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The Family Wall Rock Climbing
Routes in The Family Wall
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3 Climbs Left of "The Trunk" T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Brown Seam a.k.a. Flake Route T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Bubblecuffer S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Chocolate Moose S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Four Routes to the Right of Slab T,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Moose Du Jour T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Moose's Leap S,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Mr. Moose's Wild Ride T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R |
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School's Out S 5.2 3 8 II 8 D 2c |
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Trunk, The T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a |
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| Elevation: | 1,023 ft | 312 m |
| GPS: |
44.2472, -70.9622 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 17,018 total · 106/month | |
| Shared By: | Jonathan S on Sep 16, 2011 · Updates | |
| Admins: | Ladd Raine, Jonathan S, Robert Hall |
Access Issue: BOTH the trails and the cliffs are on private property. Please "go lightly" and read the details.
Details
The Deer Hill Rd approach is a shorter and more secluded access to the cliffs but has winter closure. The Stone House Rd approach brings you VERY close and obvious to the owners house.
It's surrounded by W.M.N.F but the Shell Pond Crags are located on private property subject to a conservation easement held by Greater Lovell Land Trust. The owners and easement holders of the property have been gracious enough to allow climbing to occur on their land, but access is not guaranteed in the future. If you show up and there are numerous cars in the parking lot consider climbing at other nearby Evan’s Notch locations
It's surrounded by W.M.N.F but the Shell Pond Crags are located on private property subject to a conservation easement held by Greater Lovell Land Trust. The owners and easement holders of the property have been gracious enough to allow climbing to occur on their land, but access is not guaranteed in the future. If you show up and there are numerous cars in the parking lot consider climbing at other nearby Evan’s Notch locations
Access Issue: Peregrine Falcons in Maine
Details
Maine Peregrine Falcons breeding season extends from mid-March through July or August. Hiking or climbing near nesting peregrines can cause abandonment and death of eggs/young. If adults are away from the nest, eggs or young can become overheated, chilled, or chicks can miss feedings. Be on the lookout for agitated falcons that may vocalize, take avoidance flights, or dive-bomb those that are too close. If you encounter an aggressive peregrine falcon please immediately leave the area, and report incidents to Erynn Call, State Raptor Specialist, MDIFW, erynn.call@maine.gov.
To learn more about peregrines in Maine, check out this link: maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife…
To learn more about peregrines in Maine, check out this link: maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife…
Description
The first cliff you come to at Shell Pond when you're following the trail from Deer Hill Road. Climbs are all about a pitch, and range from easy 5.2s to 5.12s. Most are fairly well protected but some are extremely run out. There's a wonderful open bluff at the top of the cliff with a great view of the pond.
The Family Wall is an 80' steep slab with routes 5.5-5.11 trad and sport. A 60 meter rope will work for top-roping off the cliff's top trees. Descent is a trail on climbers left. Due to low visitor use, some routes could use a wire brush.
Getting There
There are two ways to approach off NH Rt 113, either by Deer Hill Rd (shortest walk but seasonally gated) or by Stone House Rd. They both have road name signs.
Deer Hill Rd approach to Family Wall:
Drive 30 minutes north from N Conway/Fryeburg toward Evans Notch on Rt 113 to Deer Hill Rd on the right (Summit Achievement sign at road head). Drive 3.8 miles on Deer Hill Rd to a small pull off on the left. Walk 50 yds to start of Shell Pond Trail. Follow Shell Pond trail for 10 (+/-) minutes until you come to Family Wall's faint climber's path on your right (there may be a cairn).
From the cairn, walk along the nearly flat path a few minutes until the path passes a huge boulder. Here, the trail steepens and swings around to the left and climbs steeply back to the right and the base of the cliff at the climb "The Trunk". (About 8-10 min from the main trail.)
NOTE: At the huge boulder you may see orange flagging tape leading off right. This leads to a somewhat ugly scramble on pine-needle-encrusted slab, that gets you to the base of the cliff near its middle. Not recommended, but do-able. It saves no time.
Stone House Rd approach to Family Wall:
Continue north on Rt 113 1.1 miles past Bald Face parking lot to Stone House Rd on right (0.9 miles south of Basin Pond road on left). Follow Stone House Rd a short distance and take a right at T intersection. Continue on main road until you reach a gate closure and parking lot at 1.1 miles. Walk past gate toward Stone House. Don't take first Shell Pond Trail on right but continue on road past White Cairn Trail and Stone House Trail on your left to a LARGE field/landing strip on the right side of road near the Stone House. Walk the road in the middle of the field (avoiding the Stone House and being low key) for a beautiful half mile (Main Wall will come into sight high on left ridge) until you cross an ATV bridge on Shell Pond Trail.Go right after crossing bridge on Shell Pond trail another 25 minutes (left at fork) and look for faint climbers trail on your left. 10 minutes uphill and you're at the Family Wall.
Deer Hill Rd approach to Family Wall:
Drive 30 minutes north from N Conway/Fryeburg toward Evans Notch on Rt 113 to Deer Hill Rd on the right (Summit Achievement sign at road head). Drive 3.8 miles on Deer Hill Rd to a small pull off on the left. Walk 50 yds to start of Shell Pond Trail. Follow Shell Pond trail for 10 (+/-) minutes until you come to Family Wall's faint climber's path on your right (there may be a cairn).
From the cairn, walk along the nearly flat path a few minutes until the path passes a huge boulder. Here, the trail steepens and swings around to the left and climbs steeply back to the right and the base of the cliff at the climb "The Trunk". (About 8-10 min from the main trail.)
NOTE: At the huge boulder you may see orange flagging tape leading off right. This leads to a somewhat ugly scramble on pine-needle-encrusted slab, that gets you to the base of the cliff near its middle. Not recommended, but do-able. It saves no time.
Stone House Rd approach to Family Wall:
Continue north on Rt 113 1.1 miles past Bald Face parking lot to Stone House Rd on right (0.9 miles south of Basin Pond road on left). Follow Stone House Rd a short distance and take a right at T intersection. Continue on main road until you reach a gate closure and parking lot at 1.1 miles. Walk past gate toward Stone House. Don't take first Shell Pond Trail on right but continue on road past White Cairn Trail and Stone House Trail on your left to a LARGE field/landing strip on the right side of road near the Stone House. Walk the road in the middle of the field (avoiding the Stone House and being low key) for a beautiful half mile (Main Wall will come into sight high on left ridge) until you cross an ATV bridge on Shell Pond Trail.Go right after crossing bridge on Shell Pond trail another 25 minutes (left at fork) and look for faint climbers trail on your left. 10 minutes uphill and you're at the Family Wall.
Classic Climbing Routes at The Family Wall
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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Photos
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