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8. The Hone Wall "Proper" (base at path level)

New Hampshire > WM: Franconia N… > Echo Crag

Description

The Hone Wall has been called Echo's sport climbing area but as far as I can tell had seen much less climbing than it was deserving of. This was a result of some serious run out climbing and often small sketchy gear. There has recently been some retro-bolting going on here opening up some great climbing for a wider audience. Even with the addition of bolts some people will want a few pieces of small gear to protect the run out at the top of many of these routes especially as seepage can add a serious pucker factor to otherwise easy ground. The crag is several hundred feet long and maybe 90 feet tall at its max, much of the left side is vertical and the right side a bit slabby with an overlap guarding its top. You can lower sport style from the routes I've been on then rap from some pretty sweet homemade anchors, no joke they really are sweet, to clean the routes.

Getting There

Hike past the Grunge Wall about five minutes, you will come to a clearing with a line of three bolts and an anchor this is the first route you will see on The Hone wall. The main wall is a couple of hundred feet farther and much larger.

Routes from Left to Right

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 1
Spring Line
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 2
Center Line
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 1
Finding Jim
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 0
Blueberry Knoll
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 0
Bits And Pieces
Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R
 0
Spunky Pig
Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 12
NCO Take Off
Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 35
No Pigs
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R
 2
Hexmate
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 56
Broken Dreams
Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 32
Race Day
Sport
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 20
Rain Dance
Sport
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 15
Just Roof'n Around
Sport
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
 1
V-Chimney
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 0
God I Love This
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 0
Hurry Up, Im Hungry
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 2
Slingin' The Pitch
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 4
Pig's Knuckles
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 1
Unkown
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 0
The Big Tweak
Trad
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 4
Ants In Your Lycra
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 2
Forty Ways to Stay Young
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Spring Line
 1
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Center Line
 2
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Finding Jim
 1
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Blueberry Knoll
 0
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad
Bits And Pieces
 0
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Spunky Pig
 0
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a R Trad
NCO Take Off
 12
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
No Pigs
 35
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Hexmate
 2
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b R Trad
Broken Dreams
 56
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Race Day
 32
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
Rain Dance
 20
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Sport
Just Roof'n Around
 15
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Sport
V-Chimney
 1
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R Trad
God I Love This
 0
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad
Hurry Up, Im Hungry
 0
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Slingin' The Pitch
 2
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Pig's Knuckles
 4
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Unkown
 1
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
The Big Tweak
 0
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Ants In Your Lycra
 4
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Forty Ways to Stay Young
 2
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Jon Sykes makes the FA of Forty Ways to Stay Young, and later on the same day, did the FFA at 5.10c, 100'. Photo by: Jamie Cunningham.
[Hide Photo] Jon Sykes makes the FA of Forty Ways to Stay Young, and later on the same day, did the FFA at 5.10c, 100'. Photo by: Jamie Cunningham.
Jon Sykes leading No Pigs 5.8, 90'. Photo by: Jamie Cunningham.
[Hide Photo] Jon Sykes leading No Pigs 5.8, 90'. Photo by: Jamie Cunningham.
"Ants in Your Lycra" at the right end of the Hone wall. From the midpoint anchor it is possible to continue on Ants (10a) or pull the roof more directly for Forty Ways to Stay Young (10c)
[Hide Photo] "Ants in Your Lycra" at the right end of the Hone wall. From the midpoint anchor it is possible to continue on Ants (10a) or pull the roof more directly for Forty Ways to Stay Young (10c)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Nick W
Orford, NH
[Hide Comment] Great pitch - one move wonder at a bolt. Sep 7, 2016
Russ Keane
Salt Lake
[Hide Comment] This wall is great. The climbing reminds me of Connecticut traprock. Jul 30, 2017
Ryan DeLena
Sudbury MA / Lyndon VT
[Hide Comment] Anyone know the route between Pig's Knuckles and The Big Tweak that goes up the corner? It's not in the book and I can't find much info on it. It looks new. Jul 13, 2022