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Pine Mountain Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in 11. Pine Mountain

L › R R › L A › Z

	Heads Up T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	Dancin on the edge T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Pope on a Rope T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Country Blumpkin S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	It’s a Pinkham Thing T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Ladyslipper T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Old Route Direct T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Matrimoany T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Contact T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Hank Chinos T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
	Old Broad's Birthday Bash T 5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c

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Elevation:	1,823 ft	556 m
GPS:	44.36371, -71.21278 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	11,259 total · 105/month
Shared By:	Robert Hall on Jul 17, 2016
Admins:	Jay Knower, M Sprague, Jeffrey LeCours, Jonathan S, Robert Hall Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

Access Notes: When the Horton camp is in session (weekend and/or weekly groups) during the Spring thru Fall seasons, the public is asked to respect the camp and stay on the marked trail(s).

2) As of st least 10/30/22 the WMNF has closed the gate on the “Horton Camp Access Road” about 0.2 mil from Pinkham B road, adding about 3/4 mile to the approach.

( 2022 update) Two new routes have been put in that have not been recorded here previously.

1) A line of several bolts right of Pope on a Rope and Left of "Pinkham" that starts at a birch and beach tree on the path.

2) A bolt that start just right of A Pinkham Thing leads to an old ring pition in a right-facing flake

An old-time slab/cliff (first climbed in the 1930's with evidence of further climbing in the late 1960's-mid-70's) that has seen some recent activity, mostly by Matt and Kathy Barker who researched the early climb(s) with the Boston AMC. Helping them was/is Ben Smith and the Chinos' Jon Garlough and Hank Tracy.

The cliff/slab presents a interesting alternative to slabs like Whitehorse and even Table and Rainbow due to its unusual character of slabs with a serious number of small overlaps, and at least one route completely on pegmatite.

Bring a light standard rack (we didn't use anything larger than a #1 (red) although we brought a #2 (gold) & a #3, "alpine draws" (i.e. long-ish) are useful, the routes wander a bit. Expect to find a bolt or two if needed but we aren't talking "sport climbs" here. Nuts seemed especially useful on the pegmatite. 70m is preferred over 60m.

Fairly easy approach: 0.9 mi. on dirt road ( which can be driven most times) , 0.1 mile on trail and about half mile on what is now ( 2002) a well marked path.

Getting There

Take the Dolly Copp road (a.k.a. Pinkham B) from Rt 16 north of Pinkham Notch past the entrances to both the campground and Barns Field (group camping) whereupon it turns to dirt. Continue a few miles to the height-of-land and a parking lot on the left and a dirt road on the right (East). Park here. [From the north and west, pick up the northern end of the Dolly Copp road off of Rt2 near Randolph, NH.]

There is VERY LIMITED parking in two or three one-car pullouts on the road ( which is a WMNF road leading to the private Horton Center) near the Ledges Trailhead. If you can’t park without being on the road please drive back to the parking on Dolly Copp Rd and walk back on the road, about 0.8-0.9 mile.

Take the Ledges Trail about 0.1 mile ( 4-5 min) to a large boulder on the right with a dead birch tree trunk in front of it, and (2022) several large, fallen birch trunks in front of it. [This is the 2nd or 3rd boulder you pass, but is the largest...and even had a cairn on it in fall of 2022.

Leave the trail here and, (2022) after a few feet, follow the climber’s path which shouldn’t be too difficult to follow. ( A Trace of the route is shown on the “ climbing area map” ) This basically contours around at the same level, although there are several ups-and-downs. After crossing the first significant drainage the path ascends just a bit and then turns right and descends about 80-100 vertical feet, then turns abruptly left at the bottom of this. This is about 1/3 of the way in.

How well this path remains easy to follow after leaves fall remains a question, but at the present (2022) it is very easy to follow. It took us 20 min from the turn off ( 25 from the car) and we were not rushing at all!