Elevation: 694 ft
GPS: 44.055, -71.16605
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 144,391 total · 733/month
Shared By: Lee Hansche on Jan 17, 2007 · Updates
Admins: Jay Knower, M Sprague, Lee Hansche, Jeffrey LeCours, Jonathan S, Robert Hall

Description

The best pure friction climbing in the Northeast. Often run out and bold, but always fun and exciting. Routes like Sliding Board and Standard Route see the crowds, but I've never climbed a bad route in this area.

The slabs are located on the north end of the cliff, very sunny for the first half of the day. You'll bake in the sun on a hot summer day. but be on the  look out for rain clouds when you are run out 100ft on a seemingly innocent bit of friction, it can get slick.

Some of the most popular routes start from the "launch pad," a platform of rock about a 100ft off the ground located in the middle of the slab. It is an easy walk up to the launch pad, so most folks don't rope up until this point.

There are many other starts along the base of the cliff, but most routes start with a poorly or unprotected climb up moderate friction to the first anchor. The starts will be described in the routes description.

Getting There

From the hotel parking lot trail entrance, walk less than a minute to the HUGE slab in front of you.... Just to your right is the Beginner Route (5.5). Slightly up and left is the launch pad. Further left you will find the other slab climbs like Sea of Holds (5.7) and many more....

The usual descent if you top out is to hike down. To hike down you have to find the yellow blazed hiking trail. Look for an unmarked path breaking left into the woods about 100 ft climbers-right from the top of the climb, at the northern part of the top, flat part of the slab. Follow this path, it makes a couple of moves up grungy rock, to the yellow blazed hiking trail. Follow this north ( towards Cathedral) for about 1/2 mile to junction with the trail up. Cathedral. Turn right, downhill and in another 1/2 mile or so you’ll intercept an old logging road at an overgrown field. Turn right and follow this back to the base of the slabs.

38 Total Climbs

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Location: 7. The Slabs Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at The Slabs

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a
 41
Beginners Easy Variation
Trad 8 pitches
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a R
 88
Beginners Route
Trad 10 pitches
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a R
 321
Standard Route
Trad 9 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 24
Wedge
Trad 5 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 152
The Cormier-Magness Route
Trad 8 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
 14
Kettle Call
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 184
Sliding Board
Trad 9 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 50
Slabs Direct
Trad 4 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 81
Sea of Holes
Trad 4 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 19
Creepy Cowboy
Trad 2 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 47
Wave Length
Trad 3 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 17
Waiting for Comeau
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b A0 PG13
 6
Girdle Traverse of Whitehorse Ledge
Trad, Aid 18 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R
 14
Interloper
Trad 7 pitches
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 5
The White Zone
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Beginners Easy Variation
 41
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a Trad 8 pitches
Beginners Route
 88
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a R Trad 10 pitches
Standard Route
 321
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a R Trad 9 pitches
Wedge
 24
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad 5 pitches
The Cormier-Magness Route
 152
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad 8 pitches
Kettle Call
 14
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 Trad
Sliding Board
 184
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad 9 pitches
Slabs Direct
 50
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad 4 pitches
Sea of Holes
 81
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 4 pitches
Creepy Cowboy
 19
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 2 pitches
Wave Length
 47
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad 3 pitches
Waiting for Comeau
 17
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Girdle Traverse of Whitehor…
 6
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b A0 PG13 Trad, Aid 18 pitches
Interloper
 14
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R Trad 7 pitches
The White Zone
 5
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad
More Classic Climbs in The Slabs »

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