Climbing Near Amesbury, Massachusetts

Perhaps this is the Northernmost bouldering in Massachusetts? A single, large, granite block offers a multitude of problems and eliminates in the V0-V3 range up to 20 feet in height. New problems have been added recently which could use some repeats to find grade consensus - harder climbs are trying to be painstakingly established. This is trying to be turned into a very fun hangout boulder. Some highballs are possible as well if you don't mind the choss or go during the right conditions. The boulder is located on the southern edge of Newburyport just off Route I-95. Take I-95 to Exit 83 (old exit 56). From the south, take a right off the off-ramp onto Scotland Road. From the North, take a left off the off-ramp onto Scotland Road. Take Scotland Road just a few hundred yards to a small dirt parking lot on the right (just across the street from the State Police). There is a sign for the Downfall Wildlife Management Area. Follow the trail from the sign 200 yards into the woods to the boulder. You can't miss it!

This is a large, four sided, glacial erratic on Center Street in Groveland, Massachusetts (in the far northeast corner of MA, close to Cape Ann). This is NOT a destination. However, it is a great place to go if you want to do some eliminate training. If you are looking at the boulder from across the street, you can see the front side which is about 20 feet tall. This side of the boulder has two great highballs on it. Looking at the boulder from the street, the steep right side is the best Stickney's has to offer. This steep wall has holds all over it (almost all of them are chalked up) and the possibility for hard eliminates is infinite. This is an awesome part of the boulder to train on. The backside of the boulder does not have anything to offer, but the left side has two of the only pure boulder problems (not eliminates) here. Although most of the harder boulder problems at Stickney's are eliminates, there are a few that not. Center Street can be accessed from many different points in Groveland. From Route 113 in Groveland, get on Seven Star Road. When Seven Star Road is crossed by Center Street at a four way intersection take a right. Now follow Center Street for about two minutes through another four way intersection and the boulder will be off the side of the road on the left.

The Little River Conservation Area is a 400 acre forest comprised of public and private lands (with conservation easements) along the Little River near downtown Exeter. A lightly trafficked trail system wanders through much of the forest. There are a few large erratics to be found scattered throughout the woods here but they are few and far between. This is a very buggy area and the best time to visit is between late fall and early spring. Hunting is allowed here so take caution during hunting season. While the LRCA has several access points, the fastest approach to the majority of the boulders is from the two-car parking lot at the end of Garrison Lane. Take Highway 101 to exit 9 (Route 27). Follow Route 27 (south towards town) 1.1 miles to a right turn onto Route 111A (Brentwood Road). Follow 111A 0.7 miles to a right turn onto Garrison Lane. Follow Garrison Lane a short distance crossing the Little River on an old wooden bridge to the road’s end. Here you’ll find a small dirt parking lot on the right and a trail sign with a map. From here you can get to the River Boulders, Pete’s Boulder and the Continental Boulders. If the lot is full, you can always drive back to Route 27 and head over to Continental Drive. Drive to the very end (past Cobham and North Atlantic Power) and park. Take the left hand trail to get to Garrison Lane or take the right hand trail to connect up with Pete’s Path and the Little River Trail.