Mountain Project Logo
To save paper & ink, use the [Hide] controls next to photos and comments so you only print what you need.

Band M (Re-opened)

New Hampshire > WM: Albany Area
Warning Access Issue: 1. Spring 2022 has seen perigrine falcons nesting on P4 of “The Steps”, about 50 ft from the top. While we discuss with the private landowner please refrain from climbing this climb or those nearby. 2.Access starts on Rt 16 by Tangelwood Motel, not Rt 113. DetailsDrop down

Getting There

Access now (Dec. 2017) starts on Rt 16 by Tanglewood Motel. Please DO NOT use the old access from Rt 113. Access is still over private land so respect property rights and keep noise down to a minimum, especially near the parking area. Please DO NOT go "exploring" at the old quarry.

Driving southbound on Rt16 from the Conway area, turn left into an unmarked gravel road 1.1 miles south of where Rt 113 turns off. (2.5 Mi south of Rt112/Kancamangus Highway). This road will look like you are driving into two of the Tanglewood Motel cottages and starts where there is a Tangelwood sign on a granite boulder. (photo) Take the gravel road about 0.1-0.2 Mi. to the end and park. [parking for 5-6 cars]

Cross the stream on a somewhat decrepit bridge and then take an immediate hard left. In a few feet you'll come to the Access Fund & Friends of the Ledges "Welcome Sign". Continue on the old logging road. After 3-4 min keep right and then pass an old car dashboard and boulders from the old quarry. (The old approach trail from Rt 113 comes in here.) Bear right again, and soon the logging rd drops downward to a flat area. To your right through the trees is the far right (north) end of the cliff. Look for a cleared/flagged path up to the base ( see comments, thanks Mike) that branches off to the right before the HUGE boulder. 

 There also used to be a faint trail to the base that start(ed) "behind" the big boulder.

From Mike Morin's comment below: Here's a map of the parking/approach;ll=43.95381090578334%2C-71.1660862&z=16

Note- when I tried the above link it simply positioned me where I was located. Whether the link or my IPad…who knows?! 

If you try and map this, Google Maps sends you down Fall Ln. DON'T access via Fall Ln., it's marked as a private drive and we don't want to piss off the locals. Drive just past Fall Ln. and take the Class 6 road just before Tangle Wood.

Description

Sunny and Buggy- but it gets better up high. I would not climb here in the spring. Good rock overall and some really WILD climbs.
Nightflyer, Sacred Space and of course Heavy Weather Sailing are really out there !!!
This is a complicated cliff and finding routes can be tough, hang in there, they are worth it !

After being closed for several years, a joint effort by the Access Fund and the local Friends of the Ledges has resulted in the access to the cliff being re-opened in Dec 2017.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Band M from 113<br>
photo by Loran smith
[Hide Photo] Band M from 113 photo by Loran smith
Anyone know the route name ?
[Hide Photo] Anyone know the route name ?
"Welcome Poster"
[Hide Photo] "Welcome Poster"
Band-M from the Huge Boulder on the Access Trail
[Hide Photo] Band-M from the Huge Boulder on the Access Trail
Correct Access Road
[Hide Photo] Correct Access Road
overdone 10.a on gear
[Hide Photo] overdone 10.a on gear
“ The hills have eyes “  can you see that face
[Hide Photo] “ The hills have eyes “ can you see that face
Follow
[Hide Photo] Follow
Marked turn off from the old woods road.
[Hide Photo] Marked turn off from the old woods road.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

nhclimber
Newmarket, NH
[Hide Comment] I knew the left side climbs under the butcher block stayed dry, but I was out there this past saturday (torrential downpour) expecting the worst and ended up with the best. All five climbs were dry enough to get on and have fun with. Aug 31, 2009
[Hide Comment] I noticed the cliff from Rt113 last weekend and did not realize it was Band M. Rt16/Rt113 junction is just over two hours drive from Bos with light traffic. How long is the hike in? Looked like there might be parking on the side of Rt113 before intersection with Rt16. Yes? Sep 23, 2010
john strand
southern colo
[Hide Comment] From the road, maybe 20-25 minutes ? Next time up there , go check out the Madison Boulder. Very impressive. Sep 23, 2010
[Hide Comment] Yeah, I have. It is BIG and impressive. I was with the family this trip up so no bouldering. Besides, the pad would not have fit in the back of the Suby with all the luggage and junk we brought up! :) Sep 23, 2010
Jeffrey LeCours
New Hampshire
[Hide Comment] I noticed that Rock 'n' Road has this listed as "B and M Ledge (aka B&M Ledge)". This is presumably named after the B and M Railroad nearby. Everywhere else refers to this crag as Band M. Mar 23, 2011
MattWallace
Center Harbor, NH
[Hide Comment] Interesting it is as if somewhere along the line, the space between the B and AND was lost resulting in Band M. cool catch Jeffrey. Mar 23, 2011
nhclimber
Newmarket, NH
[Hide Comment] Closed! Tragically this great cliff is closed until further notice. Apparently a theft at the gravel yard caused Coleman to close access to the cliff. Good thread on NEClimbs Mar 13, 2012
M Sprague
New England
[Hide Comment] There is a bit more information in the discussion at NEClimbs neclimbs.com/SMF_2/index.ph… Mar 13, 2012
Jeffrey LeCours
New Hampshire
[Hide Comment] Addendum to a previous comment I made:

According to Joe Cote, “There is a common misconception that has been perpetuated in some guidebooks about the name of Band M Ledge. It was not a mistake, as some believe. While it is true that there are AMC maps with "B and M Railroad" in close proximity to the ledge, the USGS 1958 topo for the Ossipee Lake quandrangle clearly identifies Band M Ledge, its sister Whitton Ledge, as well as the Boston and Maine RR”

Taken from the neclimbs area description. Apr 17, 2013
Ben Maxfield
Parsonsfield Maine
[Hide Comment] I went back up to Band M just the other day August 24 , 2013 with my old partner to climb general hospital A3 ... The last time I soloed the route in 2000 I left a couple more fixed pieces and was happy to still see them in place :) the bashie down low and the nut up in the overhang crack , I did notice that someone did nail this very fragile climb harder then needed and blew out some spots with large flakes blown off the climb! This makes aid moves very hard in some spots :( another bolt will have to be added to the upper destroyed flake . Sadly I've noticed a lot of this bad pin work on the nail ups on cathedral as well :( I've returned to Band M to finish my aid climb on the far left side of the cliff past heavy weather sailing . I had started this climb some 13 years ago and will be posting pictures and finishing this A3 nail up this Memorial Day weekend so keep posted :) Aug 25, 2013
E thatcher
Plymouth/ North Conway (NH)
[Hide Comment] Ben, are you aware the cliff is closed by the land owners? Unless something has changed, your threatening the potential reopening by not heeding the current closure. Something to consider... Aug 25, 2013
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] Now open, thanks to the Access Fund and Friends of the Ledges!

accessfund.org/news-and-eve… Dec 6, 2017
Mike Morin
Glen, NH
[Hide Comment] Map showing new access route and parking.
google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=…

If you try and map this, Google Maps sends you down Fall Ln. DON'T access via Fall Ln., it's marked as a private drive and we don't want to piss off the locals. Drive just past Fall Ln. and take the Class 6 road just before Tangle Wood. Dec 7, 2017
Mike Morin
Glen, NH
[Hide Comment] Following up on the directions for "Getting There". I cleared and flagged a path off the old logging road that leads up to the base of the cliff. It leaves the logging road prior to the huge boulder described in the directions on this page. I thought it was pretty obvious when I cleared it, but I'll go back out and mark the turn off more clearly in the next couple of days. If you follow the trail I cleared it will deposit you at the base of Three Wogs. Thanks for getting this page updated. Dec 9, 2017
Mike Morin
Glen, NH
[Hide Comment] I installed a couple of trail signs yesterday in an effort to get everyone going the same way up to the cliff, and avoid multiple trails being established. Apr 27, 2018
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] Mike, that is great. I'm hoping to head out there this weekend so the signs will be a big help! Apr 30, 2018
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] Hiked out there on Saturday and man, is that one complicated looking cliff. Seems to me that there are either a lot of FAs waiting to be done, or the routes listed here are only a fraction of those that have been done. Plus, the boulders at the base look amazing. May 7, 2018