Nodes in Avalon Peninsula

There are actually a number of great climbing areas contained within the city limits, with some having very short approach times. Although technically located with the city, some of these areas have a remote feeling and are located along the East Coast Trail..

The town of Holyrood is at the south end of Conception Bay. Traditionally, the main wall in Holyrood has been a training ground for trad climbers, with many trad routes ranging from 5.3 to 5.9. Recently, some moderate multi-pitch climbs of 2-3 pitches have been developed, on Murray's Peak and the main wall. There are some good bouldering opportunities at Wong's House and at the seldom-visited Rainforest.

Mainly trad routes on good quality granite slab; Excellent beginner trad climbing area.

Due to being slightly inland it often has the highest temperatures during the early and late season allowing climbing to be done here when you can't go anywhere else.

This route needs to be cleaned. Currently it sits under a carpet of lichen and moss. I tried to lead it once and ended up wandering a lot, straying far from the original line. Might be worth cleaning up.

Protection Standard Rack

Description This route needs to be cleaned and is a great candidate for bolting. There are no gear placements until 40 feet up, well after the crux, from which you would take a long ground fall. The end is runout as well, with reachy, hard moves on mossy rock.

Protection Your climbing ability, mostly. Or toprope it. Standard rack for the easy climbing in the middle of the route.

Description The classic route at the crag. Unfortunately, the namesake streak has faded away. Exciting (i.e slightly runout) slabby climbing leads past 2 bolts and horizontal cracks, which have great cam, tricam or nut placements. The climbing becomes easier and better protected as you approach the top, with a memorable finish.

Protection 2 bolts, standard rack from micro to 2 Camalot

2 bolt rappel anchor. Knot the ends of the rope, a 60m rope is enough to get down but it's close.

P1: Crux pitch. The bottom feels a bit harder than 5.7, but it quickly eases up as you get higher. Use caution going for the 3rd bolt as there are some ledges below. P2: Fun climbing on horizontal cracks. Some gear can be used to supplement the bolts in the runouts. P3: Similar to Pitch 2. Gear can supplement the bolts to keep the climber from potentially hitting the ledge.

Location Central on the main wall, between "The Streak" and "You'll Understand When You Get There".

Protection Each pitch has an anchor with chains for rappelling.

A set of nuts and a few smaller tricams for the shallow horizontal cracks.

Can get down in two rappels with a 60m rope if you rap to the anchor above "The Streak" from the third belay.

Description Squeeze past trees and shrubs (easy terrain) to get to the base of a nice double crack system. The cracks have been cleaned recently, making this route a fun and well protected choice at the crag.

Protection Standard Rack

Description This almost-sport route can be led without gear, but has ground fall potential on easier terrain. Better to bring a handful of small cams. The movement is fun, and it is one of the less mossy routes at the crag, because people clean it every few years. Worth doing.

Protection Draws, handful of small-med cams

Description Climb the striking crack feature starting immediately behind the bench. The climbing is easy the whole way and the gear is excellent making this one of the best routes around for a beginner trad climber.

Protection 1 bolt and gear to 2". Anchor with rappel hardware on top.

Description Very easy climbing past horizontal cracks leads to a hard crux at a bolt, and a short runout to the anchors. Falls may not be the cleanest at the crux, due to the slabby rock below.

Protection Standard rack

Description Start 20 feet left of Thin Blue Line, on a small ledge next to a small stump. Climb left along a horizontal crack, go straight up to a bolt and then to the right towards two finger cracks. Follow these cracks past a bulge then up easier terrain to the anchor.

Location Up a secondary trail right of Slab Crackin'. Follow this short trail to the wall, scramble up a bit of mossy terrain to the ledge where the route starts.

Protection Standard rack to 3", emphasis on finger sized cams

Description Climbing and bouldering in close proximity on interestingly featured granite.

Description Climb past a ledge to clip the first bolt then face climb past 2 more bolts (crux). Continue straight up to a diagonal crack (gear) then move up on easier, blocky climbing to a bulge with a final bolt. Pull the bulge using good holds to the anchor on the ledge.

Location The leftmost route on the tall slabby face.

Protection 4 bolts, at least one cam for the diagonal crack (orange metolius cam or .5 camalot). Anchor has no rappel hardware but the ledge can be reached by walking in from the left. Very long cordalette needed.

Description The best bolted route at the Talc Mine. Climb the slab past a bolt to a diagonal crack (gear). Climb the diagonal crack for 10 feet until the second bolt can be reached via good holds. Follow the line of bolts past a vertical section with precarious climbing (crux) to easy ground. Scramble to the top, placing a couple pieces of gear on the way. Location The middle bolted line on the slab/face

Protection 6 bolts, gear, long slings. Top anchor has no rap hardware, can easily be reached from the top. Bring loads of cordalette, the rock has sharp edges near the lip.

Gear beta: Blue and yellow tcu size for the diagonal crack, larger camalots for the top (any two cams from .5 to #3 should work)

Another path with a few bolts. Really hard without touching the right arête, but it's a contrived eliminate, less hard with it in.

Description Climb up and over an easy low angle section into the overhanging corner. Crank out one painful, hard move to reach easy ground. Scramble up to the bulging roof section, then move past 3 more closely spaced bolts and hard moves to a 2 bolt rappel anchor.

Location Immediately around the corner from the tall slab/face

Protection Somewhere between 6 and 8 bolts + Rappel Anchor Add New Photo

Description Climb up the deceptively difficult face past interesting features and 4 bolts to a rappel anchor on a ledge.

Location Leftmost route on the bulgy section with 5 bolted lines, around the corner from the slab

Protection 4 bolts + Anchor. 3rd Bolt is a little bit rusty but probably fine.

Description Not what one would normally call a "good" route but an interesting outing. Climb up some slabby rock passing the crux before entering the big chimney. Walk deep into the chimney and squeeze through some chockstones towards an opening. This puts you in a cave where you can exit to the other side of the formation. Helmets are definitely a good idea.

Protection A few cams, a few long slings.

Sea cliff climbing situated above the ocean.

Trad, mixed and sport routes situated above the ocean.

Starts easy with a crux around halfway and a good rest before the finish.

This is the line of bolts immediately left of Zombie Mummers. The climbing at the bottom is fun, juggy 5.9 until the route converges with Merzhin Ar Strobineller. At this point, the left line of bolts goes at about 5.10a and the right line goes at mid 5.10. The left option is nicer, more consistent climbing.

Start on easier moves in the vertical crack. The harder moves begins when the pro runs out and the bolts begin.

Follow the vertical crack until you reach the roof. Traverse right under the roof and continue on up the crack until you reach the line of bolts. The lower trad section goes much easier than the upper section that is protected with bolts.

Start in the crack and then climb the slab face above.

Follow the line of bolts up the face

Follow the large crack (eventually becomes off width) in the dihedral to the top.

Follow the route over two roofs and to the top. The upper few bolts are off the climbers left as they were intended for another route. They are clippable to make the route go fully sport but the upper section also takes pro very well.

Follow the route up a few bolts (the same as the start for Deep water zombies) until you reach the roof. Climb to the right of the roof and over and then follow the crack to the top.

Follow the route up waving rock formation.

Mostly easier to moderate trad and mixed routes. Endless route variations possible. Lots of good protection.

Follow the route straight up the face. Crux is 2/3 the way up as you pull through the slight overhang.

Start at the ocean and finish in the trees. Loosely follows the arete with some face climbing mixed in.

A shorter version of Indian dreams with an alternate finish. Doesn't start as close to the ocean which may be good on a rough day. Good beginner trad route as there are bolts in areas where the gear placements are not perfect.

Climb to the right of the large crack along the face

From the bottom anchor climb to the right and up the small crack. When nearing the top leave the crack and climb the face to the left.

Starts the same as Pycilocyban but follows the crack all the way to the top.

Climb to the right, from the bottom anchors, and then straight up

Start the same as Peyote but follow the crack to the right. Clip the bolt on the face to the left as the crack ends and follow a new crack to the right and on up.

A few nice trad routes with easy top access. There is a large belay ledge that you can easily stand and walk on at the bottom of these routes. There is a nice grassy area at the top of these climbs to sit and enjoy the view.

Following the wavering crack to the top.

Follow the dihedral like crack to the top.

Follow the crack straight up. Gets a bit run out about half way up.

Follow the obvious crack straight up and to the top.

Start the same as Moon Jelly but follow the crack up and to the left.

Start in the large crack down by the water. Climb the crack and continue up the face on the right.

A small gorge with short overhanging walls, close to St. John's with a quick approach. The rock is a fine grained, conglomerate sandstone that results in a large variety of textures and features. There are some harder sport routes, and some easier trad lines over the water that are more commonly soloed than led.

Description Follow the line of jugs up the right side of the face until you reach the top.

Location From the base of the main area, traverse left over the water for approx 35ft, until you reach the base of a vertical wall.

Protection Build a gear anchor at the top for top roping, Shallow water solo

Description From the traverse, climb up onto the slab then make a couple of exposed moves through the overhang, exit the left side and gain the top.

Location From the base of the main area, traverse left over the water for approx 30ft before finding yourself at the bottom of a steep looking corner

Protection Build a gear anchor to top rope, Shallow water solo.

Description At the waters edge, climb onto a ledge then clip the first bolt. Make your way up the steep face above until it slabs out, then figure out the exit moves past a final bolt. This one is a tricky onsight.

Protection 5 bolts + anchor. Cordalette or 4 foot slings required for anchor.

Description Most difficult route in the province? I think this is harder than Screaming Life at Main Face.

The route goes up easy holds until the first bolt then launches into a long, sustained boulder problem until the fifth. After bolt 5 is clipped, it's 5.9 to the top.

You'll want to wait a few days after heavy rain before getting on this, it seeps.

Protection 7 bolts, top anchor. Walk to the top to clean anchor and pre-hang draws

Description Stick Clip the first bolt. Climb a steep, juggy flake system up to a bizarre crux in the notch above. An easy runout up the slab above leads to the anchor.

Protection 4 Quickdraws + 2 slings for the anchor. Helps if one of the draws is extendable.

Description Stick clip the first bolt. Climb over the bulge into a corner. Surmount this corner onto a rest stance. Instead of climbing the obvious slab to the left, make an unintuitive step right to the final bolt and face climb easily into the notch above, where the anchor is hidden.

Protection 4 bolts + anchor. 2 foot slings work as an anchor, and top access is easy.

Description The face next to the "Auto Pilot" corner can be climbed at an easier grade. Jug haul up the slab.

While this route appeared to have good pro in horizontal cracks, I don't believe it has been led, only free soloed.

Location 10 feet left of Auto Pilot. Accessed by traversing over the water, which is probably the most difficult part of the climb.

Protection Cams in horizontals, gear anchor up top (if leading)

Description On the opposite side of the gorge from the other routes, there is an appealing low-angle corner over the water. This climb can be led by building an anchor and rappelling in or traversing over water to the base (about the same grade as the climb, with no pro). In any event, the corner is fun and would be a classic easy pitch if it was longer and was easier to get to.

Protection Gear anchors at the top and bottom of the climb + standard rack.

A small (for now!) route climbing area near the Ocean Science Centre aka Marine Lab. Currently has a few sport routes and a few Trad/Toprope routes. Short approach, close to town, and well bolted.

From the FA: We climbed this little face on our first day exploring the area. A fun but deceptive climb. After we cleaned the base, we noticed how a low angle slab led up to the line we were looking at. We put the first bolt at the top of this slab. Don't take it for granted, it is a little trickier than it appears. The second and third bolt are quite close but this is to prevent a ground fall onto the slab below. Once the second clip is secure, a high step to the right gains a couple of knobs to grab for the 3rd bolt. A couple of cool looking features lead up to the 4th bolt and then over the nose to the 5th bolt. The top is easily gained from there. Lots of jugs with thin feet at times.

From the FA: This was the first obvious line we found and it follows the arete on the first prominent face. As we were cleaning the face, we found a few good features very close to the arete which are glued together with thin slab moves. When we were deciding on bolt placement, I had a certain flow of the climb I was trying to capture and good clips from good stances. The first three bolts are on easy terrain and they bring you out to the arete on your left. The 4th bolts send you out towards the arete with classic slab feet, smearing on barely positive features. There is a vertical crack that has been eroded to a flaring feature that allows you to gain a upward facing triangular jug. You clip the 5th bolt off this position. Traverse to the right where a 1 inch wide ledge waits. The 6th bolt is clipped standing on this ledge. This bolt is a bit run out. Follow the small crimps up to the top anchors. There is an easy finish by going back to the right. This climb has features that we have noticed in the area, thin slabs and big features. It is a good representation of what to expect out of this area.

From the FA: Starts on ledge above the start of Marine Slab (can use same start if you want). The first bolt is quite low. The climb starts with a pair of vertical 'cracks' that lead out to the left. If someone falls unprotected at this point, it could be a 15-20 foot fall. This is the reason for the first low bolt! At this point you are below a scar on the face. There was some pretty rotten flakes here that we had to chip off. Find the finger pockets on the horizontal ledge and work to the right to the next vertical 'crack'. Gain a nice foot ledge and then an easy scramble to the top.

Starts just to the left of a large stump in the base of a crack. Work you way up the blank face til you gain a right hand in the 'crack'. There are three equally spaced foot ledges that allow for good clipping stances. The crux is the top and one crimp helps unlock it.

To the right of "Stumped"; the current rightmost established sport line there is a set of top anchors. This route appears to either be a Trad line, or under development.

Another set of top access bolts. Might not be a route in and of itself but the rappel bolts set to access future development. The line beneath it looks cleaned and interesting.

A scenic climbing area located in the old fishing village of Quidi Vidi

A scenic climbing area located across from the breakwater in Quidi Vidi.

Well protected sport route with a crux toward the end of the route

Start on the small crack in the middle of the wall and then follow the line of bolts. Be careful clipping the second bolt, It may lead to a ground fall if there is any slack in the rope.

Follow the slabby face, in the arete like corner, up and finish just to the left of the roof.

Start the same as Eric's but traverse to the right, under the roof and eventually straight up to the top.

Note: The rope will not pull from the bottom after leading through all the draws. Best as a lead/follow.

Easy trad route just to the right of the main wall.

Description Start at a vertical crack and climb up past a bulge to easier slab. Getting up past the bulge is the only part at around 5.6, the rest of the climb is a few grades lower. Location Leftmost climb on the slabs to the right of the main wall. Protection 2 bolts are easily accessed from above. A 5m cord is suitable to build the anchor.

2 Glue-ins at the top for an easy ramble designed for guiding. With a 70M rope can be done on an M setup for two topropes with 'the adjacent route.

Another set of glue-ins with top bolts designed for guiding

A third route designed for guiding

Located on the right side of the Breakwater wall. There is now both a belay bolt on the ground and a belay bolt by the wall. The climb begins with a traverse over the water, and continues up an airy arête. For full value, stay on the 'right,' side of the route following the bolts until the very end where the two top glue-in bolts are located on the slab.

A series of ice climbs along the coast between Deadmans bay and Blackhead. These climbs can be viewed from across the bay, atop of Signal Hill, with a pair of binoculars. You can do this to see if they have formed if you don't want to walk in and possibly be disappointed. To view "The Reaper" from Signal Hill you may have walk further towards Cuckolds Cove in order to see right in there.

Large free standing ice pillar that starts directly on the beach and finishes on the cliff top.

Located on the east side of the beach. Follow a series of vertical ledges to the top.

Follow the series of steps to the top

Be careful on days with high seas as large waves can reach the base of these climbs and even knock them down.

Starts off as a delicate pillar and eventually connects with the cliff

Short ice climb with quick approach.

Short ice climb with quick approach

Crag faces north so can be climbed at any time of day

starts up the centre crack and moves right around halfway. follow some small crimps until you reach better holds then proceed diagonally left up to the anchor

Start in the centre crack as you would for Main Route but continue straight up the middle once you reach halfway.

Start the same as per Main Route up the centre crack, but around halfway look for a big move left and finish at the anchor

Probably the most popular climbing area around St. John's. As this crag is seaside be careful during stormy times of year and when tides are at their highest. It's not uncommon for king waves to crash up over the rocks possibly wetting your feet (and gear)

While a scramble from the trail above exists which can be used to set topropes on routes near Yellow Fever, there is some loose rock present which could be dislodged onto groups below. It is recommended to climb Candy (5.7 sport) to set toprope anchors on routes from MC Hammer to Hysteria, and to climb Spray Down (5.7+ sport) to reach anchors from Flaccid to Seascape.

Although all routes are classified as Traditional, probably 80% of route have bolts so always bring a few quickdraws (maybe 11 or 12 to do some classic easy sport routes such as "Sledgehammer" and "Spray Down" and have a few to spare). There are some routes that you can get away with just draws and no rack.

This route is normally passed on your way down the path to main face. It's in the southern section on a bit of a rock pile. The climb is just to the right of the corner crack so climb through the bolts. After bolt 5 move right and continue to a double rappel anchor at the top.

Description Starts on 4 bolts of face climbing through small holds and crimps, might feel like 5.10 around 3rd bolt (crux) until you figure out the beta. Top section contains easier climbing following a widening crack from wide hands to offwidth. Two very different styles of climbing but enjoyable throughout. I found a perfect rack to be 2x #3 and a #4, but could definitely safely climb without a #4, or sew the top section up with a #5, #6.

There is lots of loose rock above this climb, I trundled all the large stuff I could, and rock shouldn't be disturbed if the rap anchor is used, but caution is always advised.

Location At the beginning of Main Face in the blasted section. on the left face of a corner, often shaded when other routes are sunny.

Protection 4 bolts, gear 2"-4", rappel anchor

Description Start in thin cracks on blocks before stepping right into the wide crack. A variety of jams and / or face holds in and around the crack can be used to reach the top.

Location The obvious wide crack around 20ft left of MC Hammer.

Protection Standard rack with bigger gear. Probably want a #5 if it's at your limit. Bolt anchor.

Description Technical face climbing with interesting exit moves. Stay out of the corner up top for full value.

Location To the left of the large blocky arete and before the cracks.

Protection 8 bolts and anchor. Stick-clip recommended.

Scramble up a block to start and then up a finger crack to a rappel anchor at the top. Standard rack <1",

Start left of the corner and climb in the corner past the bolt until a ledge on the right. Then follow a hand crack to the top. Two-bolt rappel anchor suitable for top-roping. Standard rack <3"

Description Very short sport route, but has sustained and unique climbing. Stick clip the first bolt, then climb the arete past two more bolts to a ledge. Two bolt rappel anchor on the ledge, or continue up the 5.6 hand crack (gear) on five fingers to another anchor.

Location Between Five Fingers and Iron Hand.

Protection Stick Clip, three bolts, bolt anchor. A few hand-sized cams if continuing to the top of Five Fingers.

Start under the first bolt and go diagonally right into the corner. Climb through the roof while avoiding the ledge to the left. The ledge is good for a rest but it makes your next few moves more difficult. Finish at rappel anchor. Standard rack <2".