-faceted area. The main slab has multi pitch slab and crack climbing in a nice sub alpine setting. Climbs such as "Hugo's Horror revisited" and the newer "Time-Space Continuum " have widly-spaced, but new stainless 3/8 inch bolts, and secure double-bolt belays. These, as well as some of the older lines such as the very popular "Across the Universe" and the "Star Trek slab" [where the belays are now 3/8" stainless bolts] now make for pleasant outings and a somewhat different experience from slabs like Whitehorse.

The recently developed Willey Brook Ravine, and "rediscovered" Butress No. 1 AREAs provide interesting 1 pitch climbs of a different, steeper sort. Buttress No. 1 "sports" several newer, bolted, NON-SPORT routes in the 5.6 - 5.8 range, as well as several trad climbs in the same grade range. Of course, there's an "X" ...."R/X" or two as well!

Getting There Suggest change

The shortest and fastest approach to the Main Slab, Buttress No. 1, and Willey Brook Ravine is the "Hatties Garden Path".  Park on Rt 302 at a gravel pullout on the west side of the road about a half mile above the Willey Slide pullout (coming from the south/east) or 1 1/2 miles below the AMC's Highland house (from the north/west). Coming from the south/east on Rt 302 (i.e from North Conway and Bartlett) this pull-out is on the left beyond where a small stream (Willey Brook) comes in from the left, and JUST before the Saco River crosses underneath Rt 302.

A rocky logging-road starts from the rear of the parking, but quickly turns into a trail. Hike up the well-cairned trail to the actual "Hattie's Garden". (about 10 min)

To get to Willey Brook Ravine: From Hattie's Garden walk "down tracks" (south) to the big bridge and cut right into the woods. Follow the climbers trail for 2 min to the crag. (To be honest, this "trail" is obscure. Slightly more detailed directions can be found in the sub-area’s “Getting There”.)

To get to Buttress No. 1 and Main Slab, walk "Up-Tracks" (towards the cliff)

For Buttress No 1, walk about 1 to 2 minutes and look for the first little (8-inch wide) drainage channel through the tracks. About 30 more RR ties, and look for a cairn and steep climber's path up to the base of Buttress No.1, another 10-12 min. (More details, and photo of the "8-inch channel, in the But. No.1 AREA)

For Main Slab continue another 4-5 minutes to a boulder-gully with vegetation. (A wider, flat area with much poison ivy is on the right [south] side of the tracks here.) Up this "gully" 50-75 feet (any further and you may have the wrong 'gully'.) to the "toe" of the main slab. Standard and Hugos start here. Go right along the slab for "Time Space" and "Across the Universe".

2020 Update - As you continue to walk up the tracks, there's a cairn about 100 ft beyond the gully. I presume this is a "direct" approach to the "Across the Universe" and "Time Space" but haven't actually taken it. Oct 2023 update….it is, or rather was, the direct approach but the rockfall of this summer has choked the slope with broken trees and branches. Much better to take the gully approach described above. 

For the "Star Trek / A Night Climb" slab continue along the RR Tracks about 150 ties beyond the gully and look for a 2nd cairn. Follow cairns up on a zig-zagging crude path. [ 2020 Update there now is a large tree blown down. This does not block the crude path but does force you to the right, which is where you want to go. ]  At the base of the slab, go up the left side of the slab for the start of Star Trek. For "A Night Climb", and its Pitch-1 clean-slab variations,  go right, crossing 15 ft of a newly-exposed slab (smaller tree blown over), then up following a zig-zagging path to the base. Avoid going too far right, if you find yourself below a really mossy slab you are too far right, the correct approach path climbs up a steep slope in the woods, just right of the left edge of this slab.

The Non-Recommended Approach - For years the classic approach was to drive west on NH Rt. 302 and park across the street from Elephant's Head, then walk back south east along the tracks over two trestles to where the gully leading to "Standard" nearly reaches the tracks, about 20-25min. (This approach, at least in the summer and fall when the sightseeing train runs, is both longer and is trespassing. )

50 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Mt. Willard

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 9
Part the Sea
Trad, Alpine
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 9
First Shot
Sport, Alpine
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 5
The Ten Comandments (Mid-cliff s…
Trad, Alpine
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13
 23
Hugo's Horror Revisited
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 4
Hattie's Garden (the climb)
Trad, Alpine
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
 10
Time-Space Continuum
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
 4
Bob & Ralph's Most Excellent Adv…
Trad, Alpine 3 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 8
Salespitch
Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13
 40
Across the Universe
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Part the Sea 02. Gulley No.1 Butt…
 9
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, Alpine
First Shot 02. Gulley No.1 Butt…
 9
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Sport, Alpine
The Ten Comandments (Mid-cl… 02. Gulley No.1 Butt…
 5
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, Alpine
Hugo's Horror Revisited 03. Main Slab
 23
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Hattie's Garden (the climb) 02. Gulley No.1 Butt…
 4
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Alpine
Time-Space Continuum 03. Main Slab
 10
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Bob & Ralph's Most Excellen… 03. Main Slab
 4
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 Trad, Alpine 3 pitches
Salespitch 04.Upper Face / Upper…
 8
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
Across the Universe 03. Main Slab
 40
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13 Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
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