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Northwest Branch Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Northwest Branch

[CLOSED] Kemp Mill Overhang 0 / 0 / 0 / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6

Curtain Call Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Long Wall 0 / 0 / 0 / 32 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 32

North Bank - Anklebiter Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 8 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8

North Bank - Chaos Roof Area AKA Snowflake Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 43 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 43

North Bank - Crack Line Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 8 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8

North Bank - Hobo Cave Area 0 / 0 / 0 / 9 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9

North Bank - Mini Mantle Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

North Bank - Pebble Wrestler Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

North Bank - Pyramid Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

North Bank - Suspended Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

North Bank - Tree Hugger Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

North Bank - Tulip Area 0 / 0 / 0 / 23 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 23

North Bank - Uphill Slab 0 / 0 / 0 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 10

Riverbend Trio 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Skull Crack Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 9 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9

South Bank - Dirty Ernie 0 / 0 / 0 / 17 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 17

South Bank - Foam Pit 0 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

South Bank - Pipeline Area 0 / 0 / 0 / 45 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 45

South Bank - Psicobranch 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

South Bank - Roof Area 0 / 0 / 0 / 19 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 19

South Bank - The Cracks 2 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

South Bank - Tick Area 0 / 0 / 0 / 14 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

South Bank - Tortoise Boulder 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3

South Bank Falls 2 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

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Elevation:	220 ft	67 m
GPS:	39.0303, -77.0041 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	297,531 total · 1,780/month
Shared By:	Kristan Markey on Nov 16, 2012 · Updates
Admins:	Frances Fierst, C S Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

Collection of 200 boulder problems in a wooded area of the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River just minutes north of DC. Watch for families hiking through on the weekends.

This area is a limited resource and has seen an increase in traffic. As a result, some of holds are becoming polished. Please clean sand off the bottom of climbing shoes and brush off excess chalk.

Topos available at:

http://mdguides.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/nwb-guide-draft.pdf

A new digital guidebook written by Dana Miller details 122 boulder problems with hi-res photos, maps, and GPS.

Getting There

Drive to exit 30 on the Capital Beltway (495). Head north on Colesville Rd/Columbia Pike (Route 29).
Drive 1.4 miles on Route 29. Parking lot for the Northwest Branch will be on the right. If you get to the Citgo/Trader Joe's/California Tortilia (Lockwood Plaza)x, you've gone too far.
Follow the trail at the parking lot

274 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Northwest Branch

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

V0 4 57 ● Don't Fall Right Boulder N Bank - Chaos… > Upstream Slab
V2 5+ PG13 7 ● Do It Or... Better Do It Boulder S Bank - Roof Area
V3 6A 11 ● Kemp Mutant Boulder [CLOSED] Kemp Mill Ov…
V4 6B 47 ● Snowflake Traverse Boulder N Bank - Chaos… > Downstream Slab AKA S…
V5 6C 69 ● the TRAVERSE Boulder S Bank - Tick Area
V5 6C 51 ● Nice Slot Boulder S Bank - Pipeli… > Nice Slot
V5 6C 22 ● Anklebiter Far Left Boulder N Bank - Anklebiter B…
V5 6C 7 ● What's Golden Sit Boulder Long Wall
V6 7A PG13 4 ● What's a God to a Non-Believer? Boulder S Bank - Pipeli… > Heavens
V6 7A 10 ● Friends Along the Way Boulder [CLOSED] Kemp Mill Ov…
V6+ 7A 8 ● The Business Boulder S Bank - Roof Area
V6+ 7A 23 ● Crimptastic Sit Start Boulder S Bank - Roof Area
V6-7 7A+ 27 ● Ole Muddy Jugs Boulder S Bank - Pipeli… > Muddy Jugs
V8 7B 19 ● Curtain Call Boulder Curtain Call Boulder
V10- 7C+ 16 ● Ultimate Doom Boulder N Bank - Chaos… > Chaos Roof