New England Road Trip

Ryan,

The road directions seem good. Just look on google maps to make sure! What you really need to do is go to neclimbs.com and get the route info there. Especially in regards to where you hike and then start to thrash. I can't speak to Adam's experience with loose rock but at times I was certainly pulling on trees etc on steep hillside.

One time I came out too high and just traversed in to the middle of the climb. Second hit the toe of rock. Seemed to remember I stayed low and went left and then up towards the rock (or where I thought it was) the second time.

EDIT - it's early and needed a second cup of coffee. All the neclimbs.com info is here on MP so you're all set! I just didn't see it before!

Mark

I think I went to the right of the big tree island (the route on MP and NEClimbs goes left). I was definitely "off route" but you can pretty much choose your own adventure up there.

EDIT: I too apparently haven't had enough coffee. Watch out for loose rock on the climb itself haha not the approach.

Ryan M Moore wrote:Sorry for the Vermont snub but there are only so many days off work...haha

Don't be! I was being funny but not sarcastic. We love having the cliffs to ourselves.

The Bow Trip is classic.

jackmanmaine.org/maine-cano…

West Branch of the Penobscot is another classic. Go to the Ripogenous Lake Dam area. Camping and outfitters there. There you can arrange for a shuttle up river. Price for shuttle should be reasonable since there are a couple of outfitter's serving the
West Branch.

Put in at Roll Dam is 3 nights out. Big lake travel on Chesuncook. Be aware that lakes and even "ponds" can be huge in Maine. Chesuncook is over 25 miles long and more than a mile wide.

Put in at Lobster Lake paddle up, camp, stay as long as you want, paddle down to meet pre-arranged pick-up.

That sounds like an awesome trip, too late to change plans for this time unfortunately.

KrisFiore wrote: Don't be! I was being funny but not sarcastic. We love having the cliffs to ourselves.

The only reason Vermonters have the cliffs to themselves is that everyone is either in the ADK or NH climbing on better rock... That was the worst part about living there. You had no choice but to drive east or west to do any real climbing! :-P

Hope you have an awesome trip, Ryan!

Here's the belated trip report: We arrived in North Conway to cloudy conditions which turned into solid rain the next day. Spent the day in town, picked up a pair of double plastics requiring surgery from IME for $25 so the day wasn't a waste. Also checked out the Moat house, which was a pretty cool spot.

The next day we opted for Whitehorse over North Percy peak due to the potential for t-storms. Wanted to climb the beginner's easy variation since I've never done more than a 3 pitch at the gunks and wasn't sure how stiff the grades at Whitehorse were. We got off route because I opted to traverse left to some bolt anchors not in the guide book and found ourselves unknowimlgy on the Cormier-magness route. The climbing was easy enough anyway that it didn't matter until I was 35 feet above my last protection and the climbing ramped up. Fortunately there was a guide following us who gave some clutch gear beta in an unobvious(to me) location. The. The climbing magically was easy again. Had a great time finishing the route and my wife led the last pitch which was also her first trad lead. Turns out the guide behind us was Chris Magness who put up the route which explained his perfect knowledge of the route. Didn't realize it until after we left. My wife hiked the descent down barefoot like a champ after realizing she left her non-climbing shoes at the base.

Had dinner at flatbread that night, which was an amazing original spot. Great pizza and beer and a great vibe. Headed to umbagog lake the next day, more overcast weather but it was a beautiful lake. Didn't feel as remote as I was expecting partially due to the well maintained campsites with picnic tables and also due to the stray cabin/lake house visible every mile or so. Still a great time. We were awakened by some loons going wild around 12 which was kind of fun since my wife had never heard them before.

Headed to Portland the next day where we ate one of the best seafood dinners I've ever had at a place called eventide. We also found another flatbread co there and felt horribly betrayed when we discovered it was more or less a chain place, since we were so enamoured with it in North Conway, especially for its originality and authenticity, kind of like finding out that the best night of your life was with an adult film star and you thought it was both of your first times. The night was still fun but felt a lot less Special. Later that night I got rid of the delicious seafood dinner Ina all the ways the body knows how to clear the digestive tract. I'm in denial about my bodies lack of tolerance for it.

Went to Acadia and were completely shut down by rain for climbing. Went to see the sun rise at Cadillac mountain before all of you could see it. Just ended up seeing it get less gray before you instead.

Headed back to philly after spending a night in Boston.

Was a great trip despite the rain, thanks for all your help guys.

See any Eagles at Umbagog?

No eagles, and I thought for sure the place would be swarming with them. Did have a huge osprey perch above our campsite for an hour or two.

Ryan glad you enjoyed your trip. Rain and Maine kind of go together. Don't head up there much any more. Tired of getting rained out. I did get 4 bluebird days at Katahdin July however. Surprised you didn't kayak on the rain day at Acadia. Some beautiful paddling up there.

We considered it, but were short on time and there was maybe 100yds visibility with the fog so ended up not.