Big Chick Hill  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  4,856. Good page?    Administrator:  Ladd Raine Submitted By:  Matt Swartz on Apr 21, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

the ol' climb after I stitched her up

Description 

As per "Rock Climber's Guide to Clifton Crags" by Jon Tierney

A keen eye will catch a glimpse of the rolling domes of Clifton to the Northeast from I-95 as you approach Bangor. The most striking of these is Big Chick Hill or Big Peaked Mountain as the mapmakers call it. This is Clifton's answer to North Conway's Whitehorse Ledge. As one gets closer, its Tuolumne like appeal is sure to get you psyched. A leisurely twenty minute walk through beech and maple forest brings you near the center of the cliff directly below the summit. To the left are a multitude of newly cleaned sport climbs in the 5.7 to 5.11 range. Several elegant slab lines are to the right including Overnite Sensation (5.8), Vacationland (5.9) and Maine Line (5.11).
The majority of Big Chick Hill routes are 5.8-5.10 and range from one to three pitches in length. For the moderate leader, My Time (5.6), is highly recommended. Well to the right and slightly downhill is the Oven Wall, your best choice for staying warm on cool days.
Sitting just west of Big Chick is Little Chick Hill. Although the climbing is negligible, there is a cool cave worth checking out if you are looking for a break from cragging. There is a vertical squeeze entrance and a walk-in horizontal entrance. See if you can find them.

Getting There 

From the Route 180 and 9 intersection, follow Route 9 east 4.3 miles. As you ascend a long hill, find a large gravel roadside pull-off on the left (north) side of the road. Park here and from the eastern end of the gravel, scramble around in the woods until you pick up a trail. After twenty minutes of gentle contouring the trail reaches the cliff near the route Vertical Sketchmaster (5.10b). To the left are several excellent seventy to ninety food sport climbs. To reach the Maine Face, traverse to the right along the cliff base.

The Classics

Featured Route For Big Chick Hill

Son of a Birch 5.9  ME : Clifton Crags : ... : Tower Buttress and Face

This striking crack is found on the right side of the buttress.It begins with a over hanging left leaning crack, that becomes a right trending finger crack once you've hucked the overhang.Takes gear like a champ, and is super fun. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in ME