Painted Walls

BETA PHOTO: Zoomed photo of Painted Walls and "Way in the Wild...

Description 

Site of the New England's ice climbing classic "Way in the Wilderness". The cliff is visible from Kancagamus Highway and has characteristic vertical black streaks on it.

Getting There 

From North Conway, take NH 112 Kancagamus Highway for about 7 miles. You will see Painted Walls and the adjacent Rainbow Slabs (to the left of Painted Walls) on the right. Leave a car at the parking lot, drop down and cross the river. Turn left and follow a ski trail for about half a mile before turning right towards the cliff. There's no trail from this point -- bushwack uphill until you reach the cliff. In a winter snow shoes are useful.

References:
"An Ice Climber's Guide to Northern New England", S. Peter Lewis and Rick Wilcox

For updated ice conditions on the cliff check the EMS climbing store in North Conway:(603) 356 5433. They also rent snow shoes.

Websites with info:
http://www.neice.com
http://www.neclimbs.com

Featured Route For Painted Walls

Way in the Wilderness WI5  New Hampshire : Painted Walls

Pitch 1: Go up the steep ice until you reach the ledge in a cave behind vertical ice. Set up a belay there (old pitons and slings). Pitch 2: Leave the ledge and commit to the vertical and detached ice pillar (crux). The ice eventually angles down into a shute between the rocks. Follow the shute all the way up. Rap from slings around a large tree.When ice conditions are poor, do not place screws at the start of pitch 2 until...[more]