Moby Grape is perhaps the best 5.8 rock climb in the state of New Hampshire. It is a long, superb route in an alpine setting with a variety of excellent face and crack climbing. The route is found on Cannon Cliff, a 1000' tall piece of weathered granite in Franconia Notch. This cliff is famous for being the home of the Old Man of the Mountains, New Hampshire's official state symbol. To make an ascent of Moby Grape, the climber must be prepared for an alpine rock climb. This means he or she must be able to judge rock quality, route find, set appropriate anchors, and deal with the sudden weather for which Cannon Cliff is famous.

Rack: A standard rack with extra #3 and #3.5 Camalot sizes. Consider bringing two ropes in case a retreat is necessary.

Approach: From the Profile Lake parking lot (accessed from I-93 South) hike south on the paved bicycle path which leaves the parking lot at its southerly end. Hike the path until just past a huge boulder and a plaque on the trail's left side (5 mins.) Look carefully to your right and you will find a faint trail, often marked by a cairn, that leads into the woods on your right.

Follow this trail up through the woods, scrambling over rocks and a few snags when necessary. Exit the woods following cairns heading up and slightly left, aiming for the highest point of the talus where the trail enters a higher section of trees. Follow the trail into the woods, first to the right and then back to the left. You then will come out at the base of Cannon Cliff, at the start of the routes Union Jack and Vertigo. Follow the trail left (south) along the base of the cliff up for a short distance, then down on the left side of a prominent buttress called the Conn Buttress. The start of Moby Grape is at the base of this buttress (30-45 mins.)



Pitch 1: There are two starts to Moby Grape, Reppy's Crack and the original start. Reppy's Crack is of much higher quality than the original start and will be described here. It is a sustained, clean jam crack which would probably be more at home in Yosemite or Patagonia than New Hampshire. Jam this obvious crack up to a pod. The crux is passing this pod where the crack widens to fist width for a few feet. Reach a chockstone with slings where an anchor can be set up (100', 5.8). It is best to continue past this first possible anchor as a better anchor and stance exists higher up. To do so climb up and right on a somewhat delicate flake, then angle back left passing another set of slings in a steep, gully-like section. Climb over a few blocks to a bolted belay on the skyline at a comfortable ledge. If you don't have a 60 meter rope it is necessary to break this pitch into two pitches. (180', 5.8)

Pitch 2: From the bolted anchor scramble up and left avoiding loose rock until it's possible to climb a steep left facing corner to another great ledge below a steep section. The crux of the climb, the obvious triangular roof, should be looming directly above. Create an anchor here, there are many possibilities for medium-sized nuts and cams. (90', 4th class)

Pitch 3: Climb the shallow right facing corner above the belay for about 20', then head slightly to the left where it's possible to gain a thin, right leaning finger crack. Follow this crack until underneath the roof. Take a deep breathe and then turn the roof with a combination of laybacking and jamming (small belay spot above roof in good rock) and follow the crack above to a good belay ledge. There are two options here for a belay, the fixed pins which should be backed up on the left, or a number of cracks and blocks at the right end of the ledge where the next pitch goes. Either belay is a bit suspect, especially the right one due to general looseness in the area, so take your time to create a good anchor and don't belay directly off the anchor if you have any doubts of the rock's quality. (100', 5.8)

Pitch 4: Climb off the right hand side of the ledge up a shallow, right facing corner. You'll pass an old bent piton from an earlier era as you climb to the top of the corner. From here trend left a bit (some face climbing is involved) and head up the beautiful rock to one of the two ledges above. The lower ledge is a bit more convenient for the leader of the next pitch but requires slightly harder climbing to access, the higher ledge demands a slight step down to begin the next lead. Good anchors in solid cracks can be created at both ledges.(125', 5.8)

Pitch 5: From either ledge head right to the precarious looking thin flake which points to the left. Hand traverse across this flake and mantle up to a big sloping ledge beneath another prominent feature, the Finger of Fate. The Finger of Fate appears like a granite shark's fin stuck to the cliff by some act of God. It's pretty stable though so don't fret. The Finger can be climbed on either side, the right side is probably easier but a bit airy while the left side demands some squirming. From the flake's top head up and slightly left for a few feet to reach a decent ledge. (100' 5.7+)

Pitch 6: From here there are two main options. The first is to traverse right on the ledge until reaching a loose gully called the Conn Dike. Climb this gully up to the next big ledge. The second option which is a bit more aesthetic is to move to the left end of the ledge, then climb a short, difficult step (5.7ish) up to a crack. Follow this crack to a small ledge, then climb a shallow left facing corner to a larger sloping ledge above. (165', up to 5.7)

Pitch 7: If you used the Conn Dike option move a ways to the left until it is possible to angle up and left through trees to a belay beneath a prominent chimney. If you used the second option you'll need to walk right about 30' and reset your belay beneath the chimney. (up to 50', 4th class)

Pitch 8: Climb the chimney via a nice crack, then hand traverse right and mantle onto a slab. A wide crack heads off to the right here. Follow this crack for about a 100' and set up your belay at a small stance below an obvious steepening with two cracks in the rock above. (150', 5.7)

Pitch 9: Climb the overlap, then head up and right across a brief slab section to the next series of cracks which lead over a steep bit. Follow the cracks up and right and get into a left facing corner with a somewhat detached-looking rock in it's back. Climb this corner for 20' to a the top of the climb, a large, comfortable sloping ledge with a great view. (150' 5.7)

Descent: Scramble up and right over rocks for about 25', then look for a faint climbers' track which heads down and to the right (north). Follow this track through brushes and over rocks, generally staying fairly close to the cliff's drop off. At one point you will encounter a section which looks impenetrable, but it actually has several trails through it so take your time and find them. Head down aiming for an old helicopter landing pad (it looks like a small building foundation). From the pad head steeply down over some rocks (note the really cool one that looks like a mushroom!) to the top of the Old Man, marked by all kinds of cables and eyebolts. From here follow the obvious trail down and left which will take you to the valley bottom at the north end of Profile Lake. Follow the trail south along the west edge of Profile Lake to the parking lot.

This climb is an absolute classic and a "must do." The sharp ridge offers several pitches of great climbing with lots of exposure and marvelous views. The route also has comfortable belay ledges which offer respite from the steep ascent. This an alpine rock climb, meaning there is some loose rock and the potential for violent weather. Climbers attempting this route need to be very competent in their route finding, anchoring, and rappelling skills.

Rack: A standard rack. Consider leading on double ropes or bringing a second rope in case a retreat is necessary.

Approach: Park in the Profile Lake parking lot (only accessed from I-93 South because the highway in the notch is divided, if you're coming from the south turn around at the north end of the notch and return on I-93 South). Head south out of the lot on the paved bicycle path for about 6 minutes, then look for a faint trail heading off into the woods on your right. The correct trail is just past a picnic table and should be marked with a cairn on your right. Do not take the trail that leaves immediately after the large boulder about 3 minutes from the parking lot, as this will take you to the Vertigo/Moby Grape area, not the Whitney-Gilman. Follow the small trail up through the woods until you come out onto a wide talus slope. Follow cairns through this slope (several ways are possible) up to the Whitney-Gilman Ridge. The first pitch of the route begins about 50' uphill of the base of the ridge in a large gully-like break on the ridge's north side. (30-45 mins)

Pitch 1: Climb up the big break past some old fixed pitons until it is possible to angle left and up to a big ledge and a inside right facing corner. Climb this corner to gain the top of a pedestal. Step left onto a face from the top of the pedestal, then angle up and right avoiding loose rock to a large belay ledge (140', 5.4) A variation to this pitch is also possible. From the very toe of the ridge, scramble up a short ways to a crack in the back of a right facing corner. Climb this crack and corner system to the ledge at the base of the inside right facing corner mentioned above and belay here. With an extra pitch reach the large belay ledge in the same manner as described above (2 pitches, 5.7)

Pitch 2: Move up and and left from the belay heading for a V-like groove left of the ridge's edge. Follow the groove past several fixed pins and up onto a sloping ledge where a large block recently fell off. Carefully climb up and right off the ledge taking care to watch for loose rock. Climb up and back right over a steeper section and onto a large ledge. Belay here in the corner at the base of several cracks. (100', 5.6) Variation: Climb the hand crack above the pitch 1 belay for 80' and belay on a sloping ledge at the the top of the crack. (80', 5.8) Pitch 3: The Pipe Pitch. On the route's first ascent a piece of metal pipe was inserted into the rock and used as a hand and foothold. The original pipe was looted long ago but a modern rendition was placed in its memory. To begin the pitch climb cracks in the corner to the top of a pedestal. Climb up and right and reach the pipe by stepping onto the north wall (right of ridge's edge). Check out the massive exposure below! Climb past the pipe (one tricky move, find the hidden handhold) and up to a small stance on the ridge's edge about 20' above the pipe. (70', 5.7) If you climbed the pitch 2 variation then climb up off the belay on steep rock trending slightly left to reach the pipe. Finish as described above. There's great exposure on this lead! (80', 5.7)

Pitch 4: Move up off the belay and step back onto the north wall of the ridge. Climb a short step, then follow the ridge to a steep wall. Traverse left across the base of this wall, then climb a short right facing corner. At the top of the corner belay at the nice stance underneath a shallow right facing corner/flake system. (70', 5.6)

Pitch 5: Climb the corner and flake above to the crest of the ridge, then angle back left following a thin crack. Diagonal to the left until it is possible to step above a blocky section (fixed knifeblade here) onto a sloping ledge. Climb off the ledge into the steep, open corner above. There is some loose rock here so be careful! Follow the corner past a bulge to easier climbing and the top of the ridge. (130', 5.7)

Descent: From the top of the ridge, follow a good trail up and left over a short section of rocks and roots. From here keep following the well defined trail which heads up and left before it descends steeply down into the woods. The trail takes you all the way back to the paved bicycle path. From here turn left (north) and follow the paved path to the parking lot.