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Elevation: 600 ft
GPS: 41.6873, -72.8345
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Page Views: 9,911 total · 71/month
Shared By: Kurtz on Oct 18, 2012
Admins: Morgan Patterson

Description Suggest change

Nike Base is a small, seldom-visited traprock (basalt) crag just south of Pinnacle Rock on the Metacomet Trail. It has a lovely view of the suburbs and is delightfully free of the broken beer bottles that adorn Pinnacle. Most climbs are 40-50 ft. tall. The ratings are old-school and stiff.

The crag is named for a Cold War era surface-to-air missile radar site that was located here and operational from 1956-61. You can still see remnants of the concrete and fences, especially if you walk a bit south on the Metacomet Trail. Read more at coldwar-ct.com

Access the bottom by scrambling down a brushy gully on climber's right or rappelling down. Bring a long static or webbing to set top rope anchors from trees.

Getting There Suggest change

Follow the driving and parking directions for Pinnacle Rock. As you head up the jeep trail from the road, continue past the large cement blocks another 100 yards to the top of the hill. Turn right onto the blue-blazed Metacomet Trail and walk 0.4 mile (about 20 minutes) to the top of the crag. You are 30 seconds from the crag top when the trail becomes a narrow rock ledge next to an old chainlink fence. When the trail opens up again, look for the distinctive jutting block on your right about 40 feet off the trail.

You can also get there by hiking north on the Metacomet Trail from New Britain Ave., but it's a much longer walk.

10 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Nike Base

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13
 6
Counterforce
Trad, TR
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Counterforce
 6
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b PG13 Trad, TR
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