Venue Category: Toproping

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

Great Falls (Virgina)

Details

Venue Phone: (703) 757-3101

Venue Website:

Great Falls (Virginia) is a US National Park located on the Potomac River just north of the Washington DC 495 Beltway.  There are around 260 listed top roping routes in this guidebook published by the Potomac Mountain Club.  The park is located here.  You need to pay an entrance fee or possess one of several NPS annual passes.

Normal meeting place is the Climber’s parking lot – turn right immediately after passing the Entrance Kiosk

 

Location

Address:
9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, Virginia, 22102, United States

Carderock

Details

Venue Website:

Carderock Recreation Area  is on the Potomac River just outside the 495 Beltway. Carderock is part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and is well known for top rope climbing and hiking.  The Potomac Mountain Club has published a guidebook to Carderock.

To access the climbing at Carderock, park in the north most parking lot and follow the trail westwards past the toilet that leads down to the base of the cliffs.  The climbing is only several hundred yards from the parking lot.

Note that cars have been broken into in this parking lot so do not leave valuables in your car.

Social Events are often held at the Carderock Pavilion.  This is near the parking lots you first encounter when entering Carderock

 

 

Location

Address:
38.5579376,-78.325019, Carderock, Maryland, 20817, United States