Mountain Project: Climbing Rumney

Submitted By: Jay Knower on Oct 2, 2006
Administrator: Jay Knower
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Description

Waimea is the the flagship crag at Rumney and home of some of the hardest routes in the country. The schist looks like a crashing wave. Routes climb up the imposing overhanging features. My friend Lee constantly worried that Waimea would tip over because of its undercut nature. I think a bigger worry is the humbling that tends to happen to the climber on these powerful and technical routes.

Waimea faces south and slightly west. The crag gets sun in the afternoon. Many of the routes, because of their steep angle, stay dry in the rain.

Getting There

The approach is long by sport climbing standards. Park in the lot. DO NOT PARK ALONG THE ROAD. Walk along the road for about a half mile until a well-defined trail heads uphill. Follow this trail up the hill, passing some bouldering and a steep, short cliff (this is Lower Darth Vader). At this point, the trail heads steeply up rock stairs and talus to the base of Waimea. Expect 30 minutes of walking.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Waimea:

Waimea 5.10d Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet

All the Way-A 5.11a Sport, 40 feet

Flying Hawaiian 5.11b Sport, 1 pitch

Luau 5.12a Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Technosurfing 5.12b Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet

Restless Native 5.12b/c Sport, 1 pitch

Whip Tide 5.12b/c Sport, 1 pitch, 75 feet

Aquarius 5.12d Sport, 1 pitch, 70 feet

Big Kahuna 5.13a Sport, 1 pitch

Bottom Feeder 5.13a Sport, 1 pitch, 20 feet

Butt Bongo Fiesta 5.13a Sport, 1 pitch

Suburban 5.13a Sport, 1 pitch, 50 feet

Urban Surfer 5.13d Sport, 1 pitch

Cold War 5.14a Sport

China Beach 5.14b Sport

The Fly 5.14d Sport, 1 pitch, 25 feet

Featured Route For Waimea

Tim on Acquarius <br />Photo by Jay Conway<br />

Aquarius 5.12d NH : Rumney : Waimea

Aquarius is one of the definitive lines of Rumney, as it climbs up a vertical quartz streak. Expect fingery technical moves and weight-on-your feet climbing, a welcome change from the arm burning routes nearby.The initial steep bulge holds the hardest moves on the route (remember to stem) and gives way to a no hands rest on a ledge. From this rest, it is helpful to climb up and left along jugs to clip the high bolt. Next, downclimb back to the le...[more] Browse More Classics in NH

Photos of Waimea

Slideshow

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February climbing at Waimea.	Jay Conway sticks the crux on Flying Fish, Waimea.	Rose and Jay on a cold April 9th....
Jay Knower on the coolest rest I've seen in a whil...	A tough clip at Waimea.	Zeb Engberg on the Jaws project...
Another one of Zeb on Great White this one shows s...	BETA PHOTO: the lines of luau and silver surfer, twin 5.12a's....	Mike starting up Livin Astro.
another shot of Mike on Livin Astro...	One more of Mike on Astro...	Waimea as seen from the Butt-Bongo ledge.
A winter beta/belay session at Waimea. Katye and L...	The ladder at Waimea, a nice way to gain the left ...	I've spent a lot of time at rumney this winter and...
Seth on the ladder start that gives access to so m...	Nate working his way through the viciously sustain...	BETA PHOTO: Waimea left end...
BETA PHOTO: Waimea Center...	BETA PHOTO: Waimea right end...	BETA PHOTO: Waimea full view... Zoom in and scroll left and ri...

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