Destinations >Camden, Maine
 

Rock Climbing in Camden Hills State Park
"All I could see from where I stood, was three long mountains and a wood..."
 Edna St. Vincent Millay

Immortalized by Edna St. Vincent Millay in her poem Renascence, the Camden Hills offer fun climbing on grippy, highly metamorphosed schist and gneiss (you can say "nice" too) rock. The rock climbing areas are a five minutes from downtown Camden and a 10 - 15 minute walk from the parking area. If it's a hot summer day a refreshing swim in nearby Lake Meganticook is a great way to top of the day. This is a great place for individuals, families and groups. If you are visiting nearby Camden a day of climbing is an excellent adventure!

  • Family Rock Climbing
  • Private Instruction and Guiding
  • Group Climbs

FAVORITE CAMDEN CLIMBING SPOTS
Only minutes from downtown Camden

BARRETT'S COVE
Excellent one to three pitch routes overlooking scenic Lake Megunticook. Barrett's Cove cliff offers excellent top rope and multi-pitch climbs that can be climbed by beginning climbers. A great day can be had by starting of with some top ropes and then following your guide up to Broadway Ledge or the top - the view only gets better the higher you climb! Intermediate climbers will also find plenty of climbs to do here as well such as Charlotte's Crack, a nice 3 pitch 5.7 that mixes face climbing with a little crack climbing.

Beginning climbs

  • Charlotte's Crack (pitch 1) (5.6)
  • Champagne (5.6)
  • The Ramp (5.3
  • Clamdigger Crack (5.5)
  • Equinox (5.5)
  • Young Stud (5.6)

Intermediate climbs

  • Charlotte's Crack (5.7)
  • Harmonic Convergence (5.7)
  • Queen Charlotte (5.8)
  • Templeton's Crack (5.8)

THE VERTICALS
Want to work on technique? Great testpieces can be found here for intermediate and advanced climbers. Only a short walk from Barrett's Cove, The Verticals is perfect for rounding off a day of climbing at Barrett's Cove.

  • 500 Pound Flakeout (5.8)
  • Bolt Ladder (5.9)
  • Brown Eye (5.10c)

GUIDE'S WALL
A fifteen minute walk from the road gets you to a new climbing area in Camden that sports several climbs that are great for beginning and intermediate climbers. A mix of crack, face and corners let you sample a variety of climbing techniques.

THE RAMPARTS
Another Camden "jewel in the wood", The Ramparts is a quiet, out of the way area that features a good mix of moderate gear protected routes and sport climbs along with some of Camden's more difficult climbs.

MEETING LOCATION FOR CAMDEN CLIMBS
Leaving Route 1 in Camden follow route 52 for approximately 2.7 miles. You will be coming down a long hill and should see the black colored cliff of Barrett's Cove up to the right. As you near the base of the there will be a widened pull off area on the cliff side of the road. Park here to meet your guide. (Note: just ahead will be the parking area for the trailhead on the right and the road to the beach on the left).

A History of
Leading the way...

Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School is the preeminent leader in climbing instruction and guiding in Acadia and across Maine. We specialize in designing customized experiences or training for you, your family or your group.

Directed by internationally recognized IFMGA guide Jon Tierney who has been climbing in Acadia since 1982. Jon has over 30 years of local and worldwide experience. The IFMGA requires full AMGA certification as a rock, alpine and ski mountaineering guide.

Climbing instructors are certified by either the AMGA or the PCIA - many are certified by both. All guides are trained or certified by the AMGA.

• Since 1994 •
AMGCS is one of 30 AMGA accredited programs in the US and was one of the earliest to achieve accreditation.

AMGCS is the only climbing school in Maine to remain continuously accredited by the AMGA for eighteen years - several years longer than any other local service. We have had one or more full time AMGA certified rock instructors or rock guides on staff each year since 1994 - sixteen years more than any other local school.

• Since 2007 •
AMGCS has the distinction of also being accredited to the highest standards of the Professional Climbing Instructors Association. The PCIA requires all staff to be individually trained and certified.

Experience the difference.
Reach your peak with Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School.

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