Climbing
Vertigo (5.9 R A0) Cannon Cliff, New Hampshire

Franconia Notch State Park's Cannon Cliff: 1,000 feet tall, a mile-plus long, and ready to (c)rumble.
Photo by Tim Kemple

The Beta
Guidebooks: Secrets of the Notch, by Jon Sykes (currently out of print, but with an updated version in the works; check thenotches.com for info)

Guide Services: Mooney Mountain Guides: (603) 744-5853, mooney mountain guides.com; Rhino Guides: (603) 726-3030, rhinoguides.com; Synnott Mountain Guides: (603) 383-6976, New Hampshire Climbing.com

Equipment Shop: International Mountain Equipment: (603) 356-7013, ime-usa.com

Rack: Single set nuts, cams to 3.5 inches, extra tcus optional;8 draws, long slings, two ropes 


Enlarge

Five More Classics Near Vertigo (5.9 R AO)
Cannon Cliff; Franconia Notch, New Hampshire 

Whitney-Gilman Ridge (II 5.7)
Next to Vertigo, some Cannon Cliff locals consider the Whitney-Gilman Ridge climb the classic for Franconia Notch — if not all of the White Mountains. Great, safe protection. Classic arête climbing. Five pitches, 500 feet. First ascent: when this climb was first ascended — in 1929, by Hassler Whitney and Bradley Gilman — it was considered one of the hardest climb in America and it was done without pitons. 

Union Jack (III 5.9)
This route is immediately to the left of Vertigo and stretches six to eight pitches up Bombay chimneys, traverses, and finger cracks. Most bail after P3 — a 5.8 flake reaching 120 feet that ends at a ledge underneath a large overhang. 

Moby Grape (III 5.8)
One of the most popular routes in all of New Hampshire. Begins about 40 feet from Reppy's Crack or you can start on Reppy's (see below). Six long pitches with classic exposure. First ascent was done in 1972 by Roger Martin and Jim Cote. 

Reppy's Crack (5.8)
Splitter. This can also be done as the first pitch of Moby Grape on the Conn Buttress. Reppy's Crack climbs a vertical jam crack. This climb reaches 120 feet and the first ascent was done in 1965 by Phil Nelson and Alan Wedgewood. Takes up to 3.5-inch pro. You'll need two ropes for rappels. Of course, bring a helmet any time you're climbing at Cannon Cliff.

Duet (5.7) and Duet Direct (5.10)
Both of them are two pitches and they share the same first pitch. The second pitch of Duet is a long 5.7 wide crack. Not really an offwidth per se because there are enough face holds to avoid the big time grovel. The direct is a sustained 5.10 finger crack in the back of a splitter dihedral. Definitely one of the best 5.10 cracks in New Hampshire and by most accounts one of the single best pitches on Cannon. At the top you can rap from a beefy two bolt ring anchor in one long 60m stretcher to the ground.



- advertisement -    
 

 
subscribe today
Sign up for our free Newsletter
 





Visit other sports sites by Skram Media: