Online Map of Climbing in NB

[*Chris*]

Hi folks,

Thought I'd offer up something which may (or may not) be of value. Over the holiday I began a project in an attempt to learn HTML and basic website design. The result was a blog which is likely of little relevance to most here. However... one component of that site is an area which I set up to share some of the mapping projects which I've been maintaining now for some time. It occurred to me that although this forum contains a wealth of info on NB's climbing locations, that info is somewhat difficult to find without exactly knowing what to search for.

Built around the Google Earth plug-in, I created http://oppositeandopposed.blogspot.com.

In it, you'll find both online maps as well as the download data upon which the maps are built. In an attempt to be comprehensive, I've included all locations which I know of for rock, ice, and gyms. I've also including some coordinates of promising areas which likely deserve some exploration to rule them 'in' or 'out'. Unfortunately, I have not found a smooth way of sharing the high-resolution photo overlays I have for these areas. Some of my attempts threatened to implode the internet.

I have built this site primarily as a tool for navigation... don't expect to find any online guides... at least not for now. I just thought I'd share what I have. There's certainly potential to add much more in terms of photos, descriptions, climber's trails, and yes... even links to online guides... but I'm not sure if that would be something of value. Certainly there's other avenues for that sort of thing (such as http://www.mountainproject.com). I'm not much for re-inventing wheels. Hope this comes in handy for someone. Reactions (both positive and negative) are welcome.

[Greg]

Wow Chris, nice work. You have obviously invested a fair amount of time in this project. Well done.

Especially of interest to folks will be the Potential Unexplored section and Red Rock Mountain (nice photo). Were you planning on adding the rest of the route descriptions to the guide?

I will try to get down to the Bonny River location sometime in the spring and see what's doing.

In checking out the rock climbing areas I noticed some errors concerning the rock types.

Gondola Point and Hampton Marsh are ryolite not granite. Kingston is ryolite and basalt and I think Sunnyside is diabase.

Great site - I'm sure I will visit it often.

[*Chris*]

Thanks for the corrections Greg. I'll fix when I can. I thought I had a more complete RRM guide somewhere but I do not. I'll probably remove until I can update it. I'd like to assemble overview photos of each area (so folks know what to look for) but only if others can contribute and indicate that it's worthwhile.

[martha]

I think it is great Chris. Nice work. Any extra resource is a benefit to the community. Thanks for your hard work!

[david]

Hey Chris,
I was in the lake Utopia area this week and I decided to check out red rock mountain... good find! Have you guys looked at the smaller wall to the left of the main wall. I was impressed by rock quality there. Not very high (max 40-50 feet) but it keeps going and going. There are a few obvious and nice looking trad lines and a really blank slightly overhanging face. Biggest granite boulders I've seen in NB too... no nice problems on them though. What's the status on the cliff, are you planning on developing more this summer? Does the main wall get better as you go up? It looked a bit crumbly from the base of the cliff. I also walked to Mill's lake... not much going on there.

[*Chris*]

Hello David,
Glad you like the place. Here's the skinny... as I know it. Two summers ago Erick B. and myself spent a number of days around that crag doing some cleaning, trundling, and bolting. We established several lines and made a mini-guide available on my site. We lost interest as the peregrine closure at Cochrane lane lifted and sadly, never made it back last year to bag the FFA's on the routes. I'd say they are all fair game although I intend to return next time I'm in the area with some time. That said, Fred B. and Jon C. also spent some time cleaning and bolting there. I can't speak for their lines.

The headwall (climber's right) and the slabs (left) received most of our attention but there's certainly still lines to get cleaned. In general, the rock quality is poor and crumbly for the first 15 feet or so and then improves. The slabs have granite equal in quality to Whitehorse in NH. I'm not aware of rock left of the slabs *as your description suggests*. Sounds good. Have at it. Post pics. Happy hunting.

[david]

Do you have a more up-to-date mini-guide? The one I could find on your site only describes one route. Are the 'slabs' to the left of the picture in your guidebook? The wall I am talking of would be way down and to the left of the picture.

I don't really have time right now, but I might go down and clean some of the trad routes sometimes this summer.

[*Chris*]

Unfortunately that's all I've got. Erick B. names for all the other routes drawn on the topo but I don't have descriptions. The slabs are essentially the left half of the photo. It's chossy vertical climbing for 15-20 feet and then quality slab climbing after that. If there is another wall way down and to the left of the slabs... then we didn't see it... but that would surprise me. Not sayin' its not there... it would just surprise me that we missed a pile of trad routes. If so, cool. Post pics.

[Fred]

I think Greg and Stacey climbed some routes on the wall left of the slabs.

Jon C and I bolted a route up the middle of the left slabs. Amazing quality granite. The route is about 5.11a slab but at the moment it's incomplete. The last 10ft headwall was incredibly difficult and we couldn't find a weakness aside from our own.

[cory]

Good idea and nice work. The map concept will be of particular use to those planning trips. I doubt Googlemaps knows the name "Cloud Base" and would return about a dozen locations for "Bear Mtn" (though I've not checked).

There are a 4 bouldering spots I can think of that could be added, but I don't have coordinates for you.

My one objection is your reference to Cape Spencer as "sharp". This is a common misconception about the place. Overall it is no sharper or smoother than Cochrane Lane. And nowhere near as sharp as many bouldering locations in NS.

[PeterA]

Good idea and nice work. The map concept will be of particular use to those planning trips. I doubt Googlemaps knows the name "Cloud Base" and would return about a dozen locations for "Bear Mtn" (though I've not checked).

however, it's geographical name bald hill would probably turn up results

-PJ

[*Chris*]

Good idea and nice work. The map concept will be of particular use to those planning trips. I doubt Googlemaps knows the name "Cloud Base" and would return about a dozen locations for "Bear Mtn" (though I've not checked).

There are a 4 bouldering spots I can think of that could be added, but I don't have coordinates for you.

My one objection is your reference to Cape Spencer as "sharp". This is a common misconception about the place. Overall it is no sharper or smoother than Cochrane Lane. And nowhere near as sharp as many bouldering locations in NS.

I dunno man. I climbed a few boulders there. Felt like climbing on razors to me. But whatever. I'm a sissy.

[Fred]

I've climbed many full days at Cape Spencer and wasn't shredded anywhere near as bad as a day on Nova Scotia granite.

[Adam]

i did find it sharp, but not like granite is. sharp edges here and there that if you slipped off a hold it could be bad but prob ok and most holds are relatively friendly. tho it must be 5 years since i made it down there. should prob hit it up again at some point!

[Greg]

I think Greg and Stacey climbed some routes on the wall left of the slabs.

Jon C and I bolted a route up the middle of the left slabs. Amazing quality granite. The route is about 5.11a slab but at the moment it's incomplete. The last 10ft headwall was incredibly difficult and we couldn't find a weakness aside from our own.

Yeah we top roped a couple of lines on the left (west) side of the cliff a couple of years ago. There is a pretty sweet pillar up there too. I'll see if Stacey can post a couple of pics. This is a really cool spot and it would be great for someone to pick up the torch and run with it. The location is a problem for us but for the Freddy Beach/Saint John folks it is a bit more accessable.

[travisrthomas]

THANKS CHRIS now get me out there!!