Venue Category: Rock

Thurmont Watershed – TWS Rocks

Details

The Thurmont Watershed is located just south of the town of Thurmont, Maryland. TWS Rocks is the main climbing area with approximately 80 routes on walls 40-45 feet tall.  Climbing here is mainly top roping, with good routes from 5.6 to 5.11. A few trad leads are possible.

There are also a few routes and boulder problems at Down Range Rocks and Bear Rocks.  Both these areas have longer approaches.

Approach: The approach starts at the intersection of Pryor Road and a fire road located here. . There are 3-4 parking spaces just up the fire road, and there is ample parking along both wide shoulders of Pryor Road. The approach is fairly short and usually takes 15-20 minutes. It follows the fire road up a gentle grade for about 3/4 mile then leaves the fire road to cross a stream on the right and follow the faint climbers’ trail another quarter mile to the cliff.

Recommended Top Roping Gear: Most anchors can be set from trees with the usual TR anchor materials (100′ static and a pair of locking biners for the master point). There are some anchor bolts at the main TWS cliff – Ed Rocks – because the good trees are far back and behind a thick row of rhododendron. Most of these bolts are on the top (horizontal) surface and will need to be extended over the lip and well padded.

Guidebooks:

The routes at these cliffs are described in Maryland Climbs Vol 1 by Mark ’Indy’ Kochte   and on Mountainproject.

Location

Address:
39.61054, -77.43991, Thurmont, Maryland, United States

Buzzard Rocks

Details

Buzzard Rocks is an 80 min drive from Washington DC, followed by a 45 – 60min uphill walk. It is in the Elizabeth Furnace area of the George Washington National Forest in Virginia.

Buzzard Rocks sits on a ridgeline at 1300 ft and faces west.  It’s great in the mornings in the summer as the crag is shaded until 2pm.  In the winter you’ll want to go there in the afternoon. There is no water available.

There are around 30 routes from 5.3 – 5.11, the majority in the 5.7-5.8 range.  The routes are slab climbing, 60 – 120ft in length, with mixed protection, a few bolts plus gear.  Take a rack.  You need two 60m ropes or a 70m rope to abseil so you may want to take a spare rope to fix for this.  You can also walk down. Grades are softish.

Directions and Parking

Take I-66 to exit 6 for US-340/US-522, heading left (South) at the exit. After going over a bridge turn right (West) at the light onto 55 — look for a 7-11 on the left. Drive another 5 miles and turn left (South) at Fort Valley Rd/VA-678. After about a mile turn left on VA-619 at a sign that says “Fish Culture Station”. Drive 1.2 miles past the fish hatchery and look for a sign on the right for the Buzzard Rocks trailhead. Park in the small dirt lot and follow the trail about 2 miles to the top. There is an overflow

The parking lot is small and fills up quickly with hikers.  You need to be there early.

If there’s no parking try Talking Head Wall as parking on the road will likely get a ticket.

Guidebooks

Buzzard Rocks is in the  Rakkup Guide to the Elizabeth Furnace and is listed in Mountainproject  under Shenandoah & NW VA Region Climbing.

Location

Address:
38.9422, -78.3017, Fort Valley Road, Near Front Royal, Virginia, United States

Schaffer Rock and Pondbank

Details

Shaffer Rocks and White Rocks (Pondbank) are two of the better small crags in the Michaux State Forest in Southern Pennsylvania. They are roughly 90 minutes drive from Washington DC. Parking is limited at both crags so try to share rides and/or carpool.

Shaffer Rocks

Shaffer Rocks is predominantly a top-roping crag although there are a few routes that can be led on gear. The crag is easily accessible and has 30+ routes around 60ft in height from 5.3 to 5.11+.

The rock is a good quality Weverton quartzite that dries quickly despite being a north facing wall….a good summer destination. The Mountain Project guide to the climbing with directions to the crag is here.

Schaffer Rocks is on the Appalachian Trail and there is a very nice cabin less than 100 yards from the base. The cabin is The Hermitage, can be rented and more information can be found on the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club’s Website. Camping is also possible at the nearby Caledonia State Park.

Pond Bank

Pond Bank has two main areas, Brown Rocks and White Rocks. Brown Rocks is smaller and the routes are shorter.  Both crags face west and get afternoon sun.

Most visits to Pondbank go to White Rocks, which is predominantly a trad crag with 60+ routes from 5.3 to 5.11+. The approach is a ten minute flat walk to the base of the climbs on a signed path opposite the parking area (around six cars). The climbs are one pitch up to 125ft in height with either a rappel descent or an easy walk-off. Some routes have one or two bolts but there are no sport climbs. Some of the routes need large cams.

The Mountain Project guide to the climbing and directions to White Rocks is here and there is also a Pennsylvania Guidebook .

Location

Address:
9.8123, -77.4822 [Schaffer] 39.86593, -77.52477 [Pondbank], Pennsylvania, United States

Annapolis Rock

Details

Annapolis Rock is a horizontally-bedded quartzite crag in South Mountain State Park, near Frederick MD. It is several miles and an hour’s walk along the Appalachian  Trail from the Annapolis Rock & Black Rock Cliff Appalachian Trailhead Parking on Route 40, outside of Myersville, Maryland.

Annapolis Rock consists of a number of separate cliffs and offers around 50 routes from 5.3 – 5.11 up to 50ft in height.  Most routes can be top-roped and many can be led on trad gear.

There is a campsite on top of the cliff but no water. About a mile away is the less popular Black Rock which offers similar climbing.

Climbing routes at Annapolis Rock are described in the recently published Climb Maryland Vol 1 and on Mountain Project

Location

Address:
39.5583, -77.59862, Near Myersville, Maryland, United States

Sugarloaf

Details

Venue Website:

Sugarloaf Mountain is a small 1,200ft monadnock  20 miles south of Frederick, MD.  Sugarloaf offers local climbers some of the closest traditional lead climbing to the Washington Metro Area. It is also notable for some excellent top-rope routes, as well as numerous boulder problems scattered throughout the forest.

The private Stronghold Foundation owns the land and welcomes many hikers and climbers each year.  Please bring $5 cash to donate at the entrance (encouraged but not required). Sugarloaf is also a trash free park, so pack it in pack it out. There are port-a-potties at the West parking lot.

The most popular climbing areas – Middle Earth and Boy Scout Ledges – are a short walk from the  West View Parking lot

To reach Sugarloaf, follow I270 to the Hyattstown exit, follow Route 109 to Comus, then right on Comus Road to the Sugarloaf Mountain entrance.

Location

Address:
7901 Comus Road, Dickerson, Maryland, 20842, United States

Harpers Ferry

Details

Venue Phone: (304) 535-6029

Venue Website:

Harper’s Ferry is a National Historical Park that sits at the intersection of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers join.

Although subject to some seasonal raptor restrictions, at present  climbing is permitted on the  Maryland and West Virginia cliffs but not on the Virginia cliffs. Parking at the Lower Town Center/railway station is very limited and you may have to park at the visitor center and take a shuttle. At present, registration is not required as it was pre-Covid.

Climbing information is on Mountainproject.  There is also a relevant guidebook – Climb Maryland Vol II.

Location

Address:
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, 25425, United States

New River Gorge

Details

Venue Website:

The New River Gorge is a National Park near Fayetteville, WV.  There are over 2000 single pitch sport and trad routes on a number of cliffs along the New River and in nearby climbing areas along Highway 19 (The Meadow River and Summersville).  The New River Gorge is a big rafting destination and there are a number of commercial campgrounds as well as an AAC campground. Climbing guidebooks and gear can be purchased at Water Stone Outdoors.

Route information can also be found on Mountainproject.

Location

Address:
Fayetteville, West Virginia, 25840, United States

Looking Glass

Details

Venue Phone: (828) 877-3265

Venue Website:

Looking Glass Rock is a large granite dome located in the Appalachian mountains in the south western part of North Carolina.  It is in the Pisgah National Forest.  Looking Glass Rock is a major trad climbing area offering multi pitch free and aid routes, and is close to other well known climbing areas – Whitesides, Laurel Knob and Rumbling Bald. There is reasonable route info on Mountainproject and guidebooks can be found at Ground Up Publishing

Location

Address:
35.30449, -82.79472, (Near) Brevard, North Carolina, 28712, United States

The Gunks

Details

Venue Phone: (845) 255-0919

Venue Website:

The Gunks (short for Shawangunks) is one of the premier trad climbing areas in the country. Located near New Paltz, NY, the Gunks is about 85 miles from the NYC metropolitan area. It is part of the Mohonk Preserve, a 501c(3) charitable organization.

To climb at the Gunks you need a day pass or an annual pass.  The  nearby town of New Paltz has a climbing store, Rock and Snow,  and there is camping at the AAC  Samuel E Pryor III campground.

 

The rock is quartz conglomerate with horizontal rather than vertical cracks. Climbing at the Gunks is characterized by roofs, jugs, traverses, big air, and sometimes “sporty” pro. The Gunks is famous for great one-to-three-pitch climbs of all levels of difficulty. You’ll find some of the best easy and moderate trad climbs in the country at the Gunks. There are a few bolted climbs at the Gunks, but no sport climbs.

Location

Address:
New Paltz, New York, 12561, United States

Seneca Rocks

Details

Venue Phone: (304) 567-2827

Venue Website:

Seneca Rocks is a mostly trad climbing area in West Virgina with over 500 routes from 5.0 – 5.14. It is located in the Monongahela National Forest which is administered by the Forest Service. There are multiple campsites, guiding services and The Gendarme,  a climbing store located below the cliff.  Climbing information can be found on Mountainproject and there is a climbing guidebook available from the Gendarme.

Location

Address:
Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, 26884, United States