All Locations > New Hampshire > WM: Kancamagus (Eastern)

Painted Walls Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Painted Walls

	Artful Dodger, The T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Straights of Magellan T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Windjammer T 5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	1,624 ft	495 m
GPS:	44.02352, -71.25276 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	5,816 total · 27/month
Shared By:	Kris Gorny on Dec 12, 2006
Admins:	Jay Knower, M Sprague, Jeffrey LeCours, Jonathan S, Robert Hall Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: Seasonal Raptor Closure has been removed as of 7/2/21. 3 chicks fledged ! Details

The USFS issued a temporary closure due to nesting peregrine falcons. The closure should last from April through July. For more info, see fs.usda.gov/alerts/whitemou…>;>;>;

Description

Site of the New England's ice climbing classic Way in the Wilderness. The cliff is visible from Kancamagus Highway and has characteristic vertical black streaks on it. The only rock route of note is the adventurous Windjammer.

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 -- bushwhack uphill until you reach the cliff. In the winter snow shoes are useful.

2018 Update- Follow directions to Rainbow Slabs. On the approach path (a few min. after leaving the main logging road) the path will make a sharp, nearly 270-degree turn to the left and drop down a few feet to cross a (usually) dry watercourse. (Just beyond this point the climber's path joins a skidder road and opens up.) DO NOT DROP DOWN AND CROSS, but rather go straight where the path turns left and Bushwhack up towards Painted Walls. Take any skidder paths that lead in the correct direction, but avoid going to far right.
This route generally has fewer blowdowns and is less "rugged" than continuing on the Rainbow path to the "2nd" stream crossing just before the path climbs steeply to the base of Rainbow and following THAT steam towards Painted Walls. [That stream goes to a waterfall on Rainbow, but by "hanging a right" you could get to Painted.] R Hall Admin.