During the mid-winter season, ice forms along an old quarry wall just off of Highway 8 on the southern side of Thomaston, CT. Much like an ice park (a la Ouray), Thomaston can be a busy crag, but the ability to easily string ropes (via leading or setting up top ropes) on a wide variety of lines can help disperse the use. The crag gets sun most of the day, leading to plastic ice conditions (but it can also get drippy).
The routes are in the WI2-WI4+ range and are about 50' tall. Mixed climbs can also be done, but the quarried walls are pretty solid but don't feature many incut holds. Drytooling can be desperate.
Setting up top ropes can easily be accomplished by walking around the left side of the crag to access the large, live trees atop the cliff. Some trees have rappel anchors on them, but walking off is easy enough if the anchors have been removed.
Getting There
Get to Thomaston, which lies on Highway 8 just north of I-84.
Southbound on Highway 8: Take the Watertown Rd (southbound). Turn left onto Waterbury Rd at the first intersection. Continue on Waterbury Rd, under Highway 8, then go over the first bridge and take an immediate left onto Jackson Street. Park about 200m down the road at a small pullout on the right.
Northbound on Highway 8: Take Waterbury Rd to a right turn onto Waterbury Rd/Highway 254. Go over the first bridge and take an immediate left onto Jackson Street. Park about 200m down the road at a small pullout on the right.
The first climbs encountered along the road cut should not be climbed due to the potential for ice falling on the road and high visibility to law enforcement. Continue down a little bit more to the climbs that are tucked back from the road. The approach is less than 200' and takes about two minutes.
Printer Friendly View
RSS Feed
