Mount Wheeler: The Great Dihedral (5.11a)
Vermont

Unlike the Whites, Vermont’s Green Mountains have received decidedly less recognition for their climbing opportunities. There are, however, hidden gems tucked away throughout the state. The Great Dihedral on Mount Wheeler shines brightest. Prolific climber Ed Webster put up the first route in 1978. It’s not surprising that he was able to find this out-of-the-way face and climb its most commanding feature. Webster had an uncanny ability to find quality routes where none previously existed. During the ’70s and ’80s, he added more routes to cliffs in the Northeast than almost any climber before or since.

Tucked in an out-of-the-way corner of the Northeast King-dom, 20 miles from the Canadian border, Mount Wheeler remains virtually unknown among East Coast climbers though a new guidebook, Rock Climbs New England, does include a section on the mountain. Located in the town of Barton and managed by the Green Mountain Club, Wheeler Pond Camps offer camping and access to more than 20 miles of hiking trails. The area’s most dramatic feature is certainly the 400-foot escarpment on the east face of Wheeler. The cliff pops out of nowhere as you approach on a winding dirt road off Route 16. The rock is a type of granitic gneiss notable for its high feldspar content, which sparkles in the sun and begs to be climbed.

All classic routes tackle a commanding line on the cliff. Such is the case with the Great Dihedral: a huge, open book that splits the cliff down the middle. Tree- and bush-covered ledges break up much of the wall, but the Great Dihedral takes a direct path up clean rock for three pitches. Don’t let the angle fool you. The cliff may be slabby, but this is still an advanced route. The first two pitches follow moderately run out slabs to bolted belays. On the second pitch there’s an obvious variation to the right, which tackles a steep roll in the slab past two bolts. The original route climbs weaknesses to the left (5.7), but due to the scant protec-tion, the harder variation (5.10) is recommended.

The crux dihedral is about 75 degrees at the start and gets increasingly steep as you climb until it’s nearly vertical at the end. There’s a tiny finger crack in the back of the dihedral, but most of it is so small you can only grip its outer edge. The good news: three pitons form the fixed protection. The bad news: they’re 10-12 feet between. If you blow the clip on any of them, you’ll take an unpleasant 25-foot slide. To descend, use two ropes to rappel off the ringbolts at each station. But before you do, take a minute to enjoy the magnificent panorama of Vermont’s unspoiled Northeast Kingdom.

Cannon Cliff: Whitney Gilman Ridge (5.7)
New Hampshire

In 1928, Robert Underhill determined that the Original Route on Franconia Notch’s Cannon Cliff (now called Old Cannon) was "the only possible route up." Cousins Hassler Whitney and Bradley Gilman, both in their 20s and fresh off a successful trip to the French Alps, soon proved him wrong. When they showed up at Cannon on Aug. 3, 1929, they intended on making a second ascent of the Original Route. Discovering it too wet to climb, they traversed under Cannon’s mighty big wall section to the base of a striking knife-edge that now bears their names.

The route begins on the north wall of the ridge at the base of the Black Dike, a classic Northeast ice climb in winter. The first pitch follows a broken chimney/gully festooned with several fixed pitons. Short but steep boulder problems lead to a steep bulge where all variations dead end at a plumb vertical arête known as the "pipe pitch." Underhill placed a two-foot cast iron pipe on the route’s second ascent in 1930. Unfortunately, the relic was stolen in the mid-’90s and the one you’ll find there today is a replica. When you start pulling through the crux above, think about Whitney in 1929, climbing this section on sight, in sneakers, and with no protection. Yep, no protection. All pitons were installed after the first ascent, which explains why the two climbers took 17 pitches to complete a route now done in four.

In some places, the route’s exposure can literally take your breath away. In several sections you’ll find yourself climbing the actual edge of the arête, with one leg on the sunny south side while the other dangles over the dark and forbidding Black Dike. The route has many variations, and while this is the cliff’s most obvious line, route finding can be tricky. If you take a wrong turn you may inadvertently wind up on ground that feels more like 5.9 than 5.7.

The route does have some fixed pins to show you the way, but the belays are not fixed. So rappelling can be a challenge, especially from high up. Be prepared to leave some gear if an afternoon thunderstorm rolls in. And don’t be too worried about littering the cliff—the next party up will be sure to reclaim your booty. The recommended descent is a walk-off on a faint trail leading down the south shoulder of the cliff. From the topout you have to climb upward for another 100 feet where you should be able to sniff out the start of the trail. Take the effort to make sure you’re on it before heading home. The bushwhack down will no doubt ruin the great day you’re having.

PREVIOUS PAGE

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

NEXT PAGE