Rock Climbing on Katahdin in Baxter State Park

Rock Climbing at Katahdin

Katahdin provides an opportunity for rock climbing with an alpine flavor that is nearly unique in the east. Most of the routes are long, and the approaches and descents are even longer. For the most part, however, these routes are quite moderate, and with good route-finding ability one can climb most of the gullies and buttresses at 5.4-5.5 or so. Protection is generally good with a selection of nuts, especially in the larger sizes. The rock itself is a highly weathered, alpine granite, and though the freezing and thawing action have created many good cracks and holds, it has also produced an abundance of loose rock.

Chimney Pond is the center of rock climbing activity at Katahdin. The Ranger will check your gear. Climbing helmets are required. The well-prepared mountaineer should bring foul-weather gear, and a flashlight or headlamp in case of a descent in the dark, as well as carrying standard climbing equipment. Bivouacs are not permitted. Route information is available at Chimney Pond, both from the Ranger and from an informal route book.

Some better known features of Katahdin

The Diamonds These 250' - 400' cliffs just above Chimney Pond have many two and three pitch climbs. Though quite alpine in character, they provide the nearest equivalent to crag climbing here. Routes range in difficulty from about 5.2-5.9.

The Chimney This very loose, wet gully is probably the best known route on the mountain, owing to it's inclusion in various hiking guides. One pitch of 5.5 climbing is necessary to bypass the huge first chockstone.

The Armadillo A long, very exposed buttress climb, the Armadillo has been compared to routes in the Tetons. Depending on how one climbs it, the difficulty can range from 5.7 to a fairly sustained 5.8.

The Flatiron Like the Armadillo, this is a buttress route that emerges on the Knife Edge not far from Baxter Peak. It has equally beautiful situations and in some ways, more consistently enjoyable climbing, of 5.7 - 5.8 difficulty.

A note on the ratings:

The Yosemite Decimal System attempts to divide all hiking and climbing into six classes of difficulty, from simple walking to direct-aid climbing (in which your equipment provides upward progress as well as protecting against a fall). The rock climbs at Katahdin are fifth class, or free climbing - that is, although they require the use of a rope, placement of protection, and proper belaying techniques to safeguard against a fall, the climber's own body does all the actual work. Originally, class 5 was divided decimally from 5.0 to 5.9, but as harder routes were done, the system became open-ended with the addition of the grades of 5.10, 5.11, and so on. The hardest routes at Katahdin are rated at 5.9.

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The Diamonds	These 250' - 400' cliffs just above Chimney Pond have many two and three pitch climbs. Though quite alpine in character, they provide the nearest equivalent to crag climbing here. Routes range in difficulty from about 5.2-5.9.
The Chimney	This very loose, wet gully is probably the best known route on the mountain, owing to it's inclusion in various hiking guides. One pitch of 5.5 climbing is necessary to bypass the huge first chockstone.
The Armadillo	A long, very exposed buttress climb, the Armadillo has been compared to routes in the Tetons. Depending on how one climbs it, the difficulty can range from 5.7 to a fairly sustained 5.8.
The Flatiron	Like the Armadillo, this is a buttress route that emerges on the Knife Edge not far from Baxter Peak. It has equally beautiful situations and in some ways, more consistently enjoyable climbing, of 5.7 - 5.8 difficulty.