Best ice guide(s) for the New England area?

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.
What are the best guide books for the area?
I would love to swap showing someone around my back yard in exchange for the same out there.
Dallen

North Conway NH is the Mecca with a reasonable drive to Lake Willoughby VT for the longest and steepest stuff.

This would be the crag.

youtu.be/hJKnbfeubFw

This is the guidebook if you want one. They have them in stock at International Mountain Equipment in North Conway.

amazon.com/Climbers-Guide-N…

Lake W for the steep climbs. The Black Dike in Franconia would be an iconic New England climb to tick as well.

When are you coming?

Thanks for the information. I will be out there the last week of February. I enjoy guide books so I will pick one up.
Dallen

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.
My standard pack for Utah and CO are roughly as follows:
35 L Pack
Tools
Tether (sometimes)
Crampons
Harness (has locker,belay devise, 6mm prussik cord)
Helmet
4 pair of gloves 3 lighter weight climbing 1 heavier water proof warm
2 glove liners
Extra Beanie/Buff
Belay Jacket (down or synthetic based on conditions and cold)
First aid kit
Headlamp
Knife
1 L water bottle and bottle parka
Food in small stuff sack
Rope (1/2 rope or 9.4ish single based on objective 60m or 70m length)
8-12 Ice Screws based on what I am climbing(10cm -16cm with 1 22cm for V threads)
V-thread tool (fits inside my 22cm screw)
Small Rack of Rock Gear if I know I can get rock pro(7-10 nuts, small TCUs 0-3, BD cams .5-3,4 Small Tricams pink through blue, 3 hexes-sometimes- I can pound on these and an assortment of pins based on where I am climbing)
6 draws
4 screamers
4 60cm runners with biners
2 120cm Runners with biner
1-2 cordelettes with a locker each
4 free biners
2 small lockers
2 larger light lockers
1 nylon 120cm sling with locker
Rap kit (2 quick links or rap rings and 20' piece of tat for raps) sometimes
Hiking poles

So what do you guys carry/use in your area? Just trying to sort out my kit before I get out there.

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.

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.
Good luck, You can PM me if youd like specific beta on the area.

-Kevin S

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.

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.