PRINT: Rock Climb Raven Ridge, WM: Zealand Valley

Raven Ridge

5.7, Trad, 120 ft (36 m),

Avg: 1.2 from 6 votes
FA: Eric Pospesil, Mike Lee 2011
New Hampshire > WM: Zealand Valley > Mt Oscar

Description

The cliff's trail flattens out after Raven Groove and becomes more overgrown with occasional talus blocks. 75-100 ft right of Raven Groove is Wasabi Groove, distinguishable by a bolt on the right face of its crux corner about 30 ft up (photo). Raven Ridge starts down the trail from this and begins at a groove below the first bolt.

Walk the groove up (or mantle?) to get established on the slab and make your first clip. Follow the scoop of the slab up past a few more bolts to gain a nice ledge midway up the route. The slab eases up (and is a run out) up and follows a large left facing corner (potential small pro?) until the next bolt. Make a fun move over the corner out right and continue up to an anchor w/ carabiners.

A 60m rope will lower you into Wasabe Groove's corner where you'll probably need to scramble to get back to your pack. TIE KNOTS AT THE ROPE END

NOTE- When we rapped with a single 70m it didn't look like I'd have been happy with a 60m. ( It didn't look like we had 18 ft (5 m) left on each end.) Perhaps Jeffrey's 60m was a bit "long". In any event, tie knots and beware. R Hall 7/21/22

It looks like a second pitch could possibly lead up from here. The anchors give a nice view of the upper part of the cliff out left.

Location

One of the furthest routes to the (climber's) right. Just right of Wasabe Groove's corner (distinguished by a bolt in the right side of the corner).

Protection

Bolted, with possible small pro on the big left facing corner on the upper half. Otherwise, easy runout.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking Down at the START of Raven RIDGE. The dotted line shows about 12-15 ft of easy scrambling to a ledge and then (not shown) to a rock step, then there's another 10 +/- ft to Bolt # 1

Just as with Jeffery's photo the apparent angle of the slab in the photo is extremely misleading. It is at least as steep as the lower part of Perez Highway.

The Looooong Run Out above the 4th Bolt to the 5th bolt. Ralph is at the belay- a double bolt anchor.

Looking UP from Bolt #2 The crux is passing Bolt #3

Madison heading up the lower half of the slab

Looking down P1 from around Bolt # 2

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Robert Hall
North Conway, NH

5.8 R

Beware the green, flaky lichen on the moves to the first bolt especially. A slip before the first clip could be a nasty ground-fall, and a lead-fall at much above the crux (Ralph and both thought it 5.8 or so) 3rd bolt could result in the climber scrapping over the edge of the arete; the run-out above bolt 4, although easy (5.5 or so, easing to 5.4-5.3 before Bolt # 5) is getting to be "R/X" territory; any of the 3 cases would be a nasty fall hence I've given it an "R" to be cautious. That being said, the route is very nice climbing. Jul 20, 2022

Jeffrey LeCours
New Hampshire

5.7

I can't recall our rope length. Might have been a long 60' but I do recall it being a rope stretcher. Lowered down / tied in for top-rope slightly up the hillside there. It was a long time ago so my 5.6 suggestion could be a little low - I'm bumping it to 5.7 on Bob's recommendation (who suggests that may be stiff) to help folks not bite off more than they were hoping for. This gives me a reason to get back out there to reassess. Anyone else who's climbed it, make sure to provide your grade consensus! Jul 21, 2022