Mountain Project: Climbing Redrock and vicinity

This smaller area is probably my favorite in the greater Boston area. One challenge is determining who actually owns the land. Nonetheless, it hosts a couple handfuls of longer (for the Boston area) climbs with some lead potential on beautiful, red granite.

This area has more than just the Main Wall for climbing. Further, with subsequent additions to the website, it is evident that some conceptualize that this area could belong under Cape Ann. However, placing it under that subarea could lead to it being inobvious and submission of duplications. We are in the process of reorganizing this section due to confusion on how these crags are organized on this website. As you can see in the aerial photo, there are multiple crags in the vicinity. Note, all the organization can be updated as time goes on. Thanks for your patience.

Per Chris McNeil: Stone Hedge Boulder is a very interesting boulder-like section of the �Main Crag� area. It starts about 15 feet up the large rock debris at the south end of the main face and offers some great 5.10 to 5.11 climbs. Bring extra slings, there were no TR anchors as of the Fall of 2011.

Master's Wall is small crag that may be a perfect option while waiting for you turn on the rope at main crag. It is host to some great bouldery problems. There were no TR anchors as of the Fall of 2011.

Many climbs in this area can be lead. For top-roping, you will need long slings for your anchors.

L->R:

Frosty The Boulder, V1.

Y - Boulder, V1+.

Scotty Bones, 10, 1p, 30', TR.

Stonehenge Boulder - at the South end of the Main Crag.

A. Orange Peel, V3 or 11-, 20'.
B. Little Beaver, 10, 20'.
C. Common Sense, 11+, 20'.
D. East Feet, 10, 20'.

Main Crag

South End
E. Roll the Bones, 7, 1p, 60', bolts.
F. Wings of Steal, 10- R, 1p, 30', gear & bolt.
G. Seappage, 8+ PG-13, 1p, 30', TR or gear.
H. Stonehenge Slab, 8, 1p, 30', TR.
I. Chimney, 6, 1p, 45', TR or gear.
J. Excuse Me, 6, 1p, 40', TR or gear.
K. High Me, 7 R?, 1p, 65', TR or gear.
L. Steps, 5-8, 1p, 50', gear & bolt.
M. Swayback, 9+-11, 1p, 10', TR.

Center Crag

N1. Zits, 7-9+, 1p, 50', TR or bolts.
N2. Morning Glory, 8+-10+, 1p, 50', gear.

Blank section

O. Steps Direct, 12, 1p, TR, 10' var / 50'.
P. No Steps, 12, 1p, 50', TR.
Q or S1. Black Streak, 11+, 1p, 45', TR.
R or Q2. Andromeda, 11, 1p, 40', TR or gear.
S3. Zipper, 5, 1p, 40', gear or TR, nice shot or middle row, 3rd shot
S4. Zipper Variation, 8+ - 9 PG-13, 1p, 45', TR or gear.
T. Velcro, 11+, 1p, 40', gear or TR.
U1. Laughing Gull, 11+, 1p, 40', bolts & gear or TR.
U2. Broken Ankle, 11+, 1p, 40', bolts.
V1. Midnight Train, 11, 1p, 60', TR? bolts?
V2. Ray's Picture, 10+, 1p, 40', gear & bolts.
W. Toe Jams, 5, 1p, 35', gear or TR.
X. Happy Feet, 8+, 1p, 35', bolts.
Y. The Wizard's Hat, 4, 1p, 20', gear or TR.

North End

Z. No Bolt, 7 or 11, 1p, 20', TR.
AA. Rip Van Winkle, 10- - 10+ PG-13, 1p, 35', gear or TR.
BB. Slip Van Winkle, 10+, 1p, 35', bolts.
CC. Slab n' Jab, 3, 1p, 20', gear or TR.

Not too far away are Down Under, Master's Wall, Lost Boulder, Mt Ann, Oz, Pink Floyd Wall, & Plateau Boulder.

Getting There

This area lies north of Boston and is further than an easy bike ride. A car is useful. Go to Gloucester from Boston on US Hwy 1 to Hwy 128, go East on Hwy 128, go briefly Northwest on Hwy 133. Turn left, there are two parking areas. The main parking area is on the north side of the overpass on 133, just before the storage units. The second which is usually the overflow parking lot is the field to the left of the exit. A total of about 30-40 cars could be parked between these two lots, so there is plenty of parking. No parking laws are enforced. Thanks, Chris, for the update!

Per Chris McNeil: to get to Pink Floyd Wall, follow the main trail west from the parking lot along Route 128 until you see it right in front of you. It is approximately 1/4 mile.

Per Chris McNeil: to get to the Stonehenge Boulder, follow the main trail west from the parking lot along Route 128 until you see Pink Floyd Wall, then continue past it following the trail northwest. It is approximately 1/3 mile from parking lot.

Per Chris McNeil: for the Main Crag, follow the main trail west from the parking lot along Route 128 past Pinbk Floyd Wall (turning northwest) and past Stone Hedge. It is approximately 1/3 mile.

Per Chris McNeil: for the Master's Wall, from main crag turn east away from the rock, walk up to the top of the ridge and you are on top of it.

Per mnatti: to get to Oz, go right just after the storage area and follow the pipeline road up hill until you can see the cliffs on the left (perhaps 5 minutes at the most).

Weather

Map

Other Nearby Crags

In the Redrock and vicinity area, there are a number of small crags. To facilitate the user finding these, they have been left in the hierarchy they were submitted which splits them into the general Massachusetts and North Shore / Cape Ann sections. To facilitate a better understanding of their relative locations, we'll list them North to South:

Down Under
nearby Plateau Boulder
Kong Boulder
Oz
Master's Wall
Redrock Main Crag
Pink Floyd Wall
Sunshine Wall

The Classics

Comments on Redrock and vicinity

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By mnatti
Apr 25, 2011

Oz is a fantastic alternative if the main wall is busy or if you just want a change of scenery. It offers great slab climbing and a few moderate trad lines. It has recently been completely reclaimed from the wilderness and needs more traffic to keep it that way.

To get to Oz, go right just after the storage area and follow the pipeline road up hill until you can see the cliffs on the left (perhaps 5 minutes at the most). Enjoy!

By jim.dangle
Dec 12, 2011

I'd also be mightily obliged if someone could put in an accurate topo showing the harder climbs (i.e. all the mysterious 10s and 11s) on the main face. Where does Andromeda start exactly ? Is Ray's Picture really 10-? The traverse up into the crescent feature seems 10ish, but the climbing up above that is REALLY hard slab-- even by New England standards. The Boston Rocks descriptions are pretty difficult to follow.

Has anybody done these climbs in while? I feel like whenever I am there, there is always some dude flailing hopelessly under Laughing Gull-- and ya, sometimes that's me-- but I have yet to see anybody climb it.

Jim

P.S. Chris, aren't those other areas mentioned in Boston Rocks?

By jim.dangle
Jan 17, 2012

Chris, thanks again for all the recent work on this site. Since you seem to be the man in the know it would be awesome if you could put together up an accurate topo of the main face weaving together all the newly added routes.

Also, it seems like there might be some more routes on the North end. There are 3 mentioned in the Boston Rocks. I think there is one on the left side (left of Rip Van Winkle) moving under the arete which looks fun but needs cleaning. I am also not sure if Slip Van Winkle is the climb mentioned in Boston Rocks as-- from memory-- the climb is supposed to start just to the right of the Rip Van Winkle, and I don't think the arete is mentioned (whereas Slip Van Winkle is clearly an arete climb). So, maybe there are 4 climbs there(?). There may even be another easy climb up the arete on the left side.

Anyway, thanks again!

Jim

By Chris McNeil
From: Essex, MA
Jan 19, 2012

Jim, yes I would be glad to do that. I was actaully planning on doing one for each of the crags at Redrocks once we finish with cleaning Down Under, Master's, etc.... Those old topos are awesome. Do you know who drew them up?

Also, I have been meaning to go play around on the north end with the guidebook and try and figure those routes out. It certainly seems like there are at least 4 lines there.

By Nic the brit
May 7, 2012

Having started climbing again after a twenty year layoff. I didn't know what to expect at Redrock, but after being there loads of times and discovering all the places except the south wall (didn't know it existed), there are so many routes I want to do there. It reminds me of gritstone crags back home, a real hidden gem. I'm gonna clean Oz next time I go, cuz I wanna do all the routes there.

By jim.dangle
Apr 30, 2013

Has anyone climbed the crack between High Me and Zits? It's a layback flake that maybe never dries. Looks burly but fun. If it ever dries, surely someone has climbed it.

It's the furthest right crack in the photo here:

www.mountainproject.com/v/107385465

Jim

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Redrock and vicinity

Description

Getting There

Weather

Map

Other Nearby Crags

The Classics