Fifty Places to Rock Climb Before You Die: Climbing Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations

Images — *Most of the climbs at Acadia are either above the Atlantic or with the ocean in view*.

Maine

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

If you’re hoping to get an early start on your climbing day, look no further than Acadia National Park, which is one of the first places in America to see the summer sunrise. As it turns out, there are few better places to climb over the ocean in North America than Acadia.

“Acadia is a place where the mountains meet the sea,” Jon Tierney began. “There are very few opportunities to climb overlooking the ocean in the United States. You really have to visit remote reaches of Canada or go abroad. It’s unique in that respect, especially in the Northeast. At Acadia, you can climb on sea cliffs that are directly above the Atlantic, or on walls with a view of the sea a half-mile away. Though the highest point in Acadia is only 1,500 feet, it has an alpine feeling. On some summits, you’re above the tree line. It’s the best of multiple worlds.”

Acadia National Park’s granite headlands, rocky beaches, and spruce-fir forests rest roughly three quarters of the way up Maine’s sprawling coastline, and an hour’s drive southeast from the city of Bangor. Spanning forty-nine thousand acres, it was the first national park established east of the Mississippi.

Acadia’s out-of-the-way location and its popularity with millions of visitors content to simply look at the rocks have conspired to keep it below some climbers’ radars. But a few early climbers saw the potential. Jeff Butterfield, who would go on to author a guidebook, was especially prolific in putting up routes. Today there are more than three hundred climbs in Acadia, mostly trad. Given the park’s notoriety for seaside climbing, it’s no surprise that Otter Cliffs is high on many visitors’ lists. “There are some classic single-pitch climbs at Otter Cliffs, ranging from easy [5.3/5.4] to more challenging [5.11/5.12],” Jon continued. “Before going, you should know that you’ll probably need to belay from the top. It’s not easy to belay from the bottom if the tide is high. Great Head holds some other fine sea cliff climbs, though it’s a longer approach, you need low tides to get in, and the routes are more challenging.”

Moving a bit inland—but still in view of the ocean—is the Precipice, which is better known among climbers as the South Wall. “This is where you’ll find much of Acadia’s elite climbing,” Jon said. “It’s striking pink granite, with great corners and cracks. Most of the climbs here are 200 to 250 feet, broken up into two or three pitches. You can sample many different routes here in the course of a day; if you can climb to 5.6, you can get to the top. Story of O is a great 5.6; at 5.7+, Old Town is a favorite; Return to Forever is a classic 5.9 that starts mid-cliff; and at 5.10, Fear of Flying is an exquisite route.

“A really nice thing about Acadia from a climbing perspective is that there’s truly terrain for everyone. There are some places where if you can’t climb well and hard, you’re just going to stare at the cliff. Here, I can take someone out who’s never touched rock before, and they can be climbing right next door to people who climb at 5.11. There are also so many great options for rest days—sea kayaking, whale watching, biking, and hiking. Like the climbing, there are hiking trails for people of all abilities.” You can also set a very early alarm and drive to the top of Mount Cadillac to watch that early sunrise.

For many visitors to “downeast” Maine, the trip is not complete without an opportunity to tie on a bib and tuck into a fresh lobster. In 2018 (the most recent year for which statistics are available as of this writing), more than 119 million pounds of lobster were harvested from Maine waters, with many of these succulent crustaceans coming from the cold, nutrient-rich waters off Mount Desert island. Plated Homarus americanus can take infinite forms, but in these parts, locals prefer it simple—that is, steamed in shell and served with sides of melted butter and lemon. Most eateries in nearby Bar Harbor feature lobster, but you needn’t stray far from the cliffs, as lobster is on the menu at Jordan Pond House, right in the park. The original Jordan Pond House dates back more than one hundred years; the present restaurant is set up as a teahouse, right on the shores of Jordan Pond. There’s a big lawn in front of the house rolling down to the pond, and people can eat outside at picnic tables. Jordan Pond House is also known for its popovers, a tradition that goes back as long as the restaurant has been in existence. The view from here is one of the classic Acadia vistas, looking over Jordan Pond with the Bubbles in the distance and framed by the Pemetic and Penobscot Mountains.

JON TIERNEY is certified internationally by the UIAGM/IFMGA and examined and certified at the highest international standard by the AMGA as a rock guide, alpine guide, and ski mountaineering guide. He began climbing as a teenager in the mid-’70s and came to Maine in 1982 and fell in love with the pink granite of Acadia. In 1984, he cofounded Maine Bound, the University of Maine outdoor program, which he directed until 2001. In 1993, Jon established Acadia Mountain Guides, now a year-round guide service offering rock climbing, ice climbing, and mountaineering instruction. He’s bagged more than seventy high-altitude peaks as well as difficult first-ascent rock and ice climbs and hundreds of multi-pitch rock and alpine routes around the world. Jon has served multiple terms on the AMGA board of directors and was the chair of the AMGA accreditation program for several years. Jon is also flight paramedic with LifeFlight of Maine. He has been a paramedic for twenty-five years, working for the National Park Service as a backcountry climbing ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as in numerous urban and rural medical care systems.

If You Go

▶ Getting There: Acadia is about fifty miles from Bangor, which is served by several carriers, including Delta (800-221-1212; www.delta.com). It’s approximately 150 miles north of Portland, which is served by many carriers.

▶ Best Time to Visit: Late April to late October is the climbing season, with September often the best month.

▶ Level of Difficulty: There are options here for climbers of all abilities.

▶ Guides: Rock Climbs of Acadia (Grant Simmons) is the most recently published guide. Several entities offer guided climbs in the park, including Acadia Mountain Guides (888-232-9559; www.acadiamountainguides.com).

▶ Accommodations: There are two campgrounds in Acadia, Blackwoods and Seawall. Reservations can be made through the National Recreation Service (877-444-6777; www.recreation.gov). The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce (www.visitbarharbor.com) highlights other nearby lodging options.