[Hide Comment] Alternate approach, recommended for the spring (don't try crossing the river...it's an easy way to go for a swim): Park at the Albany Covered Bridge Parking. On the north end of the bridge is the beginning of the Nanamocomuck Ski Trail. Take that for approximately 20-30 minutes west, until you see trees on the right, marked with orange paint (don't know who did this.) Follow the markers up until you hit a shallow drainage, and follow this uphill until you hit the cliff band. The Crack in the Woods should be pretty obvious.
-edit- See the updated directions in the main crag heading. Apr 13, 2009

[Hide Comment] Just be very wary of killer, attack beavers on the approach!

Of course this is pretty much a joke as there could be no such beast in the woods of N.H, right?

I wish Jimmy Dunn would step in with a recount of his story. May 25, 2010

[Hide Comment] Beaver ..I remember the night well .. About 2am Jimmy banging on my chalet door shouting bring the Jack Russells there is a beaver that just bit me in the backside! I thought yeah right and went back to sleep.. It did happen Jimmy sleeping in a drive way a few chalets down from mine when a beaver came and bit his arse . The Fish and Game department came and captured the Beaver for testing...I think just in case Jimmy had given the beaver rabies. May 25, 2010

[Hide Comment] Classic guys !!!! We can only follow this with the "Bears of Humphreys" and the famous "Tumbling Porcupine" of Whitehorse. Jun 8, 2010

[Hide Comment] I saw a porcupine out below Owl's that was so big I thought it was a bear at first. It was as big as a good sized dog. I heard some loud rummaging on the back side of a boulder I was sleeping under so I took my headlamp and gingerly peeked around and it scared the crap out of me. It hid under a cave on the same boulder, which kept me awake for a while wondering if it was rabid and would attack me. I restoked the fire and kept a big stick next to me, haha. Scarier than a bear. Feb 9, 2016

[Hide Comment] Beautiful route, just stunning to look at, and even better to climb. I have a question, no disrespect intended, about the "convenience anchor" located part way up the route. Why is it there?? I attempted an onsite this past weekend and climbed it cleanly to a stance above this anchor. I clipped a pin, and placed a good .75 in a horizontal above. I went up and down several times trying to solve the move above the pin into a hand jam, and finally fell when I went for it. This was the hardest move I encountered on the climb. I finished to a ledge with another crack out a roof-the section above was really dirty, and I lowered off a fixed nut.
I climbed it cleanly above the mid-climb anchor, but I certainly wouldn't say I lead the route free. Where does the climb really end? Seems to me the convenience anchor should be removed, and a proper fixed anchor should be installed where the climb truly ends.
Anyway, yea NH has tons of great crack lines, and this is the best I've been on. Sep 26, 2016

[Hide Comment] It is a shit anchor, been there for years. the original clib ended at a tree 9still there?) which sucked a bit.


i agree that the climb should end about 15' higher Sep 27, 2016

[Hide Comment] This year is an extremely dry year. Do you think that extra 15' will be dry enough normally if it was cleaned and an anchor placed up there? Sep 27, 2016

[Hide Comment] Maybe not, but the tree is dead (see above) so seepage may be less. A couple of wet jams would be exciting though. Sep 27, 2016

[Hide Comment] Thank you for your reply John.

The extra 15' is at a similar grade to the climbing below the current anchor, and it sounds like this was part of the original FA... Sep 27, 2016

[Hide Comment] Positive it was the original finish. Jimmie always climbed to the top of climbs, in fact this caused a lot of confusion in places like indian Creek. There were no visible slings/anchors, He had topped out and walked off. Sep 28, 2016

[Hide Comment] Bring a 4 and tape Apr 5, 2018

[Hide Comment] Amazing T-Wall style hand crack in a corner. Doesn’t get much better for 5.10 in NH, although it’s only about 45ft long. I used 3x#1, 3x#2 and 1x#3. No need to take a 4. Clean falls, DO IT!! Jun 23, 2018

[Hide Comment] Absolute classic. Think you could never fall off a climb made entirely of sinker hand jams? Go prove it at Crack in the Woods. Hands can be a little thin in places, so tape might be a better bet than crack gloves for this one.

Beware if you're hoping to hangdog this thing: watch your rope line. If you place any gear up in the corner and then whip above the roof, the rope can fall DEEP into the crack and will pull any gear you placed between the corner and the topout into the crack with it. Sep 14, 2020

[Hide Comment] This crack is pure joy. The jams are excellent, the feet are plentiful, the gear easy and bomber, and the quality superb. I found patient climbing yielded abundant resting opportunities, too. Just get on it. Aug 31, 2023

[Hide Comment] Check the comment (Oct. 2023) on the main heading page for easy "stay-dry" directions to the crag.

NOTE- Nick's directions have been added to the Main Page. R Hall, Admin. Oct 20, 2023