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Dry Trad Crags in New England?

Original Post
Olivia Pendas · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 330

The forecast looks like rain for the next few days but I'm trying to get out climbing on Thursday (which looks clear). It seems likely that Cathedral will be wet, as it's been consistently wet/seeping for the past few weeks. Does anyone have any recommendations for areas that get lots of sun and would dry out quickly in NH/VT?

David Y · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2018 · Points: 0

Maybe Longstack? Haven't been there often enough to really say whether it would be dry Thurs but it seems like one of the faster drying trad crags in NH.

Will Pop · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2021 · Points: 0

South but on whitehorse gets good sun.

Brian E · · New England · Joined Mar 2005 · Points: 363

What style of climbing are you looking for? Rumney (almost) always has something climbable. If you want granite Marshfield ledge in VT will have some dry slabs. 

Olivia Pendas · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 330
Brian Ewrote:

What style of climbing are you looking for? Rumney (almost) always has something climbable. If you want granite Marshfield ledge in VT will have some dry slabs. 

Mostly looking for trad or mixed trad and sport. I checked out Marshfield after some light rain a few weeks ago and the slabs were super wet unfortunately. Does anyone know if Sundown would be dry?

june m · · elmore, vt · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 124
Brian Ewrote:

What style of climbing are you looking for? Rumney (almost) always has something climbable. If you want granite Marshfield ledge in VT will have some dry slabs. 

Marshfield was very wet last saturday.  Best bet is to go sport climbing. Bolton dome dries fast.

take TAKE · · AZ · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 206

Sundown stuff that stays dry is mostly sport. There is some quick drying trad at cathedral, as well as some that's never wet but not great/quite hard. Theres mixed trad and sport at Humphreys which gets the most direct sun of the big ledges there and dries very fast

Andrew P · · North Bend, WA · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 848

I no longer live in NH, so not up to date on the current weather but in general:

Spider's Web dries out pretty fast. From Hanover, it's not much further of a drive to the Chapel Pond area than it is to North Conway. 

Some parts of Marshfield dry fast, here's one route in particular that I remember being dry quick after a lot of rain: https://www.mountainproject.com/route/117950047/empty-clip

And like others have said, South Buttress of Whitehorse and Humphrey's are the fastest drying of the North Conway crags. 

Or, just go sport climb at Rumney..

Chris Duca · · Dixfield, ME · Joined Dec 2006 · Points: 2,485

The Airation Buttress above the Thin Air face at Cathedral dries quickly after rain.  The Beast Alcove, also at Cathedral, stays dry in rain.  As mentioned earlier in the thread, Sundown stays dry in the rain, though there are only a couple of worthwhile gear-protected routes, among the many sport routes. 

take TAKE · · AZ · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 206

I've also heard king wall in chapel pond stays totally dry for like the first pitch

Franky Lapitino · · New London, NH · Joined Jul 2018 · Points: 1,196

These are individual routes and not entire areas, but Screaming Yellow Zonkers at Woodchuck and Heat Wave at Pway are the fastest drying cracks I know of. I have sessioned on both after a rainy day and had good luck.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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