Start around the buttress and up the hill 35 yards from the main section of the cliff at the base of two cracks.   #1. Climb up between the cracks, beginning with a mantle and ending with the crux. A low angle wall has aslo been climbed.

Twin Cracks

Dirty Dancing

Dancing Climb

D.W. (Dirt Wall)

Arch-Sill Start

Scar Face

Long Corner

D.W.D. (Dirt Wall Direct)

Seeds and Stems

Start at flake right of Long Corner.   #1. Climb up flake and continue on face to ascend upper wall.

Start at the base of a short cliff below a low angle slab/face. 20 feet left of Long Corner.   #1. Climb up to the base of the slab, giving this climb its other name. Friction up the slope not using the right edge. A variation called Scarface can be climbed further left (5.10).

Start at a crack 5 feet left of Arch-Sill on the dirt wall.   #1. Climb the crack and then continue to the top.

Start close to right edge of the far right face of the main upstream cliff.   #1. Climb face to ledge and then continue slightly left to finish on Dirt Wall

Just right of Seeds and Stems is thin face above a left trending crack feature.

Start below the large right facing corner between Dancing Climb on the left and Dirty Dancing on the right.   #1. Climb up the main corner, staying in the corner to the top. It is also possible to layback the corner right of the corner in the cliff (5.5) or the left side of the protrusion. The variation continues up to the right of the corner on the face. Once on the ledge the crux of the climb is to finish directly. Another variation begins to the left of the corner and goes up the face (5.9).

Start left of the Dirty Wall crack.   #1. Climb directly up to the top of Dirt Wall.

Start same as Dancing Climb.   #1. From the base of the slab, climb the right facing corner, stemming around the overhang.

Boucher Rocks are on the Virginia side of the Potomac, just upstream from the 495 bridge between Maryland and Virginia. From I-495 take the exit for Route 193 South. At the next light make a left onto Balls Road. Keep left at Live Oak Road, drive over the Beltway and continue on Live Oak Road until the road ends at a circle. Park here and walk down the blue blaze trail towards the river. A trail leads upstream by a grassy area under the bridge. Walk upriver to the rocks. The cliff lies on government property behind the large mansion. Long anchor ropes are helpful in rigging the climbs.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Boucher Rocks