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Biggest cliff in each state

Original Post
Tristan Higbee · · Pocatello, ID · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 2,970

I want to compile a list of the tallest cliff in each state. As people give their input, I'll update this post. I'm talking cliff--meaning all rock, not ice/snow faces on Rainier or Denali or anything.

Arizona -- Vermillion Cliffs (~1,500'?)
California -- El Capitan (~3,000')
Colorado -- Painted Wall, Black Canyon (~2,000')
Georgia -- Stone Mountain (825') (Closed to climbing)
Idaho -- Slick Rock or Elephant's Perch ?
Maine -- Taber Wall, Mt. Katahdin (1000+ feet.)
Maryland -- the Narrows at 180-200 feet, or some sections of Maryland Heights above Harpers ferry around the same height
Massachusetts -- Crow Hill? (There are bigger cliffs in the Berkshires, though. Maybe around 120'.)
Michigan -- Trap Hills area, Porcupine Mountains. (?')
Minnesota -- Palisade Head (~200 feet)
Montana -- Mt. Siyeh north face (~3,500'?)
Nevada -- East Face of Mt. Wilson (~2,500'). (Black Velvet wall is more sheer and ~2,200'. N. Face of Wheeler Peak is big, but how big?)
New Hampshire -- Cannon Cliff (1,000' ?)
New Mexico -- Brazos Cliffs (~2,000' ? with debatable vertical. Anyone got a better "cliff"?
New York -- Wallface Mountain (900+ feet) (tallest sustained class 5 climb is East Fast of Gothics at 1200' 5.7 slab)
North Carolina -- Laurel Knob (1,200')
Oregon -- Wolf Rock?? ~1000 ft.? (Might be taller granite in Eagle Cap...?)
South Carolina -- Table Rock (750')
Texas -- Boquillas Canyon in Big Bend (~300+) (or maybe El Capitan or Guadalupe Peak in the Guadalupe Mountains?) (backside of Enchanted Rock in Texas is 425 feet (3 pitches) but it is somewhat sloppy to be called a cliff)
Utah -- Notch Peak north face (~2,000+ feet)
Vermont -- Willoughby?
Washington -- East face of Liberty Bell or something up at Darrington ?? North face of McMillian Spires in the Pickets?? The Norwegian Buttress(s) on Index?
West Virginia -- Champ Rock (450')?
Wyoming -- North Face of Grand Teton ? (north face of Mt. Hooker is steeper but not as big)

Lee Smith · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2003 · Points: 1,545

For New York, I would say Wallface Mountian in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. 900+ feet.

Surely Cannon for New Hampshire? Not sure how tall it is.

Lee Smith · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2003 · Points: 1,545

Louisiana has a pure rock cliff nearly 4 feet tall, at the governors mansion.

Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

Great topic!

AZ - probably in the Vermillion Cliffs somewhere, I know they get to atleast 1500 feet up there.

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

For sheer drops in Texas it's probably going to be something in Boquillas Canyon in Big Bend at or around 300 ft, maybe more. El Capitan in the Guadalupe Mountains is too broken up to be the biggest wall.

Jacob Dolence · · Farmville, VA · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 806
Tristan Higbee wrote:Idaho -- Elephant's Perch ?
I think Slick Rock is slightly taller, but I could be wrong. From the lowest point to the highest point Slick Rock is about 1200 feet tall. I've done 5 full rope stretching pitches on a 70meter rope and still had a half pitch to the top.

North Carolina is Laurel Knob.
BenCooper · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 585

Washington:

East face of Liberty Bell (?)

or

surely something up at Darrington (?)

Tristan Higbee · · Pocatello, ID · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 2,970

Awesome! Original post updated.

Tristan Higbee · · Pocatello, ID · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 2,970
Stich wrote:El Capitan in the Guadalupe Mountains is too broken up to be the biggest wall.
You think so? Looks sheer enough to me... But how big are those cliffs?

Also, this page says that the west face of Guadalupe Peak is 1,500' tall!
Kip Kasper · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 200

for washington the north face of mcmillian spires in the pickets, or what about the Norwegian buttress(s) on Index?

Warren Scott · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 10

New Mexico: got to be the Brazos Cliffs, at 3000 ft tall.

Chase Roskos · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 90

Not 100 percent, more like 90, that Palisade Head or Shovel Point are the tallest climbable in Minnesota at a awe inspiring 200 feet.

Timothy Hosbach · · Breckenridge, CO · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 60

Michigan - Trap Hills area, Porcupine Mountains. (?')

Adam Wilcox · · Candia, NH · Joined Feb 2007 · Points: 291

Maine - Taber Wall, Mt. Katahdin. 1000+ feet.

Nathan Stokes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 440

In NY, sheer rock face is Wallface, tallest sustained class V climb is East Fast of Gothics at 1200' 5.7 slab. Poke-O moonshine is second to Wallface with a bunch of climbs in the 500+ plus range.

DFrench · · Cape Ann · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 465

MA - is it Crow Hill? Anyone know anything taller?

Ian G. · · PDX, OR · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 280

Oregon-

Wolf Rock?? ~1000 ft.?

Might be taller granite in Eagle Cap, but that's the biggest I know of...

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

West Virginia: South Peak of Seneca Rocks is the tallest cliff that gets major climbing attention. West Face seems taller than East Face. there is a chance that one of the obscure cliffs along the top of North Fork Mountain may be taller, but Seneca is still the most likely candidate.

saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221

The tallest cliff in Georgia is most likely Stone Mountain at 825'; unfortunately, it's closed to climbing.

For South Carolina, I assume Table Rock would be the tallest, but I can't find any documentation of its height. Maybe Sean Cobourn will chime in with this info.

JL

Richard C Sims · · Centennial · Joined May 2007 · Points: 10
JacobD wrote: I think Slick Rock is slightly taller, but I could be wrong. From the lowest point to the highest point Slick Rock is about 1200 feet tall. I've done 5 full rope stretching pitches on a 70meter rope and still had a half pitch to the top. North Carolina is Laurel Knob.
IN 93 I climbed Slick Rock with my 8 & a 9 year old daughters in 10 pitches with 165' ropes. A 70 would open up better belay options; I do not remember any fixed belays and a few bolts. I also did it in 83 and saw no bolts.
Dave Swink · · Boulder, Co · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 285

The backside of Enchanted Rock in Texas is 425 feet (3 pitches) but it is somewhat slopy to be called a cliff. However, some of the climbs are at least 5.10.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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