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Strychnine

5.9, Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 2.9 from 38 votes
FA: Jonathan Garlough & James Dickson
New Hampshire > Lakes Region > New Durham Area… > Longstack Preci… > 2. Indigenous Wall

Description

P1: Start up a small dike behind a large oak tree to a bolt 10’ up. Continue up the dike to the large flake/corner with gear. Continue up the face placing gear to a bolt. Continue over the bulge placing gear past another small headwall to a third bolt. Continue up the slab to a tree and walk left to the anchor on Suicide Wall. 100’
P2: Walk right from the anchor along a ledge. Pull the bulge and follow the slab to a second head wall. Finish at the pine tree on top. 40'

Location

Behind a large tree look for a bolt and a right facing flake.

Protection

Standard Rack

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Pete belaying George from the top of the first pitch
[Hide Photo] Pete belaying George from the top of the first pitch
Rapping pitch 1
[Hide Photo] Rapping pitch 1
George H. on pitch 1.
[Hide Photo] George H. on pitch 1.
Route as seen from base, view of upper portion blocked by trees
[Hide Photo] Route as seen from base, view of upper portion blocked by trees
Casey Bald on Strychnine
[Hide Photo] Casey Bald on Strychnine
Jim Dickson follows Strychnine. The blocky corner of Orthanc can be seen in the background.
[Hide Photo] Jim Dickson follows Strychnine. The blocky corner of Orthanc can be seen in the background.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

chris magness
 
[Hide Comment] This is an excellent line for the grade. However, if the raven is around, it might be best to choose another line!

If it weren't for the finish and the raven, Strychnine would be a 4-star route. Jun 23, 2012
Edge
Boulder, CO
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Fabulous route! The gear is a bit fiddly, but with extra small sized cams can be backed up in key spots. Highly recommended as the best 5.9 on the cliff. Sep 27, 2012
joshua corbett
Wolfeboro NH
  5.9
[Hide Comment] EDGE for constant climbing I would agree but for exposure defiantly The Arete Sep 27, 2012
chinos Garlough
Ossipee, NH
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Great as one long pitch! Mar 16, 2013
ben smith
 
[Hide Comment] raven nightmare at the top! nearly jumped out of my skin...glad i slung the little trees at the top Mar 26, 2013
Edge
Boulder, CO
  5.9
[Hide Comment] The ravens were just starting to rebuild their nest a couple weeks ago, and it sounds like they are getting ready to start their family. It would probably be best to have a voluntary ban on climbing Strychnine, Orthanc, and Adventure Punks until the chicks have left sometime mid/late Summer. The birds don't seem to bother climbers on the next couple routes to either side, so Suicide Wall and Chinoo should be OK.

Although Strychnine is probably the best .9 at the cliff, there are a bunch of others almost as good. I can't wait to see where the turkey vultures nest; you haven't experienced Longstack until you pull onto a ledge and hear an other-worldly hiss echo out of a deep fissure. Mar 26, 2013
john strand
southern colo
[Hide Comment] Ravens and t Vultures ?? nice...crazy ass , smart birds Mar 26, 2013
M Sprague
New England
[Hide Comment] Ravens are way cooler than peregrines and if you piss them off they will remember you for years. The most I have ever been freaked out by a bird was when I happened upon a turkey vulture nest on Mt Tom in RI. Freaked the liver out of me. Mar 26, 2013
Edge
Boulder, CO
  5.9
[Hide Comment] It's quite a place when the full aviary is in action. Besides ravens and vultures, I've already seen red tailed hawk out there this year, and wild turkeys are not uncommon (the birds, not the alcohol, though I wouldn't be surprised to see that out there too.)

Last year, a shamanic practitioner asked me to make her a hand drum and incorporate the spirit of her Raven guide in it. I waited until the birds had left for the season, then led Strychnine for the first time as the sun was setting and arrived at the nest minutes after the sun went behind the mountains. I took one pine stick from the nest, which became the beater handle for her drum. From Raven with love. Mar 26, 2013
Leigh Kesler
[Hide Comment] There was no rappel anchor at the top anywhere that my partner and I could find, so we donated a cordelette and a couple rap rings to a tree that looked like it used to be the anchor.

Awesome climb! Still a bit damp in places, but fantastic pitch (strung them together with double 60m ropes). Jun 3, 2017
Marc B
[Hide Comment] We just barely managed to climb both pitches (I think) in one go with a 70M rope. Some scrambling required to tie in. It was helpful to put your belay device on a leash, let it out while the climber ties in, then pull it back down. Oct 4, 2017