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Wheeler Mountain Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Wheeler Mountain

a. Woolite 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

b. Moosehead Crack 3 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

c. Hump or Die 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

d. Whine and Cheese 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

e. The Great Corner 6 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

Ethan's Delight 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

f. The Right Stuff 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

g. Jugfest, Stella and Casey 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

i. Eagle Point Left 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

j. The Shield 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Misty Mountain Hop 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Practice Slab 12 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 13

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Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	2,400 ft
GPS:	44.73463, -72.09158 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	63,870 total · 615/month
Shared By:	TSluiter on Oct 11, 2015 · Updates
Admins:	Jason Hayden, Luc-514, Kristen Fiore Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closures for access issues: please review cragvt.org Details

Access Issue: See CragVT.org for more info Details

Ownership of the private land sections of Wheeler Mountain have recently changed hands and the current owners have closed the land for logging and trail adjustments. Please do not climb at Wheeler until CRAG-VT can establish a dialogue with the new landowners about climbing access. Doing so threatens future access for all Vermont climbers.

Hopefully this is just a temporary bump in the road and we can quickly establish a positive relationship with the new landownder and work on an effective plan for climber access.

Logging Operations

As of 5/31:

With the logging operations completed, Wheeler Mountain is again open to the public and to climbers. Please adhere to any new signage posted and note that the trail to the top of the mountain will likely remain closed until September for rerouting purposes.

Description

Wheeler Mountain, as I have read, is one of the classic climbing areas in Vermont. First ascents were completed in the 1940's. It is very well developed, many documented climbs on beautiful granite. Hopefully this place will see more traffic, it is fantastic (and South-facing!).

Ground-up FA's are the way of the world here, as is ground-up bolting.

Travis Peckham's guidebook Tough Schist has almost 100 routes in the Wheeler Mountain section, buy the book.

Getting There

Just east of Lake Willoughby on Wheeler Mountain Road near Sutton, VT. Parts of the mountain are in Lake Willoughby State Forest. 3 Parking areas, one or two of which are on private land. The road in is a little rough but nothing a normal passenger car can't handle. Access to Wheeler Mountain road is off Rt. 5.

The second parking area has the climber's trail heading north to the base of the cliff. Pass a house-sized boulder and stay right to run along most of the climbs via the base of the cliffs. Take a left at the house-sized boulder to get to the Moosehead Crack/Woolite area.

Approach time is ~10 minutes to the first routes, almost an hour to get all the way around the NE side of the mountain. Many, many climbs along the way.

41 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

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Classic Climbing Routes at Wheeler Mountain

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 19 ● VJ's Trad 3 pitches e. The Great Corner
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 27 ● Moosehead Crack Trad, TR b. Moosehead Crack
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 4 ● Woolite Trad 2 pitches a. Woolite
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 8 ● Red Stinger Trad d. Whine & Cheese
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 8 ● It's a Fine Line Trad, TR b. Moosehead Crack
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 10 ● No One to Run With Trad d. Whine & Cheese
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 4 ● Hump or Die Trad c. Hump or Die
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 7 ● The Right Stuff Trad f. The Right Stuff
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 5 ● No Entra du Canada Trad j. The Shield
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 17 ● A Kind Gesture Trad, TR b. Moosehead Crack
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 7 ● EthWheel Crack Trad e. The Great Corner
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 5 ● 3/8ths My Ass Trad j. The Shield
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 9 ● Wine and Cheese Trad 3 pitches d. Whine & Cheese
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 10 ● The Great Corner Trad e. The Great Corner