The Beta

Guidebooks: Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges, by Jerry Handren (Rockfax Series, 1996); Rock Climbs in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, by Ed Webster (Mountain Imagery, 1996)

Guide Services: Chauvin Guides International: (603) 356-8919; EMS: (800) 310-4504; IMCS: (603) 356-7064; Mahoney Alpine Adventures: (603) 387-3879; Rhino Guides: (603) 726-3030; Synnott Mountain Guides: (603) 986-9607

Equipment Shops: EMS: (603) 356-5433; IME: (603) 356-7013; Ragged Mountain Outfitters: (603) 356-3042

Rack: Cams up to No. 3 Camalot (double up on the No. 2s for the Beast flake)

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More classics near the Recom-Beast

By David Schmidt

Chicken Delight (5.9): The name might not instill fear, but you can bet your guns that you'll be pumped by the time you hit the "Thank God" hold about 2/3 of the way up this diagnoling crack. Yellow Aliens are your friend, as are wired nuts. The rock is spectacular, as it is on the entire swath known as the Barber Wall (named in honor of prolific North Conway first-ascentionist Henry Barber), but if you're not used to crack climbing, this route might pack a little more punch than you're expecting out of a one-pitch outing.

The Book of Solemnity (5.10a): This two pitch climb ascends an obvious, right-facing open book to a spicy traverse. Look for soft iron pro, wired-nut placements, and be sure to bring a #2 Camalot to protect the end of the traverse! Then, get psyched for the glory layback on big holds to the anchors, which are two bolts. Typically, bolts wouldn't be worth mentioning, but this being Cathedral, these are some of the only bolts on the entire wall. The second pitch changes in nature to a face climb, but is also spectacular. A true North Country classic. Just be sure to consider that Joe Cote put this put YEARS before the advent of sticky-rubber shoes. Remember that traverse? Makes you feel differently to think of Cote up there in leather boots on the FFA."

Nutcracker (5.9): If you learned to climb at Rumney, the Gunks, or other East Coast face climbing Mecca's, this one will crack your... But if you're not evolving your crack-climbing skills, you're not going to fare well in Yosemite, so buck up soldier and plug away! Cams are your friend for the crux, which is roughly halfway up this slightly steeper-than-vertical wall. The going starts off easy enough, but this being a Henry Barber "5.9", you know that something wicked this way comes...and cometh it does. The pro is solid, the fall is clean (I've taken it several times), so consider this perfect homework before tackling anything in the Valley.