Access to Acadia Climbing in ME?

I heard on the radio this morning that park was going to delay opening the loop roads until mid-May because of the fiscal baloney. Does anyone know if this will effect access to the Precipice and Otter Cliffs? Are there alternate routes into that part of the park?

Jim

You can get to Great Head and Precipice without having to go through the gates... Otter Cliffs im pretty sure you can as well but im not 100%.

Otter cliffs is probably the easiest access without using the park loop road. Here's a link to a google map:

Acadia Google Map

Just take HWY 3 out of town and take a left on Otter Cliffs Road. There will be a park on your right with a parking lot just before you hit the loop road. Maybe a 5 minute walk to the crag from there. Also not a bad option during busy season as the Otter Cliffs parking lot proper tends to fill up fast.

Great Head is super easy to get to. Just take Schooner Head Road out of town to its end. There's a parking lot and a trailhead. Start walking on the trail and take the first lefthand fork which will lead you to Great Head.

Precipice should be able to be accessed as per usual. Super jealous of you heading out that way! Great climbing for sure!

Thanks for the responses, guys. I find navigating the park wicked confusing in general.

There's a foot of fluffy new snow on the ground all of a sudden but I hope to get out there when this stuff melts.

Jim

Sweet map! Great head is probably your best bet for dryness I would think but I could be wrong.

Almost forgot. If you are climbing at the precipice you can avoid the loop road and get back to town much quicker by taking a left on the road just before the pay station, then an immediate left on Schooner Head Road back to town. Take a look at the map and you'll see it. Best way to get in and out of the park with out having to deal with the loop road traffic.

The problem is that a couple of the parking areas as described are beyond NPS gates that could be closed if the NPS roads truely are closed. The parking lots described and typically thought of by climbers stem from strategioes to avoid going through the NPS "toll-booth". They still require driving on at least short sections of NPS roadways which could be gated. But with some ingenuity the popular areas will still be accessable without a lot of effort.

If the roads really are closed it will be interesting to see how that is implemented and if the closure pertains to bicycles. Acadia without cars would be a pretty sweet deal IMHO.

I love it- you can't unlock a fucking gate because of "budget".. what bullshit

john strand wrote:I love it- you can't unlock a fucking gate because of "budget".. what bullshit

john strand wrote:I love it- you can't unlock a fucking gate because of "budget".. what bullshit

It sounds like as long as you've got a bike, you'll be fine. Here's details on winter operations.

nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/…

The roads that are open get you plenty close to all the climbing, and closed roads or carriage trails would let you finish the approach on bike to pretty much anywhere.

Thanks, i have always aspired to recognized as a great MP mind

john strand wrote:Thanks, i have always aspired to recognized as a great MP mind

Its pretty easy to access the climbing any time of year in Acadia. There are plenty of back roads so you don't need to worry about gates.

FYI: The access of Precipice and Otter Cliffs is currently weird due to sequestration. The Park in it’s infinite wisdom has decided to close down the unmanned sections of the road to automobiles. You can still get to both by taking Schooner Head Rd.

For access to the the Precipice park off the road where Schooner Head meets the loop road (right before the Park manned checkpoint/entrance), then walk maybe 0.5 miles back down the loop road to the Precipice entrance.

For Otter Cliffs continue through the checkpoint (might have to pay) and on to Otter Cliff Road. You can park along the road or at the picnic area and then walk along the path. There are some no parking signs along the road and there were rangers present. According to others (see above) there might be a non-paying way to Otter Cliffs via Otter Cliff road.

It’s not that bad and it’s a bicyclist paradise right now. Just seems nonsensical to me. If you are not local-- I am not a local-- you likely won't know the back roads. I personally don't think a National Park should be so exclusive. Especially as I dutifully purchased a pass.

The was a serious climbing accident at the Precipice last week and I understand the closed gates delayed ambulance access.

Wear your helmets!

Jim