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Winter Wall

Connecticut > Central Valley > Short Mountain

Description

Winter Wall is comprised of the largest cliffs on Short Mountain's SE flank and is located on the SE tip of the mountain. The walls are slightly off vertical to vertical in nature and are mostly thin technical face climbs. There are some decent trad leads on these walls, mostly moderates, following features that looks like they might dislodge if pulled too hard or fell on your gear... typical of trap rock.

This area like other less frequented Traprock Cliffs has some very dangerous loose rock on common routes. I personal have witnessed a massive block dislodge on a climber while he was attached to it.

Getting There

Park at the Timberlin Park parking area and head past the gate down the road to the dead end. Head past the picknick area on your right and follow the White and Blue trail over bridge and then left down a river for a few hundred feet. At the first intersection follow the blue and white trail back right. Continue along the trail, eventually up a stream, and then SW along the ridge. You will see the cliffs getting bigger and bigger below you on the left. Follow the obvious trail down left along the base of the cliff main.

Routes from Left to Right

5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 1
Cross Section
Trad, TR
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 1
Enclosure
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 7
Crown of Thorns
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 4
On The Lamb
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 1
Parallel Cracks
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 6
Canopy
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 2
Sorcerer's Apprentice
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 4
Numb Toes
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 2
Up the Down Staircase
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
Boston Tea Party
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 1
Redcoat Variation
Trad
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a
 1
No Taxation
Trad, TR
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 4
Relaxation of Tensions
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R
 1
Sense of Direction
Trad
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a PG13
 3
No Sense of Direction
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 17
Out On A Limb
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 5
The Pinch
Trad, TR
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 1
Larks' Tounges
Trad
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
 2
Reach for the Sun
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
 2
Rock and Snow
Trad, TR
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Cross Section
 1
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c Trad, TR
Enclosure
 1
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Crown of Thorns
 7
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
On The Lamb
 4
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Parallel Cracks
 1
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad
Canopy
 6
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Sorcerer's Apprentice
 2
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Numb Toes
 4
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Up the Down Staircase
 2
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Boston Tea Party
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Redcoat Variation
 1
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
No Taxation
 1
5.3 3+ 10 III 9 VD 3a Trad, TR
Relaxation of Tensions
 4
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c Trad
Sense of Direction
 1
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b R Trad
No Sense of Direction
 3
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a PG13 Trad
Out On A Limb
 17
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
The Pinch
 5
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, TR
Larks' Tounges
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Reach for the Sun
 2
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a Trad
Rock and Snow
 2
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 Trad, TR

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Winter Wall Gaia Track. Suggested parking is down at the loop by the trailhead.
[Hide Photo] Winter Wall Gaia Track. Suggested parking is down at the loop by the trailhead.
Winter Wall
[Hide Photo] Winter Wall
LiDAR Scan of Short Mountain
[Hide Photo] LiDAR Scan of Short Mountain

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

wivanoff
Northeast, USA
[Hide Comment] Wasp nest on the cliff about 10 feet off the ground in vicinity of "Overlap Trap" (14 routes right of "Reach for the Sun"). Several people were stung walking on along base of the cliff on 7/3/17

Poison ivy fairly abundant at base.

Posted GPS coordinates for cliff are confirmed

Does anyone know if the gate is locked at sundown in Timberlin Park? Jul 4, 2017
mday Day
Las Vegas, NV
[Hide Comment] Winter Wall has a entry in old guidebooks 78 routes were listed from 5.5 - 5.12 and was always CLOSED TO CLIMBING as far as I knew. Unless something has changed, and I haven't seen anything that has. The property owner closed the cliff due to obnoxious behavior and use by the Southport climbing school. I would be interested in knowing the current status as that was the status in 1995. If it is still illegal to climb there should it be marketed as a viable CT climbing spot ? Jul 25, 2019
[Hide Comment] @mday - We haven't had any indication that climbing there is currently not allowed and I believe there are folks climbing here regularly these days. I wouldn't go kick a hornets nest, but you can obviously do what you want... Aug 6, 2019
Demetri V
Farmington, CT
[Hide Comment] Bring a helmet. My experience of Winter Wall was a 40'-70' cliff with another 30' of steep and/or stepped slope above it. This steep slope is often covered with downed branches, golf ball-to-soft ball sized loose rocks, and lots of slippery leaves that do a good job of hiding the loose rocks... until you kick them off the cliff down at your buddies. A hiker's trail running along the top of this steep slope helps to increase the amount of rocks that make their way down to the cliff base "by accident." Bring a helmet.

TR anchors can be had using +/- 100' of webbing or static rope, but I would suggest bringing an extra rope so that you can secure to a tree further up the slope, and work to build anchors while on a tied-off rappel. TR anchors off of gear may be available, but we didn't build any. Apr 13, 2020
[Hide Comment] Ah... got it! Thanks... I think it's not so much the info being posted on MP as it is a certain 'class' of crags that are being chopped when bolted. Jan 3, 2021
Miss Cat
Hell
[Hide Comment] Crag is closed per land owners Feb 1, 2021