Two Days on New Hampshire Granite
Doyle Tarwater
I've long dreamed of climbing New Hampshire granite, after climbing
every one of it's 4000 foot mountains between 1970 and 1986. I sent
e-mails to most of the people submitting partner searches on the New
Hampshire climbing web site, and Dave enthusiastically replied. We
suffered through the six weeks of crappy spring rain.
Finally last week on Tuesday May 22, I woke at 4 am, called flight
services and checked my e-mail. Dave wanted me to arrive by 6:30 or
7! It was impossible for me to get there before 8 or so, unless I had
hurricane winds pushing me. So feeling rushed, I skipped coffee or
food, and drove to the airport through fog with terror in my heart. I
hadn't flown my plane anywhere in two years, and I was praying for
something to intervene to spare my this scary ordeal. However, all
systems were go, and I took off into pitch-black skies at 5 am. Winds
were very light. All my flying skills and all my radio skills
returned to my delight, and 3 1/2 hours later, I landed at Beverly,
Massachusetts, just north of Boston. I called Dave and he soon
arrived.
Soon we were speeding north, on a cloudless, gorgeous day. Because
of the late start, we didn't get to Cathedral Ledge until nearly
11:30. We soon were hiking through the woods and climbing up granite
boulders, dodging poison ivy, to the base of Thin Air (5.6). The
first pitch is an easy scramble up to a belay stance, but the second
pitch is a wild little traverse right, first on some thin holds, but
later emerging onto a nice ledge to step along to a semi-hanging belay
at bolts. The third pitch starts up, steps right over a water streak,
climbs up, then steps back left over the water, up nice holds to a
corner, made tougher by wet holds, then onto a really nice ledge. The
last pitch had beautiful holds up to a tree. We belayed the dirty
groove because it was really wet and slimy, then walked off to the
parking lot on top. The granite is such a joy to be on. My 5.10
Huachos and the holds made me feel like Spiderman.
We got a ride down with some sweet young Canadians, and to my
surprise, Dave suggested another climb. So we went to Funhouse,
(5.7), and almost bailed because a party was ahead of us. But we
thought we could make it before dark. The first pitch ascends a crack
in an inside corner, with very strenuous stems and lay backs. It was
great fun to a mantle onto the top of the block, then straight up some
pumpy moves to a nice ledge and tree. Continued strenuous and fun
climbing finished on a ledge.
A rather exposed walk around the corner bought us to Upper Refuse,
(5.4), with easy, but really exposed face climbing. The last pitch
was wild, over flakes, up walls, and ended right on top again.
However it was nearly dark, and the lot was empty, so we had to walk
down. It really hurt the toes. It had been an incredibly long day
for me, and I was glad to eat a monster dish of pasta with veal,
sausage and beef. We got to stay at the home of a friend of Dave's,
and after a shower, I put on a CD I had just burned of old jazz greats
and was gone until the next day.
After breakfast, we headed over to Whitehorse Ledge to do the
Standard Route, (5.5). You walk up the lower slabs to the launch pad,
The first pitch is up and right to the Toilet Bowl, The next pitch is
to the base of the arch, then three pitches laybacking along the base
of the arch, to an escape onto the face. The crux is on the sixth
pitch, and we went straight up to the crack, which was no 5.5. Then
left up the ramp to the rappel tree. However it was four more pitches
of low to moderate slab climbing to the top. Another cloudless, but
much warmer day. Ten pitches! The longest climb of my life.
The walk off is rather long, and I discovered later I had gotten
really bitten up by black flies and mosquitoes, necessitating bendryl
gel to stop the itching. You should definitely carry bug goop to New
Hampshire; it could save you. It was late afternoon, so after
talking to flight services, and eating some enlightened flatbread we
drove back happy as anything. We both bicycle a lot, and discussed
the differences in our terrain, mine very hilly and his fairly flat.
He dropped me at the airport at 9:15 and it was really dark. I
preflighted by flashlight, and was unable to reach the tower or Boston
Center. So I found my way onto the nearest runway, took off, raised
Boston and after getting out of those crowded skies, had a lovely
flight home under the full moon, with light winds. I played music
through the headset, and had a great old time, landing at my little
strip at 1:50 AM. I hadn't had a purely night flight in 8 years and
it did wonders for my confidence.
Also this is the first time I had flown off to have a climbing
adventure, and am I psyched! It's such a big old world, and I'm
excited to have it to play in.
Interestingly, I drove down to Lexington, Kentucky later that day for
a soccer tournament, and in a lull Saturday, drove 60 miles to the Red
River Gorge. I stopped at Miguel's, got some beta, and drove down to
the parking spot and hiked to the Roadside Rocks. The initial
overhang was incredible, but it eased off, and I made some friends,
and managed to climb up Be Sharp or See Flat, (5.7) The hard
sandstone gives a plethora of holds, and after recent visits to Seneca
Rocks and New hampshire, I think they would rate this climb at 5.3. I
wanted to try a 5.9 but had to go. I can't wait to get back there
Gary!
I hope you enjoyed my trip report.
Doyle Tarwater
Paulina
> Two Days on New Hampshire Granite
Nice work Doyle! I found Funhouse really burly - couldn't second it even at all
with a pack on. But... 10 pitches of Standard Route on Whitehorse! Wow... I
remember 7 at most. Did you have a very short rope? :-) Actually, no I'm not
surprised, the route is so zigzagging. Glad you had fun on granite!
Cheers
Paulina