All Locations > Maryland

Annapolis Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Annapolis Rock

Argo Rock 5 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5

Faint's Roof 10 / 0 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 12

Fin Rock 8 / 0 / 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9

Historical Orphans 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 2

Nixon's Other Nose 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

PeeWee Tower 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Scattered Diary 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

South End, The 13 / 0 / 13 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

Sunset Wall 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

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:	1,800 ft	549 m
GPS:	39.5583, -77.59862 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	136,601 total · 705/month
Shared By:	vfv on Apr 17, 2010 · Updates
Admins:	Frances Fierst, C S Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Description

Annapolis Rock, a ca. 50 minute, 2 mile hike up the Appalachian Trail in the backcountry of the South Mountain Recreation Area (South Mountain State Park), is a terrific, short band of western facing cliffs 1800 feet above the Cumberland Valley and Greenbrier Lake near Frederick, MD. The rock is bullet-hard quartzite characterized by smooth bulges and long, horizontal fractures. It's a great Maryland area for TRing and Trad.

The single pitch climbs are often top roped. Long (50+ ft) webbing or static line will serve to anchor to the many boulders and trees atop the cliff. A few large to medium pieces of pro may be helpful for anchoring as well.

There is a backcountry camping area, a privy, and a spring (you might want to treat the water before drinking, or maybe not) on site. The camping area seems to be heavily used.

Getting There

From Baltimore take I-70 West to Exit 42, Myersville (bear right off the ramp). Follow Route 17 through town; it takes a right. At the intersection of Route 40, go left onto Route 40. After about 3 miles you will see parking by the road and a sign for the Appalachian Trail. Park here. Put on your pack and hike the AT north (following signs and white blazes) for about 2 miles. You will see a sign for Annapolis Rock at a short side trail off to the left. You've arrived.

48 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location:	Annapolis Rock Change
Type:	to Trad Sport Toprope
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:	then:

Classic Climbing Routes at Annapolis Rock

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c 24 ● Pound of Obscure Trad, TR Faint's Roof
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 9 ● Great Adventure Trad PeeWee Tower
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 28 ● Black Hole Sun Trad, TR S End
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 37 ● Wall of Wander Trad, TR Argo Rock
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 50 ● White Arete Trad, TR S End
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 14 ● Face the Roof Trad, TR Faint's Roof
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a PG13 26 ● Ounce of Perception Trad, TR Faint's Roof
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 81 ● Black Crack (Pine Tree Crack) Trad, TR S End
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 29 ● Joe Faint's Overhang (aka Faint'… Trad Faint's Roof
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 12 ● The BattleField Trad, TR Argo Rock
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13 9 ● The Dragon Trad Sunset Wall
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b R 6 ● Cynosure (aka Pine Tree Face) Trad, TR S End
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b R 7 ● Blood and Pus Trad, TR Faint's Roof
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 10 ● Argonaut Trad Argo Rock
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c 6 ● Cynosure Direct Trad, TR S End