Nova Scotia Climbing

Nova Scotia, the land of the sharp granite. The bouldering is second to none and has become a real destination. The roped climbing is generally short and technical. Trad routes outnumber sport routes, grades are steep, and the gear can be sparse. The rock is mostly on solid granite, though there are some other rock types, notably the basalt climbing in the Valley-Fundy Region, and the greywacke in the Halifax region.

Halifax is the most populated area in Nova Scotia and therefore has the most climbers. The majority of climbing development is also currently around this area and generally a 20 to 40 minute drive from the city. Much of the roped climbing is in Musquodoboit area but there are also excellent cliffs in the Terrence Bay area, while the most established bouldering is near Peggy's Cove.

The majority of the information found here has been sourced from the 2002 guidebook "Nova Scotia Rock" by Sean Cassidy.

A new guidebook to rope climbing was published in 2019 and covers 50 crags in 5 regions throughout Nova Scotia. Samples and details can be found at rockclimbingnovascotia.com/

While this website serves as an online resource for roped climbing in NS, an excellent bouldering resource can be found at  cnsmobeta.ca/

Climb Nova Scotia is the climbing governing body in NS. Their website can be found at  www.climbnovascotia.com