| Description: |
Mostly sport climbing area on the banks of the
Susquehanna River |
| Location: |
Approximately 2 hours north of Washington,
D.C., 1 hour northwest of Baltimore, MD near Lancaster County, PA. |
| Directions: |
From D.C. get on out of the city and head on
I-95 north towards Baltimore/New York. Continue on 95 through Baltimore to Route 222
(the first exit after crossing the bridge over the Susquehanna River). Follow exit
to the stop light, make right hand turn on Rt. 222 North. Make a left hand turn at
the next light to stay on Rt. 222. Drive for about 10 minutes through one sleepy
little town until Rt. 222 intersects with Rt. 1 at the Conowingo Dam. Make a right
hand turn, follow the road up the hill and make a left hand turn onto Old Mill Road.
Follow the road down for a couple of minutes to the first stop sign. Make
left (stay to the right of the veer) and follow Old Mill Road to the next stop sign.
Go straight and follow the road to the river. Park off to the left before the
tracks. |
NOTE! |
Access to this area is a major issue.
There is heavy debate as to who even owns the land (the power company or the
railroad). Please be very weary of this issue as you plan your outing. Keep
numbers in your party to a minimum. Do not loiter, do not drink booze, and act on
your best behavior. If asked to leave by the authorities, leave immediately and be
courteous as you depart. Do not jeopardize access to this area forever by
being a dick! Thank you. |
The Cauldron
| Description: |
After hoofing up the vague steep
trail |
| Approach: |
From the parking area, follow
the tracks left (downstream). The climbs are on your left-hand side just before the
tunnel. Total approach time - 10 minutes. |
Middle Earth
| Description: |
After walking down the tracks
and past some chossy rock you will find 7 bolted routes ranging from 5.8 to 5.11.
The bolts are hard to see because they have been painted to match the rock and sealed with
epoxy. The routes are long, exciting, and a little bit dirty. Start out on
the easy stuff first. |
| Approach: |
From the parking area, follow
the tracks left (downstream). The climbs are on your left-hand side just before the
tunnel. Total approach time - 10 minutes. |
| Get Mad |
(5.10a/ 7 bolts / 60 ft / PPPP ) |
| Location: |
First run on left-most side after
chossy rocks. |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Climb steep face to belay at very
top. Climb is often wet - (see above picture) |
| Jap Time |
(5.8/ 8 bolts / 60 ft / PPP ) |
| Location: |
Climb at arete just left of the
graffiti "S" |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Climb steep face to comfortable belay. |
| Nebuchadnezzar's Dream |
(5.9/ 9 bolts / 70 ft / PPP ) |
| Location: |
3 feet Right of Jap in corner |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Just follow bolts up non-obvious
line, past overhang 40 feet up, to stance below a bulge with a bolt. DO NOT go left
up easy looking, but rotten gully; go straight up over right side of bulge to top.
Much better than it looks. |
| Fastidious Dude |
(5.8/ 12 bolts / 80 ft / P ) |
| Location: |
15 feet right of Nebuchadnezzar's |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Climb vague line up ledgy face to
belay at top. |
| Bleeding Heart |
(5.10/ 11 bolts / 80 ft / PPPP ) |
| Location: |
15 feet right of Fastidious Dude
at graffiti "U" |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Climb forgettable 5.9- rock to
ledge with bush 35 feet up. Climb up and left (hard) and into right facing dihedral.
Climb dihedral to top and belay station. Wild crux at very top! |
| Perchance to Dream |
(5.9+/ 11 bolts / 80 ft / PPP ) |
| Location: |
Same as Bleeding Heart |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Climb Bleeding Heart to the 8th
bolt (extra long runner) and move easily right to another bolt (long runner). Climb
up and right to belay. Hell of a runout then the crux after 10th bolt. |
| Screwed Up Bitch |
(5.8/ 12 bolts / 80 ft / PP ) |
| Location: |
20 feet right of Bleeding heart at
graffiti "NO" |
| Anchors: |
Two bolts and slings |
| The Run: |
Climb left face of dihedral.
Follow to the top. |
| Comments: |
"Climb fun dirty face to ledge
with bush. Hard move getting onto ledge. Continue up for a couple of more
bolts on bulging arete. Crux is getting to last bolt before anchors. Slopers
and a hell of a reach to a breadbox get you to the bolt. Great undercling at the
anchors." - MG |
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