For beautiful granite crags in a picturesque setting, the area surrounding North Conway in Mt. Washington Valley is hard to beat. Topping this list are Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges, both located in Echo Lake State Park. Primarily a trad climbing paradise, these two cliffs offer some of the best crack, friction, and face climbing available anywhere. Neighboring cliffs such as Sundown, Band M, Humphrey's, and a host of others all offer a range of unique single to multi-pitch routes and are located just a short drive away.

Sport climbing came relatively late to the Granite State, however by the late 1980’s Rumney had begun to gain a following among the clip and go crowd. Access, at one time threatened, was secured in the 90’s by a large land purchase brokered by the Access Fund, who then turned the land over to the Forest Service. The Rumney Climber’s Association, who enjoy a wonderful working relationship with the NFS, manages climbing anchors and trail work. Today, Rumney boasts a wide variety of safely bolted climbs of all grades, including the highest concentration of 5.14 routes anywhere in the country.

For those who prefer crash pads to ropes, Pawtuckaway State Park is the heart of New Hampshire bouldering. Endless granite boulders wind their way through dense pine and hardwood forests, with literally hundreds of existing routes and huge potential for more. Rumney also contains a wonderful selection of problems, the metamorphic schist creating a totally unique bouldering experience.