Chatfield Hollow Main Wall Rock Climbing

Chatfield Hollow's Main Wall is the crown jewel of all the rope climbing in and around Chatfield State Park. People have been climbing here at the Main Wall since the early 1970's and new routes are still going up here today. The Main Wall at Chatfield has a good diversity routes in a beautiful hardwood forest setting. Chatfield's metamorphic gneiss rock is distinctively different from Central CT's trap rock. It has exquisitely featured grey and gritty overhanging walls, roofs, aretes, cracks, and slabs with a good mixture of grades for all climbers from a beginner climbing 5.3 to an expert climbing 5.13s. You'll be amazed by the holds you have to use on the routes here: finger cracks, jugs, huge slopers, underclings, edges, pockets, and razor blade crimps.What is unique here, unlike many other Connecticut climbing areas, is that all styles of climbing live in harmony here. You can climb traditional gear protected routes, mixed routes, or pure sport climbs. Chatfield is a great place to climb a lot of routes in a day. It is compact and there are a lot of good routes within a close space. Some great moderates include the Trad Crack, Clark Bar Crack, Kyles Corner, and Super Slab. If you are looking to test yourself check out the Anarchist, Zeitgeist, Shape Shifter, Cold Vein, Its Own Spirit or the massive link-up of the Modern Collective. All these routes are different and they all pack a unique style of punch from bouldery to technical. Last but definitely not least, the traditionally protected crack routes here are some of the best in the state. Routes like Forearm Frenzy and Wallow In the Hollow will test your knowledge of gear placement and your climbing talents. These routes are classics and should not be missed if you are able to climb them.If new to the area and you are coming here for the first time bring a rope, some quick draws, and a standard rack with lots of small and medium cams. Be very careful when you are walking on the delicate thin soils of the cliff top to set up your top ropes. Try as much as possible to tread lightly in this fragile environment. Walk on rock as much as possible. You'll see some dead trees and battered vegetation and muddy trails from years of top-roping use/abuse. Walk on established trails or bare rock when you are setting up your anchors. Also please pick up any trash you might see on the way in or at the cliff. Let's keep Chatfield great for the next generation of climbers to come.