Sleeping Giant is a Connecticut state park just north of New Haven, next to Quinnipiac University.
The Giant was THE climbing area in CT until an accident closed the cliff for decades. The Giant is now back in business and offers many different areas for climbing. Do not trust any fixed protection here as it is probably 70 years old! Rock can be loose, and poison ivy is abundant. The chin contains some enjoyable routes put up by the likes of Fritz Wiessner, Jim Adair, John Reppy and Sam Streibert. The cliff faces east and gets great early morning sun. Recommended routes include: Wiessner’s Rib (5.6), Yvette (5.9), Frenchman’s Cap (5.9), Defender (5.11), Bolted (5.9), and Rhadamanthus (5.10). There is even a 600-foot right to left traverse of the cliff, The Warehouse Run (5.7), put up in 1934.
Other crags are found scattered around the Giant. The left knee (just below the tower) has a number of good route to 50' and also features a small free-standing pillar.
Approach the chin via the main trail from the parking lot. A 10 - 15 minute hike gets you to the talus at the base of the cliff. Descend by the blue trail which runs across the top of the crag.
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