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Goofer's Delight

5.10a, Trad, 140 ft (42 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 3.3 from 21 votes
FA: Henry Barber and Bill O'Connell, summer 1970
New Hampshire > Cathedral Ledge > Airation Buttress

Description

The second pitch of this was cleaned in 2016 and offers some of the best 5.5-5.6 climbing on the cliff. You must rap in unless you lead the first pitch which is burly 5.10. Detailed topo and directions here: https://northeastalpinestart.com/2020/09/17/route-guide-the-best-5-6-pitch-on-cathedral-ledge/

Beta on P1 from Grant Simmons: Great climbing. The first pitch starts with a rowdy pull over the roof to gain the corner. Stem and jam the corner to an alcove and exit with some wild, airy moves. Above, climb easier (but still demanding) cracks and flakes to reach the bolted belay at the base of the pine tree. While the regular second pitch is awesome at the grade, if you are looking for a more sustained, more direct option, the better finish could be Tabu (5.9).

P1 Rack to #4 (an extra .75 would probably be nice).

Location

Topo and photos here northeastalpinestart.com/20…

Protection

Normal rack

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Starting crack of the first pitch, right above Saigons anchor
[Hide Photo] Starting crack of the first pitch, right above Saigons anchor
The route.
[Hide Photo] The route.
Start of the second pitch, following up this flake
[Hide Photo] Start of the second pitch, following up this flake
The roof at the start of the first pitch
[Hide Photo] The roof at the start of the first pitch
The middle of the first pitch, after the roof section
[Hide Photo] The middle of the first pitch, after the roof section
Awesome Fun! (P2)
[Hide Photo] Awesome Fun! (P2)
The rarely dry first pitch.
[Hide Photo] The rarely dry first pitch.
Rap from oak (1) to bolted anchor (2), mid-pitch pine (3), gear anchor (4) or optional tree anchor (5)
[Hide Photo] Rap from oak (1) to bolted anchor (2), mid-pitch pine (3), gear anchor (4) or optional tree anchor (5)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Eli B
noco
[Hide Comment] Matty, would you be willing to add a description of the first 5.10 pitch? Apr 19, 2021
Jason H
Reno, NV
 
[Hide Comment] Great climb, pitch two is great fun! Gonna try to bring a brush up there this summer and scrub a few areas (P2). That lichen thrives in the right conditions. Jun 5, 2021
Grant Simmons
North Conway, NH
 
[Hide Comment] Great climbing. The first pitch starts with a rowdy pull over the roof to gain the corner. Stem and jam the corner to an alcove and exit with some wild, airy moves. Above, climb easier (but still demanding) cracks and flakes to reach the bolted belay at the base of the pine tree. While the regular second pitch is awesome at the grade, if you are looking for a more sustained, more direct option, the better finish could be Tabu (5.9).

Rack to #4 (an extra .75 would probably be nice). Jun 23, 2022
Lee Cullivan
Maine
 
[Hide Comment] I rapped in for the second pitch based on Dave at NE Alpine Start's recommendation that this is the best 5.6 at Cathedral - so my comment is only about this final pitch.

The fact that this doesn't get more action is a shame. New leaders will learn a lot here. Be comfortable with exposed rappels and exposed moves but don't shy away from the exposure. The climbing is easier than the 5.6 grade suggests and I thought maybe just the first move away from the anchor was at grade, but everything else felt easier. I used from .4 to 1 cams and a couple larger nuts in addition to a double-length runner to sling the tree mid-pitch. There are gear placement options available for the whole climb from amazing stances.

Toward the end I took my time and took in the exposure, it is an epic feeling being at the top of the airation buttress just under the cliff's edge. The last move could feel cruxy for a leader but moving left a bit gets you a nice jug before getting into the little shelf there. I built an anchor with a #1 and two #2s in the V crack, extended my clove hitch about 5 feet, and I could see my second pretty much the whole time. Communication wasn't an issue from the edge. If you measure it right you can stand in the shelf pretty comfortably. I chose to stand above it because I knew my second would be coming up into that section.

This needs a bit more love to keep it clean. I plan on doing my part and getting on it a few times a year. That's taking it for the team people... Sep 8, 2024
Ian Grant
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] If it's dry, the first pitch is worth doing. Fun! First move is hard. Sep 18, 2024