Best ice guide(s) for the New England area?
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I'm flying out to visit friends in Portland Maine and am planning on ice climbing for a few days. I want to know where some good areas to head are? Any help pointing me in the right direction would be great. I lead pretty hard ice and finding cool areas with awesome scenery, multi pitch ice and mixed would be great. Cragging area with high concentrations of good climbs would be nice too. |
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North Conway NH is the Mecca with a reasonable drive to Lake Willoughby VT for the longest and steepest stuff. |
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This would be the crag. |
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Thanks for the information. I will be out there the last week of February. I enjoy guide books so I will pick one up. |
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What is in Your pack for a day of Ice Climbing in New Hampshire? I know that this is going to be a very personalized list, I am just trying to get a feel for what I need to bring out there to climb. Clothes, Rack, Ropes and the such. |
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Dude you look so incredibly organized and capable. If you go cragging at Frankenstein you don't need all that. But if you go "alpine" I guess that's the kit. We have nothing out here like the Rockies though. |
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Sunny. That looks like a very appropriate set up for New england Ice climbing. I would say pack plenty of 13cm screws. We tend to climb a lot of routes in somewhat thinner conditions than youre used to out west(generally speaking) as the thin stuff tends to be well bonded. As was said before IME in north conway has a supply of area guidebook. And frankenstein will probably get you to type of climbing youre looking for. |
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Lake Willoughby is what you want. Longest, most intimidating ice in the NE. Be prepared for stiff grades and (probably) brutal cold. Definitely bring the synthetic belay jacket. A pair of heavy belay mittens would be a wise choice as well. |
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I would say Frankenstein or Mt. Willard will offer what you are looking for with a reasonable drive from Portland. Lake Willoughby has longer more sustained steep ice routes, also would be a much longer drive from Portland. Plenty of classic WI4-5+ with some great mixed pitches at Frankenstein. Don't waste $ buying the guidebook off amazon, it is sold for $25-30 at IME in North Conway. I would be psyched to show you around if I'm free those days. Let me know when you'll be around. |