Looking for good bouldering in Maine.

Recently moved to Deer Isle, Maine a month and a half ago from Joshua Tree, Ca. Figured with all the granite around here there would be some sweet, decent sized boulders somewhere. Starting to go crazy a little from lack of it. Anyone know of anything close by to here? I've done some bouldering in Acadia but looking for something maybe closer seeing how I work most days until 5. If anyone could help, I would greatly appreciate it.

Good luck with this. The freestanding boulders were mostly ground into gravel that far down east. You might be best getting a sea kayak or boat and looking around. Camden might have something and who knows further inland?

I don't know of any bouldering down this way apart from acadia... but I am sure there must be some things worth climbing along the shore line. Just a matter of finding them. Clifton also has good bouldering, but is a little bit of a drive from you. From deer isle, you'll find most things to be a long drive.

Edit: Also, if you do find any bouldering down this way, or want to venture to clifton or acadia to boulder a day, shoot me a pm. I'm in castine, about 45 minutes from deer isle.

Like they said, Camden, Clifton, and Acadia are the places to go around central Maine, but I dont know how much bouldering is in Camden. I have found that there are lots of random boulders everywhere in Maine so even if it's not enough to bother going to it could get you a quick mid-week fix. Let me know if you find something good or if you want someone to climb with.

it's not close or easy to get to but Katahdin has tons of boulders

The article doesn't mention where the bouldering is, but I think it is Clifton (right outside of brewer and bangor.

bangormetro.com/media/Bango…

Very interesting angle on the East Coast "brain drain" phenom. Can't count how many former East Coasters, myself included, had to leave Maine owing to the weak economy, and lack of climbing, of course:)

I was just browsing Google Earth, and there's a panoramio pic at the S end of Craig (Creg?) Lake near East Orland that looks enticing. The slope above it looks worth exploring, too. Another pic just W of Stonington - "rocks at sand beach". Hard to gauge scale... On Stinson Neck, there's a pic at the S end, "house before hog island", showing the preferred method of scoping coastal gems. Finally, blueberry fields are nice, since you can see the boulders. Don't know about access, though...

Peter Beal wrote:Very interesting angle on the East Coast "brain drain" phenom. Can't count how many former East Coasters, myself included, had to leave Maine owing to the weak economy, and lack of climbing, of course:)

As has been said, there is not a whole lot up your way in terms of ESTABLISHED boulders.

It is my personal opinion, having lived here for a little over a year, that there is excellent bouldering potential all over Maine (hell, there are some great potential problems on the side of the 95). The state has a small population, thick woods, and a short climbing season. All this makes bouldering slow to develop.

I would encourage you to go find some public land, investigate the access issues, and cultivate some boulders. That way I could climb on them within busting my but to find and clean them, hehe. Seriously, though.

My friends and I spent our high school years and years after developing boulders around central maine. Theres good Stuff in the Belgrade Lakes area and along route 27 between farmington and Sugarloaf ski resort. check out newenglandbouldering.com Daggett Rock is the sh*t but kinda far for you. near blue hill, across from Sedgwick Elementary school theres a few really nice boulders that have seen little activity. Search around after the leaves are gone and before the snow flies, when it's easiest to see through the forest.

mahoosuc notch. dont bother bringing a crash pad, it will do you no good if you fall.

Royce, it's not completely 'natural' bouldering, but there are some fantastic [albeit a bit sharp!] problems in the old granite quarries right near Stonington, I spent last summer leading sailing trips around the Deer Isle area and did a bunch of fun bouldering there... try the one right up on the hill by old quarry campground, behind the fishing trawler docks... also, Clifton [up my Bangor] has some good bouldering potential in addition to great trad & sport climbing. Oh and some of the little islands have "hidden" boulders too.
Best,
Phil

With the Sedgwick Elementary tip, I peeked around there some more. There's a blueberry field south of the intersection of Sedgwick Ridge and Poker Valley Roads, and some rocky ridges just nne of that, around a pond/marshy area. Gotta be something in there...

Will LaViolette wrote:mahoosuc notch. dont bother bringing a crash pad, it will do you no good if you fall.

john strand wrote: SHIT - I thought I was the only one crazy enough to go bouldering there !!!!

Check out the coast up in Halifax.

If you are looking for some amazing bouldering, check out the Clifton area. There are several areas (super secret, private property, with access issues)that have some seriously concentrated boulder fields, with some fantastic lines. There is a huge amount of unexplored stuff, and the established problems range from V1 to V11. My advice is to go to Orono, head to the Alpenglow store, and make nice to some local climbers. They may decide to help you out. Just make sure to bring your highball head. typical topouts are at 20+ feet.

If you are looking for some amazing bouldering, check out the Clifton area. There are several areas (super secret, private property, with access issues)that have some seriously concentrated boulder fields, with some fantastic lines. There is a huge amount of unexplored stuff, and the established problems range from V1 to V11. My advice is to go to Orono, head to the Alpenglow store, and make nice to some local climbers. They may decide to help you out. Just make sure to bring your highball head. typical topouts are at 20+ feet.

There should be a guide coming out soon for the clifton/eastern maine bouldering.

maineah wrote:There should be a guide coming out soon for the clifton/eastern maine bouldering.