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Whitehorse Ledge, a huge east-facing cliff formed from Conway granite, towers above the Mount Washington Valley west of North Conway in northern New Hampshire. Whitehorse Ledge, coupled with nearby Cathedral Ledge to the north, is one of America's best traditional areas and one the best climbing venues in New England .

Whitehorse Divides into Two Sectors

Whitehorse Ledge divides into two distinct sectors-The Slabs and the South Buttress.

The Slabs, rising 800 feet, form the cliff's right side and boast a great selection of friction routes up an immense slab. The 650-foot-high South Buttress, a steep wall on the left, offers numerous face-climbing routes.

The Whitehorse Slabs

The Whitehorse Slabs are what most New Englanders come to climb. This sweeping granite apron is laced with mega-classic friction routes, all delicate dances that require good smearing technique and a cool head on the long runouts between bolts. There are many beginner epics on The Slabs since they are easy to access but not always easy to climb. Don’t be lulled into thinking the lower grade routes are not serious since they require finding gear placements between widely spaced bolts, good rope-handling skills, and the ability to rappel and find anchors in bad weather.

Whitehorse’s Best Slab Routes

The best Whitehorse Slab routes are:

• Standard Route (II 5.5) 9 pitches. Mega-classic New Hampshire climb pioneered in 1929. Very popular and maybe New Hampshire’s busiest route.

• Beginner’s Route (II 5.5 R) 8 pitches. Long fun moderate up the right side of the slabs.
• Sliding Board (II 5.7 R) 6 pitches. Excellent friction climbing up the wall’s center.
• Wedge (II 5.7 R) 6 pitches. Good but runout slab route up corners and clean slabs.
• Sea of Holes (II 5.7 R) 4 pitches. Excellent smearing up the left side of the slabs.
• The Slab’s Direct (II 5.7 R) 4 pitches. Excellent but runout direct start to Standard Route.
• Interloper (II 5.10b R) 5 to 7 pitches. Best of the harder slab routes.

The South Buttress

The 650-foot-high South Buttress on Whitehorse Ledge is a wide east-facing cliff sector that includes all the cliff faces south of The Slabs. This large wall offers lots of long classic routes up Ethereal Crack Buttress, Children’s Crusade Wall, The Wonder Wall, and the Inferno and Atlantis Area.

All the routes are multi-pitch and require lots of traditional climbing skills, including route-finding, finger and hand jamming up cracks, pumpy off-width cracks, setting up equalized belay anchors, and exposed face climbing on steep rock.

Best South Buttress Routes

The best South Buttress routes are:

• Ethereal Crack (5.10d) 1 pitch. Hard face moves to a sustained finger crack.
• Loose Lips (5.10a) 1 pitch. Laybacks and jams up an arching flake crack.
• Children’s Crusade (II 5.9 or III 5.11a) 3 or 5 pitches. First 3 pitches is a classic 5.9 route. The whole climb is a full meal deal adventure up a big wall.
• Ladyslipper (5.9+) 3 pitches. Excellent climbing with good pro on the upper Wonder Wall.
• Lost Souls (III 5.10a) 4 pitches. 5-star classic on The Wonder Wall.
• Inferno (5.8) 3 or 4 pitches. Climb Hotter than Hell, then finish up Inferno for a great classic climb.
• Hotter than Hell (5.9) 2 pitches. Excellent well-protected face climbing.
• Last Unicorn (III 5.10c) 3 pitches. Must-do classic climb—one of New England’s best.

Whitehorse Ledge GPS Coordinates:

N 44.054362 / W -71.166945

Climbing Equipment

A standard Whitehorse rack includes a set of Stoppers; TCUs; small to medium cams; and small to medium Tri-cams for pockets. Also bring several two-foot slings.

Climbs on the South Buttress require a bigger rack of gear, including RPs, Stoppers, TCUs, and cams.

A 165-foot (50-meter) rope is standard for all routes, but a 200-foot (60-meter) rope is great for running pitches together. Some routes might require double ropes to rappel off.

Location

Northern New Hampshire. Whitehorse Ledge is west of North Conway in the White Mountains.

Distance to North Conway from major cities:

• Portland ME: 61 miles.
• Boston MA: 137 miles.
• Montreal QUE: 222 miles.
• Hartford CT: 230 miles.
• New York City NY: 356 miles.
• Washington DC: 580 miles.

Management Agency

New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. Whitehorse and Cathedral Ledges are in Echo Lake State Park. Despite their popularity, few regulations exist for climbers.

Restrictions and Access Issues

Sometimes Whitehorse Ledge and Cathedral Ledge are closed for nesting peregrine falcons, although the closure often doesn’t apply to Whitehorse. Ask at the local climbing shops for updated info or check the park kiosk below Cathedral Ledge. Raptor closures usually run from April through July. Other park regulations that apply to climbers include no camping and no fires in Echo Lake State Park.

Climbers must park at the climber’s parking area (GPS: N44.055287 / W-71.163855) east of White Mountain Hotel. Parking is allowed specifically for climbers and hikers. Do not park anywhere else, including the guest parking lots or along the road to the hotel.

Climbing Seasons

May through October. Summer is great but it can be hot on the slabs; get an early start or climb in evening shade. September and October offer excellent weather with clear crisp days, although rain does occur. Winter is usually too cold for comfort.

Bad weather quickly moves across Whitehorse and when it comes from the west, it is unseen until the storm is on you. Familiarize yourself with descent and rappel routes before climbing so you won’t have an epic or accident if you have to descend. The rappel anchor bolts are usually easy to find on the slab routes.

Guidebooks and Websites

Rock Climbing New England by Stewart M. Green, FalconGuides, 2001, has a chapter to the best routes on Whitehorse Ledge.

Camping

Public campgrounds are in White Mountain National Forest. The closest forest campgrounds are Covered Bridge, Jigger Johns, and Blackberry Crossing Campgrounds located along New Hampshire Highway 112 (Kancamagus Highway) south of Whitehorse Ledge. All are fee areas that are open seasonally on a first-come first-served basis. Private campgrounds as well as lots of motels are found in North Conway.

Services

All services in North Conway and Conway, including motels, restaurants, and outlet shops.

Climbing Shops and Guide Services

Shops: Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS); International Mountain Equipment (IME); Ragged Mountain Equipment.

Guides:Chauvin Guides; Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) Climbing School; International Mountain Climbing School; Joe Lentini’s Ascent Services.

For More Information

Echo Lake State Park, 60 Echo Lake Road, Conway, NH 03818