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snapier
Aug 16, 2002, 2:17 AM
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Hey all! I'll be in Smugller's Notch in about two weeks and was wondering where I could find info on routes there.
I've heard that there is some good bouldering in the area and supposedly there is a guidebook exclusively for bouldering. Also heard that the Falcon book that covers New England covers Smugglers Notch but haven't been able to track that down either.
Bouldering would be ok, but am looking for some good toproping and sport climbs (kinda scared to do some trad without my much more experienced partner!).
Thanks!
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tim
Aug 16, 2002, 2:28 AM
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Sport?
At Smuggs?
Perhaps you were thinking of Rumney? (or maybe Bolton, hey, it could happen)
Bouldering would be more like it...
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snapier
Aug 17, 2002, 1:10 AM
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Well I guess that answers my question! I've never been to Vermont so I didn't really know what kind of climbing was there.
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eowyn1025
Aug 17, 2002, 2:30 AM
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wait a few months and hit the ski slopes if you're going to smuggs....there's not better skiing this side of the mississippi. aaaaaaaaaaahhh....i have so many memories of smuggs...makes me wanna go back...
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jammer
Aug 26, 2002, 7:08 PM
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Hey Steve,
Don't let bouldering stop you from the Notch! It has some real good problems, some highballs and many challanges, all within easy walking distance from the parking area. Just cause it's not sport, don't mean that you would not enjoy! If you are going, PM me ... I live only an hour away.
Alan
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tim
Aug 26, 2002, 7:48 PM
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1) Green Mountain Gringo. If you can fire that one off without practice, move to Bishop.
2) Smuggs is awesome in the winter for ice climbing and (avalanche-prone) backcountry skiing outside the resort. Note that there are lots of avalanches in Smuggs during heavy snow years, and yes, you could die.
3) Stowe night skiing is one of the best values for intermediate to advanced skiers looking for something novel. Otherwise why not head to Jay Peak, Mad River, or Tuckerman's (sping backcountry skiing)?
I spent a winter in Burlington and soloed whatever little pillars I could find every Sunday at Smuggs. Curiously, I think I only climbed ice there once with a partner (Willoughby, the Kanc, and Frankenstein were more enticing) and never thought of climbing there in the off (summer) season.
There is certainly a goodly amount of bouldering around there; Stone Crusade has some information, and I'm sure the people at Gear Exchange (on Bank Street in Burlington) know whatever there is to know about new developments.
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jammer
Sep 9, 2002, 6:04 PM
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Until I can get permission to use the information from this site, here is some good beta on some of the problems found here ...
sorry people ... I was asked not to publish this site. I have, however, been given permission to 'cut-and-paste' from their site to this one, so keep an eye out for beta on Smugglers Notch!
CLIMB ON
[ This Message was edited by: handjammer48 on 2002-09-10 05:22 ]
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madriver
Sep 9, 2002, 8:01 PM
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Tim..
Sking at night in VT..."YOU DA MAN...!!!" I've been sking VT 20 years, no way would I tell anybody to night ski in VT..unless maybe your the "SNOWMAN"!!! Madriver..it's the only way to fly!!! it's "Paradise.."
Mad River
"Ski It If You Can"
P.S - Theres climbing in them thar hills..usually closed in summer becuase of falcon protection.
[ This Message was edited by: madriver on 2002-09-09 13:03 ]
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ergophobe
Sep 9, 2002, 9:21 PM
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There are a variety of 1-3 pitch rock climbs in Smuggs, though I guess they've fallen out of fashion since this info is coming from California.
There are some lines that go at about 5.7-5.9 or aid on the main headwall and there is a 5.8 on the main face of Elephant's Head which is both a classic (historic; fixed wooden pegs for gear in at least one spot when I did it in 1978-79 or so) and a choss pile (loose and wet near the top).
The walkoffs *require* long pants if not a chainsaw...
There's a cliff at Lower West Bolton that has some decent stuff (I actually "discovered" the cliff in that I was the first person to scout it and show it to people, though it was probably visited and abandoned by earlier gneerations). It's just short stuff, but some of it's not bad.
I went back a couple of years ago and climbed there for the first time since about 1987. The place has cleaned up a lot - a route we called Sticks and Stones didn't have any of either anymore - makes it a lot easier.
Tom
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jammer
Sep 10, 2002, 12:30 PM
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ergophobe ... maybe you could place some beta in the section for smugglers notch and bolton. they are both empty at this moment.
[ This Message was edited by: handjammer48 on 2002-09-10 05:30 ]
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ergophobe
Sep 10, 2002, 5:03 PM
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HJ48,
I haven't lived there in 15 years and have no idea about current access and so forth (last check the best cliff in VT - in Bolton above the trailer park) was off-limits. Lower West Bolton has seen at least 10 routes go in since I put the first one up (and I've only climbed there once since). I've done precisely one rock climb in Sumggs since about 1979... so that's 23 years and counting. Someone must have better info that I.
Tom
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jammer
Sep 10, 2002, 5:21 PM
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Tom ... probably so, but they are far and few between. The main cliff at Smugglers has been closed due to Falcons. I have heard that Bolton is off limits, but this is questionable. Oh well ... thanks anyway my man!
CLIMB ON!
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madriver
Sep 10, 2002, 7:03 PM
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Bolton was open as of July, I was there along with quite a few other climbers. It is private and the owner of the local convience store said the owner was not thrilled about people climbing. The approach is well maintained and marked. But it was not posted and the people climbing there said it was no problem. Can't give you much beta other than it's top rope (50 meter rope for most) with a few climbs requiring a 60 meter rope. Great rock and 10 to 20 foot runs for anchors. Not much overhang but a few nice cracks. Smugs was closed thru August for climbing (falcons). No beta sorry. Maybe next year..I'll be there for the month of July, I'll try and get some info together.
Mad River
"Climb it when you can"
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ergophobe
Sep 10, 2002, 8:54 PM
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Quote:
Bolton was open as of July... Can't give you much beta other than it's top rope (50 meter rope for most) with a few climbs requiring a 60 meter rope. Great rock and 10 to 20 foot runs for anchors.
This is Lower West Bolton. There are four main climbing areas in Bolton and the traditional nomenclature (at least back in the 1970s and 1980s) was/is
I. Bolton. The biggest and the best. This is the large cliff above and right of the trailer park that dominates the straight part of Route 2. It has been mostly closed since aroun 1987, with access problems going back to the early 1970s. If the Access Fund wants to do something for VT climbing, opening this cliff would be it. It has several routes ranging from 20 feet to about 250-300 feet, including a very nice 5.7, probably the second best climb in VT, and a number of routes up through 5.11 with possiblities for harder routes. I'd guess there are about 20 good lines there. A few additional crags spread through the woods here.
II. West Bolton aka Oxbow. This is where the Guard used to practice and has what are no doubt the finest couple of routes in VT. It is up the West Bolton road right before the road starts to go back down the other side. Climbs here are
1. The Rose (5.10) - A perfect 85' handcrack that overhangs about 5-7 feet in its total length.
2. Rosalita or The Thorn (5.10+ or 5.11). A thinner line to the right of The Rose
3. The Main Face Dihedral (5.8, two pitches or one long one).
4. The Main Face Overhang (5.11, two pitches or one long one with a great 7-8 foot 5.11 roof in the middle)
There are some other low-quality climbs there which are best avoided, including one with various claimants to the FA, though I'm pretty sure it's my brother given the amount of crap that came down, but it's VT: crap builds up fast.
III. Lower West Bolton is the one people are talking about. There are roughly 10 routes from 5.8 to 5.12, 50-100 feet. This is at the bottom of the West Bolton Road. Again, it's VT and things get loose, dirty and vegetated fast, so it may well have been climbed in 1936 for all I know and I would guess that the crew mentioned below (see at the end) had visited the area. It's known climbing history, however, dates from when I brought Bruce Jameison there around 1987 or 1988. He then did several more routes with other partners. Neither of us necessarily claims true first ascents here, just first known ascents.
It was a real choss pile when we got there. Thus we named our first route "Sticks and Stones" because it required extensive gardening, careful moves around loose rock and some major sticks that had fallen into the cracks and gotten stuck. I did this one again just 3-5 years ago and was surprised at how much easier it was when you can actually place fingers and gear in the cracks down low on the first part.
IV. The Quarry. Ice climbing only, up and left of the trailer park, though these days one should approach from the elementary school. I have climbed here recently as I often visit VT in the winter.
The main development at all of these cliffs except Lower West was done by Steve Zajchowski, Dave Marvin, John Bouchard, DJ Bouyea and crowd, possibly also Frank Gibney and, we can guess, possibly Fritz Weissner.
If you've ice climbed in the Notch or NH, you'll recognize most of those names.
Tom
[ This Message was edited by: ergophobe on 2002-09-10 13:58 ]
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madriver
Sep 11, 2002, 12:44 AM
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Thanks Tom,
Your info and history of the Bolton area climbing is great! I am a newby to climbing and your beta is greatly appreciated. I had no idea there were so many other areas there. I do think that access is a real issue but the next time I'm up at Bolton I want to at least check it out. Your responses to the thread are informative and helpful. Thanks again Tom, hope you get back east some time soon.
Bob
[ This Message was edited by: madriver on 2002-09-10 17:45 ]
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jammer
Sep 11, 2002, 3:53 PM
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Bringing this to the top. Just added bouldering problems to Smugglers Notch ... check it out! It's great bouldering and a beautiful place to boot!!
CLIMB ON!
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adamwvt
Oct 25, 2002, 5:32 PM
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Last week I climbed some gullys in the rain at smuggs, and had a blast. If there is no falcon ban, and its not full of folks from NJ, Smuggs can be very adventurous and rewarding. Bolton is always full UVM brats and guided groups, so It is way worth it to make the two hour drive across the lake to the Daks, or head to the White mtns. There is plenty of contrived climbing here in Vt. but the rock is mostly poor crumbly shist, is very dissapointing compared to NH granite.
Look for me at the Smuggs when the conditions are bad, Ill be the one with the sadisic sh*t eating grin on my face.
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dragonfly
Mar 1, 2003, 4:44 PM
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:roll:There is all sorts of climbing in the notch, some fat bolt route and all, walk around look up and red point the secrets of the notch. There are a lot cliffs up in there and most of the have been climbed at one time. Remember, Firtz Weissner lived here at one time, and he climbed these cliffs with a hemp rope tied around his waist. Bring lots of screamers, i try to use them on every placement, That schist aint to reliable ya know. If you are looking for a good place to go climbing... Look up. :shock:
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