Start right of Old Town, head up past a big boulder and eventually passing a tree and moving left on to a nice face. Finish on the Old Town ledge.

Grendal

Starts at a fun corner that requires an interesting high foot that will make you get into a fantastic layback that you'll stay in for the rest of this climb. make some fun moves until you mantle the ledge at the half-way point then protect high off the ledge and continue up the upper layback (crux) to the easy topout. 

Matthew Fienup: 

  Truly classic laybacking and stemming at an accessible grade. Every bit as good as it looks.

Old Town

From the base of Chitlin's Corner, move up and right to a left facing corner behind a large tree. On the ledge above the corner, step a few feet right along the ledge, then climb another left facing corner to the Return To Forever belay ledge and a 2 bolt anchor.

Precipice Ledges

STARTS Mid-Ledge at the belay shared by "CT Cracks", "Old Town" and "Grendal".

 Reach out of the left end of the ledge on top of Old Town and clip the first bolt. Make some fingery moves to pull onto the wall and climb up past two more bolts. Make an awkward mantle move above the third bolt then make a couple more moderate moves, ending at a two bolt anchor right below the Return to Forever corner.

Fingertips on a Seascape  (mid-cliff START)

Pitch one takes you up a little gully to a slabby section.  Belay at a comfortable stance.  Pitch two goes up a tremendously fun left facing dihedral.  Great stemming and jamming with excellent pro.  Belay at the top of this feature.  Pitch three heads up steep hand cracks.  Veer left at the top of the cracks to find the anchor.  You can descend with one 60 meter rope by doing two rappels.  There is another bolted anchor directly below.

Story of O

Michael's Pin  - (mid-cliff START)

From Pressure Drop/Rusticator anchor, head straight up the slab following a seam/crack. At the head wall, clip a bolt and do a funky boulder problem with killer exposure then follow a hand crack to the trees. Belay off a tree and rap. Bring extra cord for rappel anchor.

High Plains Drifter

Shallow, left facing corner to start and then up cracks to top.to the left of Pipe Dreams.

High Wire

On the right side of the Precipice, just before you encounter the stairs is an obvious open book dihedral. The start is just left of an obvious short roof crack called Small Crack Warning (5.11d). Climb the dihedral (5.10) to its end and belay on the right. Traverse left to a very thin and flared finger crack. Optional belay here. Tricky small pro and a technical crux climbing the crack past a steep swell leads to easier climbing.

Maniacal Depression

Start straight up from the Gunklandia second (often first) pitch bolted anchor. Climb through some easy ledges to the short but sweet hand crack and into an easy offwidth section. Head out left on the flake and up the short left facing corner to the top.

Birch Ade   - (mid-cliff START)

Start 20 feet right of Story of O, follow a grove into a slot then up to the roof. Pull out the roof on the left and into the crack above. Super fun! 

 Amazing finger crack off the 1st pitch ledge of The Story of O -Place gear at any point -Great movement -if only it were as long as Chitlins Corner :/

Fear of Flying

The Butterfield guidebook warns us to be careful getting to the first bolt. After climbing a bunch of easy ground one will be sufficiently high enough to hurt oneself permanently if they were to fall while performing the mandatory 5.9ish move to get the first bolt clipped. This might be a good time for the ol locking carabiner on the first bolt trick. Ed Webster bolted this route on lead. He is definitely The Man! Make thin, technical and committing moves past a drilled piton and another bolt to some much better holds in a suspect flake and go up. Get a bit of a rest, move right into a sea of smooth Feldspar Granite, gain a right angling corner (left wall overhanging) and make committing yet more moderate moves thru the corner making sure to look around for some key footholds. Another interesting flake, the one the gear lives in, allows one to mantle onto the upper slab. Hopefully the aspirant clipped all  of the gear long up to this point because the saga has merely begun. Set sail and get situated beneath the crux finger crack splitting the steep swell of Maniacal Depression. A committing high step gains a solid, bucketous, lock. " Arrrr batten down the hatches matie," cuz its about to get hard! This is one of the few routes I've  been on that goes from slab to vertical to overhanging and back to vertical in 15 feet. Find the sequence thru the series of shallow pods and jams as you walk the plank hanging your butt way out there laybacking the apex of this mounting swell. Get a stance, place some gear in the shin region, and surge up the last sequence. Try not to become Earth's largest land mammal, (The Beached Whale) mantling above small gear with the weight of the rope threatening to pull you out to sea. This is a much better way to access the upper crux of Maniacal Deprerssion.

Gale Face

A high-quality route that is worth your while.   

  Make a steep move or two into the right-facing corner, and move left onto the ramp.  Climb the face above, then find the path of least resistance, trending rightwards, to the bolted anchors.

Albatross

Walking up from the car this is the first route you come to. It is the start of the "Lower Wall".  

  A short crack leads to face climbing past two bolts up a corner to a finger crack to a two bolt anchor equipped with rap rings. 

  careful of loose rock on the upper portion once you're past the bolts, a large rock flexes when a cam is placed behind it.

Balance Queen

A route with little protection, start up a series of blocks to the left of Retlaw to the face. Go straight into easier terrain and the merge with Retlaw to a 2-bolt anchor.

Quiver

The route follows a series of discontinuous finger cracks.    Delicate footwork marks the crux of the rotue as you traverse left to right between cracks.

Connecticut Cracks

Not a route, this is the granite staircase that leads up to the climbs on the Central Slab.  

  It also divides the "Upper/Main Wall" from the "Lower Wall" routes.

The Staircase

A great 5.5 climb in a very scenic location.  Scramble to the top of a detached block.  Jam the steep, vertical crack to a stance.  From here the angle lays back and you follow the beautiful left arching crack until it joins a vertical crack (the top of Recollections of Pacifica).  Belay from the two bolt anchor.  Rappel with one rope.

Wafer Step -(Central Slab)

From Jeff Butterfield's Guide: A quality route. Climb up the yellow wall ten feet right of Small Crack Warning using a short, thin crack for gear. Move up and left past a somewhat hidden bolt to an awkward stance beneath a small roof. Clip a bolt over the roof, then pull over it into the crux, a flared corner with a bolt. Move up and left to reach good holds, then up and right to a 2 bolt anchor.See the COMMENT about the lose block under the overhang! 

Juvenile

Jam the corner. It’s dirty, fun and a good ole adventure! 2 pins and a fixed nut anchor. 

Midnight Delight

[NOTE: A mid-cliff START from the P1 belay of "Story of O". R. Hall, ME Admin.] 

  A steep left arching crack on the left side of the Fear of Flying Buttress. Climb past an old fixed piton into the widening crack. Belay on the tree covered ledge above.

Dynamo Hum  - (mid-cliff START)

Start up London Bridges to a horizontal under two bolts. Make tricky moves with poor feet on tiny crimps to a hard second clip, then just keep it together  while getting further and further above the second bolt...

Swept Away

Scaramouche Arete  - (mid-cliff START)

Starts as a hand/fist sized crack that can be jammed and gets progressively larger as it goes up (i.e. you can practically get inside the thing).  After getting to a nice ledge walk up left to bolted anchor, but you may want to add a directional for your second first.  If you like offwidths you might enjoy this, otherwise you might hate it.

Crack Of Senility -(Central Slab)

[NOTE: A mid-cliff START from the ledge belay shared by the top of: "Country Corner (5.7)", "Dynamo Hum (5.10d)", and "Eclipse (5.11c R)", and P1 of "Fear of Flying (5.10 a)".  R. Hall  ME Admin.]

 Climb a series of cracks on the steep face above and slightly right of the big tree atop fear of flying buttress. [...at it's top it joins with P3 of "Story of O" and heads left to the rap anchors. R Hall ME Admin.]

Vacation Cracks  - (mid-cliff START)

The crux is in the first 20 feet -- thin moves with small gear for pro.  Reach a corner (with relief) and continue on easier ground to a belay on a ledge.  Exciting and fun.  5.7 is an "island rating," otherwise known as sandbag.  Some say this feels as hard as 5.9.

Trotsky

[ NOTE - A Mid-Cliff START on the left end of the "Fingers Ledge" at the belay shared by "2nd belay of Precipice Ledges (5.4) " and "Finger's on a Seascape". R Hall, ME Admin.]Follow three or so bolts up to the left of Return to Forever then launch into the thin seam. I’ve not tried it but the gear looks thin and hard to place.

Games Without Frontiers  - (mid-cliff START)

Enjoyable climbing on the second pitch more than makes up for the bad first pitch and it's weird body positions an gear. 

  P1: Start up the route from just behind the boulder and make awkward moves up to a pin, clip it and make a traverse move right (crux) place a piece and grovel into the chimney. Pull the flaring chimney and setup an anchor, either use the horn backed up or the crack. 

  P2: Stem, Layback, or straight on your way up the short WIDE chimney, it is very classic and unforgettable. clip the pin at the top and traverse 20' right to a rap station and belay up your second. 

  2 60m ropes reach the ground.

Standard Route

2 Stars as a TR off the Balance Queen anchors.    

  I'm not 100% sure what I climbed was exactly the route of FA, but here goes:  

  START- A few feet left of Balance Queen climb up the brown rock and face to a thin finger crack (5.8+ / 5.9- ?) then onto the sloping ledge and climb the roof on the left.

Wilner's Route

This is an independent line just climbers left of Recollections of Pacifica. It begins in a small right facing corner and climbs up to a cool three finger slot. Move left here and clip the bolt. After the bolt is a balancy crux on small feet. Follow easier terrain and good gear to a tricky finish on a left arching slightly flared (at bottom)crack to a two bolt anchor.

 Re FA, comment by Grant Simmons:"Originally done by Kurt Winkler before the placement of the bolt.  He utilized a small thread as pro in that section. "  [R Hall  ME, Admin.]

Star Face Mole

More classic stemming & laybacking!  A terrific linkup with Old Town. 

  From the Old Town ledge, climb straight up through an awkward V-shaped slot to reach the clean, left-facing corner.  Stem and layback your way to the top.

Return to Forever  - (mid-cliff START)

Not a route but the higher dividing line between the routes in the Alcove area (and the staircase leading to the Central Slabs) and the climbs on the main face.

Main Wall / Alcove / Staircase Break

Fun route with neat traversing to the left to keep the grade modest. 

  Step up on the ramp (could be slick...take care) and sink the fingers into the flake over the roof.  Place a bomber cam or two, maybe a nut, then pop the roof to a nice stance.  Step left.  Float up the easy section of Russian Revolution then again step left to avoid the finish of that route.  Milk the arête for some fun and stimulating finish moves which look hard but aren't too sassy. 

  A long sling on pro at the moves left will nearly eliminate rope drag. 

  The pin on the upper crack of Russian Revolution could be clipped if need be.  Long sling keeps the drag down here too.   

  There's a bit of a lack of gear on the upper arête prior to the top out so take care and get good gear prior to launch. 

  Great finish position on the final arête!

Mme. LeBois' Troubled Lunge -(Central Slab)

High up on the wall left of Sea Gypsy Fat Back Crack is a great moderate route that see's little action because of its location. Get your jam on, stem and layback up the excellent corner to a two bolt anchor. Two 60M rappels will get you back to the ground.

Fat Back Crack

Originally Climbed by Chris Gill and Ray Simpson on top rope. Slab, face, roofs, and heel hooks -- this climb has it all! Off the mid- cliff anchors for Story of, step up, clip a bolt, and traverse the slab to the arete and the face with black streaks. A sneaky nut placement protects the move to the next bolt. Fun  face climbing leads to a crux above the fourth bolt. There are two options here for the finish.The original top rope line climbs straight up to the ledge above, then traverses the ledge to the final crack.The other option, (the more fun and sustained one) is to head left after the fourth bolt and pull the roof, which is directly under the final crux crack to the top. After the fourth bolt all the protection is small and intricate.

Impalpable Cracks

A fun and varied route that pulls through an awesome, obvious roof crack you can see from the ground. The second pitch is a bit spicy but I don't think it's R-rated like the guidebook indicates. 

  Pitch 1:(5.8 50 ft.) Climb the corner on the right side of the buttress to the two bolt anchor   

  Pitch 2: (5.8 PG-13/R 70 ft.) Make insecure slabby face moves off the anchor (5.8 crux)to reach a bolt about fifteen feet up. This gets a 5.8R in the guidebook cause if you blow the crux you're going to take a factor two fall on the anchor. After the first bolt continue up easier and slightly run-out climbing right then left up a ramp to a two bolt anchor. (You could probably run this pitch together with pitch one, then you wouldn't have the crux right over the anchor.) 

  Pitch 3 (5.9+ 90ft.) Climb up under the first, smaller roof, clipping a piece of cord attached to a piton in a small corner over the lip. Pull up into the corner then climb right and then back left till you are under the roof crack. Plug in a #1 or #2 then pull out the roof on jams and crimps on the face on the left. Savor the exposure then climb to the two bolt anchor at the top. 

  Descent: 2 single rope rappels

Sea Gypsy

This climb follows the right side of Sea Gypsy buttress and can be used as an alternate start for that route. Start up large blocks to access the right-facing corner, then jam the crack and pull (gently) on the wedged flakes and blocks in the corner. Belay at the bloated station above or link into p2 of Sea Gypsy.

Southern Fried Chute

Climb the crack in the corner. Exit left and climb the crack up left.

From Russia With Love -(Central Slab)

Awesome, pumpy, finger crack up the right hand wall of Chitlin's Corner!  Can be broken into two pitches, but link into one long pitch for full effect!

Jaws

Climb onto the pedestal, clip a bolt, then do a stiff boulder problem to access the upper finger crack. Climb straight up to a two bolt belay. Rap with a single 60m rope.

Rusticator

Gunklandia is a local classic, with 3 fun pitches and a little bit of spice at the end. It starts a little down hill from old town. 

  The first two pitches are commonly combined into one and follow an easy corner system and crack to a spacious belay ledge with rap anchors. From here up and to the right takes you to a bomb bay chimney which puts the sting in the tail of this scorpion.  

  Have fun.   - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -  

  [Maine Admin. note: The "Direct" variation ( 15 ft of unprotected 5.9 on P1) probably should be listed here as only a variation, but it has it's own route listing. R Hall. If anyone has a photo of someone climbing it it would be greatly appreciated if you posted it.  I will make it the "lead" photo for the "Direct". ]

Gunklandia

P1: Start on a  big mossy ledge and head up and left to the big corner then make an awkward mantle. Do a bit of jamming/laybacking with decent feet up the good corner then continue way right to a two bolt anchor. It would be a good idea to place a piece after exiting the crack just in case your second blows the finishing moves. 5.7   P2: Continue up and left on a bushy crack for 10ft, then head right through a small overlap shooting for yet another bushy crack. Finish up an obvious corner to another two bolt anchor.    Two single 60m rappels will get you back to the ledge.

Boys From Bangor

Climb the left facing, flared crack by using offwidth technique or laybacking the large flake.  Gain the Old Town ledge and belay from the fixed anchors there.

London Bridges

Climb the face up to the hanging corner (which Trotsky follows), and break left up the steep, juggy flake ladder. Pull up on to the slab(the guidebook called this the crux, but I though the steep climbing was harder, if more secure)and follow the small, left facing corner to a ledge and a gear anchor. Alternatively, traverse right from the ledge and belay from the slings at the top of Trotsky's Corner.

Chicken of the Sea

This climb is on the Central Slabs; after passing the end of the Lower Wall, go up the talus and Staircase and continue right. 

  Start as for Bartleby, but at the roof go right. Climb straight up to a tree ledge and a fixed anchor.

Sweet Surrender -(Central Slab)

A very long corner. This pitch is super classic even thought it has some preamble to it that isn't very fun. Start up the blocky finish, gain the rambling wavy corner and enjoy it to the top. Sometimes the last move to the anchor can be pretty wet. 

  The first time I was on this climb I was just learning how to trad climb and I placed well over 18 pieces of gear, the next time I was on it I placed 8. 

  The second pitch is a stiff and thin 5.10a that traverses under a roof. 

[ Admin. NOTE: First pitch is a long nice 5.7 pitch that goes to a small ledge and anchor. R Hall, from a suggestion by R Birk] 

Chitlin's Corner

Climb up the small right facing corner/crack system to a ledge.  At the ledge angle right and up through  an offwidth crack, and then move up and left to the anchor.

The Philadelphia Story

Head up the same start as Fear of Flying, then continue straight up over the small roof. Good face climbing on mostly positive holds leads to a bolt, mantle and climb the slab to glory. Belay on top of the same ledge as the last pitch of Story of O.

The Tempest

Boulder into the roof and do a few powerful moves to easy climbing above. This thing is stout! Definitely a good time! 

Pirates of Penzance

P 1:  Start up Chitlins Corner.  After 50ft. move up right onto discontinuous cracks to a semi hanging belay ledge (gear). 

  P 2: Follow corner/ramp to a small roof.  Pull roof (crux) and continue up face to belay ledge (2 bolt anchors).  

Green Mt. Breakdown

Starting at the two bolt anchor for the last pitch of Sea Gypsy, head up slightly left then straight up to a bolt. Embark on the seemingly blank slab to a thin crack heading up to a short steep section with another bolt. Mantle up then continue to finish on Fat Back Crack.

Fat Gypsy

Climb the first 130 ft of Chitlin's Corner to the bolts.  Then climb up and right on tricky moves off Chitlin's Corner bolts to a rest.  Then follow a thin crack up and left into the top of Chitlins Corner.  High feet, good crimps and shallow jams will get you through the long crux.  More sustained than Selfless or Maniacal.

Space Between

Not a route but a place. This is the talus and vegetated area you come to walking uphill from the car after passing the last climb on Lower Wall (currently Albatross in the current guidebook) 

  For climbs in the Alcove area (Juvenile, High Wire, Pipe Dreams, Chicken of the Sea, and Trotsky) head up the talus but don't continue on the stone staircase.  

  For climbs on the Central Slabs ( Bartleby, Sweet Surrender, Crack of Senility, From Russia with Love, Mme. LeBois Plunge, Recollections of Pacifica, and Wafer Step) go up the talus and continue on up the stone staircase.  

  For other climbs on the Main Wall continue past on the main trail.

Lower Wall / Alcove / Staircase Break

You must climb pitch one of Green Mountain Breakdown to get to this route.  From the GMB belay ledge, go up the ramp to the roof.  Exit the roof left to make delicate moves to traverse to the face.  Follow the obvious crack that diagonals left up the face toward Chitlin's Corner.

The Wet Lithuanian

Climb up underneath the bush and move left to gain a crack.  Follow the crack up underneath a roof. Head under the roof's left side and then continue straight up to the anchor.

Retlaw

Striking finger crack that splits the smooth face right of Gunklandia.  One must hang with the crack the entire way for full value.  Stepping left into Gunklandia at any point drops the grade to 5.9. 

  Descend by walking up and left from the top of the route (exposed class 2+) to the bolted rappel anchor atop Return to Forever.  2-Rappels with a 60m rope lead to the ground.

Emigrant Crack  - (mid-cliff START)

Start left of the Trotsky Corner at a thin seam with pins. Climb up this seam until it ends and fire the shield above. Another brilliant Bob Parrott Route.

Pipe Dreams

The direct itself is a short (15 feet) set of unprotected face moves at 5.9 that ascend to and join the main GL crack at its first horizontal break. 

   It is not "some discontinuous finger cracks that lead up to GL proper" as previously described here -- that IS Gunklandia. 

  See COMMENT by Peter Lewis.  Most "old" climbs were, and still are, purposefully "sandbagged" as explained in the current guidebook.

Gunklandia Direct Variation

Start up a slabby face, clip a pin(possible back up) and work into the roof. Move around the roof and into the tight corner. Finish up at the Maniacal Depression anchor.

Small Crack Warning

Another high-quality Precipice route. 

  1. Make difficult, technical moves up the corner to the first block, then follow the cracks above to a two-bolt anchor. 

  2. We did not climb the second pitch -- if you have, hit the blue "Improve" button above.

Byzantine

Left facing corner to roof to face climbing past two bolts and the occasional gear placement. Be careful moving around the flake after the bolts. 

Side Street

Climb a short, right facing corner to a roof, gain some handholds under the roof and pull around to the left.  Climb a left arching fingercrack up to fixed anchors.

Bartleby -(Central Slab)

Start on anchors above old town ledge, head left into face climbing with little to no pro (5.9R) then move into the dihedral. Thin pro and thin locks will see you through. The book calls this .10d, felt really hard for the grade but it’s stellar climbing! 

Scaramouche

A excellent long finger crack! 

  This climb follows the plumb line that Wafer Step (5.5) joins at the half-point of this wall. 

  Enjoy moderate moves until you reach a point where the crack squeezes down and won't accept fingers, then pull the crux face moves and enjoy the easier ground above.

Recollections of Pacifica -(Central Slab)

This is a real moderate trad climb suitable for beginner leaders. The difficult sections are the start and about mid way up but very well protected. 

  Start at a right facing corner behind a clump of trees(birch if I remember correctly). Climb this vertical section to gain the ledge above to begin traversing left. Follow this ledge or 'Ramp' to the left twenty feet. Then climb up to gain the second ramp which may be the crux of the climb if it's not the beginning. Leader should be aware even though he/she is a good distance off the ground that the ledgey nature of this route means a 'ground fall' is closer than the ground. Finish the climb by continuing up and left.

The Ramp Traverse

This is a steep technical climb up the middle of the sea gypsy headwall (last pitch) It climbs from the 2 bolt anchor on the top of pitch one of Sea Gypsy. Clip the first bolt of Sea Gypsy and then climb straight up to some cam placements. Step up on to the steep face past 2 bolts to an overlap. From the overlap trend left into the crux and try to hold on to the top.

Band of Gypsys

Sick route up the dueling cracks above Connecticut cracks. Follow cracks and features forever. Rad! 

Selfless Bastard

Originally submitted by Ron Birk, somehow without the required fields of DESCRIPTION and PROTECTION.  

  A mid-cliff START this pitch starts at the first belay of "Story of O" and climbs cracks to a belay ledge above. From that ledge the continuation is normally "Vacation Cracks 5.8" which joins P3 of "Story of O" to the rap anchor.

Country Corner  - (mid-cliff START)

The Precipice aka South Wall is located in Acadia National Park on the east side of Mount Desert Island in Maine. The glaciated pink granite is high-quality, solid rock for climbing and provides some excellent dihedrals, such as the classic climbs Old Town (5.7) and Return to Forever (5.9). Other not-to-miss climbs include: The Story of O (5.6), Green Mountain Breakdown (5.9+), and Chitlins Corner (5.10a). From the top of the climbs, one has a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean. A guidebook is available for the island, Rock Climbs of Acadia by Grant Simmons and is available at Alpenglow Adventure Sports on Main Street in Bar Harbor. The crag is over two hundred feet tall at its highest point, resulting in 2-3 pitch climbs. The climbs are traditional and require a standard rack of mixed stoppers and mostly small-to-medium size cams. Fixed rappels are located at the top of many climbs. A 60-meter rope is best, although many of the single pitch climbs can be done with a 50-meter rope. Peregrine closures only affect a few routes right of Wafer Step which are generally not done anyway. Current closures and conditions on the NPS site: http://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/trailclosures.htm

 

Description

Protection

Routes in The Precipice aka The South Wall