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[Admin Al]

Joe Perez sent me a description of one of the routes that he and his wife Judy did out there in 2002. it sounds really nice. thanks to them for putting up this and so many other nice routes and for passing this information along.

--al

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Middle Sugarloaf Mountain

Bolt in the Sky  5.9

Directions:  On the Zealand Road park at the Sugarloaf Trail Head. A forty minute hike and a left turn at the juncture of the Middle Sugarloaf and North Sugarloaf trail will bring you to the summit of Middle Sugarloaf.

From the summit walk and scramble down the right side of the cliff (when looking down) to the base.  Walk along the base until you come to a prominent right facing corner/arete near the right end of the cliff.  To the left of the corner/ arête you will see a bolt line on a slab. The climb begins here.

Description:  If you look up at the sky from the base of the climb you will see a lone bolt on a corner/arête about one hundred fifty feet above the ground. This bolt is on the third pitch of the route.  It is easy to reach from the second belay and it protects the move onto the next slab to the left. Slab climbing characterizes the first and third pitch. The second pitch is characterized by crack climbing.

Pitch 1:  Face climb past several bolts to a two bolt anchor. 80,, 5.8

Pitch2: Climb a hand crack (gear required) to a hollow flake. Layback the flake, clip a bolt above the flake and climb up to a corner with bolt anchors.  70,, 5.8

Pitch 3: From the anchors, traverse left across slabs to the first bolt mentioned in the description. Clip the bolt and climb over the edge onto the next slab to the left.  Face climb the slab to another bolt.  From the bolt, climb to a small bush.  A large cam can be placed in a crack near the bush.  Continue on easier ground to the top. 160,, 5.9

Gear:  Normal rack plus a three and four camalot

Descent:  Walk to the summit and hiking trail which is a few hundred feet from the top of the climb

FA:  September 2002, Joe and Judy Perez

[cwoodman]

In December 2001 I did a nice 2 pitch route that I think is worth doing (most of the climbs on Middle Sugarloaf are nice). Here's a description.

Drop down the right side gully (when looking out) and walk along the bottom of the cliff for a couple hundred feet til the cliff drops down further in the woods. The start is just left of the old route- Skyline Promenade-5.9, that follows a couple of long arches up and right. Look for two offset cracks 30' up.

Bad Dog   5.7  240'
 
1. Just before coming to the low point, step right onto the slab and climb up through two offset cracks (nice, 5.6) then continue up steep slab past a couple bolts to a natural thread anchor on a nice ledge. 5.7 100'
2. Climb up to a small right facing corner/arch (5.7), protect with small nuts, and head straight up past 3 or 4 bolts on  beautiful rock to a sloping belay at some large blocks. Scramble over the blocks to the top.  5.7  140'

This is a really fun climb on perfect rock.

History: I worked on this climb over two days on a warm spell in Dec., 2001. The first day I spent cleaning out the cracks, then came back and bolted it on lead the next day. On the hike in on day two, I was bitten on one arm by a huge dog that was hiking with two women. It was running off its leash and apparently feeling pretty protective. We all hiked back our cars where one of the women- Paul Cormier's wife Michelle cleaned up my wound. It hurt like hell but it was such a nice day, I had to head back up to finish the climb.  Dogs will be dogs, the women were very apologetic, and I didn't pursue it further. My big, dumb golden runs free on trails, too.   
I'm hesitant to call this a FA, because the history is obscure and my feeling is that by now, most of the crags in the White Mountains have been criss crossed by anonymous climbers for decades. I'm pretty sure the cracks hadn't been climbed directly because they were packed with dirt, but the slab above- who knows. Maybe a FRA.

For those who haven't climbed there, it's a great backcountry crag with mostly exceptional rock and terrific views. 

[Admin Al]

went to hike up there on Sunday. there were at least 25 cars at the lot when we arrived so that was a concern. about halfway up we met folks coming down telling of a church group heading up to Middle of about 100 people carrying guitars, babies, megaphones & box lunches! [sigh] needless to say we opted for North...

there are a couple of huge boulders near the bottom of the trail, just past the logging road. there has to be some bouldering on those, tho they are covered with moss & lichen now. in addition on the 302 side of the North summit there are some pretty huge ledges. there is at least an 80' overhanging cliff up there. has anyone climbed on any of that? someone has to have done that...

after the hike I looked along the Zeland road to see if I could find an open place to get a shot of Middle but couldn't find anything. does anyone have a wide shot of the slab side that I could use for the Routes section? same for Mt. Oscar...

thanks

--al

[cwoodman]

Al,
There is a bit of climbing on North Sugarloaf and that, too, was listed in Webster's older guidebooks. Mostly done by the prolific Todd Swain & Co back in the 70's. I climbed there in the late 70's with mentors Dick Peterson & Jose Abeyta, but I'd definitely recommend 'Middle' if I was a first time 'sugarloafer' looking to hike in there and climb. North has a nice view and more solitude though.
Chuck

[gags]

Al,
I think I climbed that route Joe Perez described to you a couple of weeks ago.  The route description is good except for the fact that the bolt line on the first pitch starts to the right of the large right facing corner - not the left.  The bolt on the third pitch you speak of protects a move over the corner and the climb finishes to the left of the corner/arete.  Very fun climb.
-gags

[Admin Al]

gags & Chuck -

thanks for the comments. Sugarloaf seems like a great place to climb. the solitude & beauty is almost unsurpassed. I'll bet the views of the Zeland Valley are truly amazing in the fall. now about some drier weather...

--al

[punxnotdead]

So Jack and I went up there yesterday. 9/26.   We did Chucks route Bad Dog, which I found to be an awesome piece of climbing, really fun with bolts right where you need them (I love that natural thread anchor) 

Also did pitch one of Bolt in the Sky.  The second pitch didnt look that exciting so we just rapped.  But now, after reading the beta on it, I will have to go back and do the whole thing.

We also did a Cormier? (famous hangers on it) route that I did many years ago as well. 

I started up the middle route that finishes with the crack/overlap, but the arthritis in my left big toe wasnt interested in doing the run out from the first to the second bolt on P1.  So we just walked out.

I would love to see a write up on this cliff (Paul/Chuck/Ed W?).  It is such a great place which is full of adventure (which could be an arguement for NOT writing up this cliff).  We didnt see anyone on Oscar.

we noticed a lone bolt on the very short slab way to the right (facing out from the top of the cliff), any ideas? It seemed to be a new one.

I plan on going up there one more time this year, as it is just so friggin beautiful out there.

Bill

[Admin Al]

I would love to see a write up on this cliff (Paul/Chuck/Ed W?).  It is such a great place which is full of adventure (which could be an arguement for NOT writing up this cliff). 

I hear this comment every so often for some of the outback cliffs. it's one for not publicizing the hike in to Crag Y or descriptions of Green's Cliff. "I don't want it to become another Cathedral Ledge!" frankly these areas will NEVER become all that popular. only a select group pf climbers will spend the time to make the hike to Green's or Sugarloaf. it's just not going to happen. when I go to Woodchuck/Eagle Cliff there is never anyone there. in fact I don't think I've ever been there when anyone else is there. the only time I see other folks at a place like Lost Ledge is when it's a group that has planned to meet there.

IMNSHO if you want routes to not retreat back into the lichen & moss that they came from, they need to at least be occasionally climbed. Therefore people need to know about them. hey - I'll bet Crag Y is totally overgrown.

--al

[strandman]

I for one Al would be happy to write up some stuff for Green's or some other crags. How about Stairs ?  If we did it for the Captain then why not these ?

As for Sugarloaf- I saw Ed Websters draft for a guide book that was to be volume 2 of his last book that was quite detailed. Is Ed still in Brownfield ?

[DGoguen]

I'll bet Crag Y is totally overgrown.

It's been two years since I've been out there but it wasn't any worse than what you would expect from that type of experience. I've been there a few times and have enjoyed it for what it is. It's full on crack climbing that's a bit scrappy. But what do I know, I thought Gypsy was reasonably clean last time I did it.

[Admin Al]

Strand - let me look thru my notes. I think I have some stuff for Green's plus there is the few things in the Webster guide. I'll send you what I have & see if we can coordinate. Ed is living over on the coast in Maine. not sure of his address these days tho.

Dave G - that's better than I would have expected considering that it's so rarely visited. wish there was a better trail/directions tho.

--al

[DGoguen]

"I don't want it to become another Cathedral Ledge!"
You can choose your own experience at Cathedral. The other day a friend and I traversed into Don't Fire from Diedre. The bolted crux is well protected and has two pitches of 5.9 corner above that. Granted it's not the cleanest but thats part of it. You can still have an adventure. Get on something different.  

[DGoguen]

Dave G - that's better than I would have expected considering that it's so rarely visited. wish there was a better trail/directions tho.
--al

It took me a whole day to find Crag Y the first time. Without climbing. Love NE
I've hit it each time after that. Probably jinxed myself now.
My Directions: Hit GO TO, and as you follow the arrow, stumble through the woods like an idiot until you surprisingly come to the top of the cliff.

[strandman]

Base told me that they were looking for the outback Cliff when they stumbled upon Crag Y ! It's got to be at least 5 miles away! Outback must be pretty desolate now too. Stairs has some good routes as a pretty easy hike (if jericho RD is open ) a nice area.

[alclimbup2]

LOL, I can picture Base stumbling around in the woods for hours and finally finding something to climb, would love additional info on Stairs and Greens other than whats already in the orig Webster Guide, thanx if you guys come up with something

just looked at long range weather forecast, bummer for rock,maybe it'll change,hope so, have friday off  Hiked Lafayette last friday, upper cairns all iced up, windchill had to be near 0, brrr, time to sharpen the tools