Flatrock Climbing

The highest concentration of established routes and boulder problems in Newfoundland. The crags are secluded, but have short (<15 min) approaches. The unique scenery, lack of bugs and high quality climbing makes flatrock the best climbing destination on the Avalon Peninsula in the summer months. In addition, it is common to see whales from the crags in Late June through July.

The rock is a high quality conglomerate sandstone which is usually vertical, with occasional roofs. The routes are usually mixed pro, however if there is no good gear available, there will typically be bolts. Trad climbing at Flatrock has some quirks. The pebbly nature of the rock creates challenging gear placements; combining this with the steep nature of the rock, it is best to be conservative with initial route choices. While the most prevalent and highest quality routes at Flatrock are in the 5.9 - 5.10 trad range, there are a number of fully bolted sport climbs, and almost-sport climbs which involve a gear placement or two. Additionally, most routes have bolted anchors which can be used to set a toprope. While Main Face has the most routes and is one of the tallest faces in Flatrock, there are other crags worthy of consideration. On all but the warmest summer days, chasing sun is a safe bet. East facing crags which get morning sun include Main Face, UV ray, Spankys and the Locker. Blood Bath faces west, which is a good afternoon destination if time is short.

Bouldering is a mix between small boulders and many shorter sea cliffs. Due to the vertical nature of the rock, there are few hard problems, but endless moderates from VB to V3. High quality problems in the harder grades include Making Love to a Kenmore (V4/5), Nosferatu (V5), the Wire (V8) and commitment to quality (V10).