The perfect handcrack right of Moby Grape original start.

Reppys Crack

Tip Trip (formerly 11a)

Peppy's Face

The White Iceberg

Union Jack

Moonshadow

Vertigo

Manhedral

Psyche Dike Bradley Leblanc's variation

Moby Grape

Dark Hallow

Moby Grape is the second most popular route on Cannon, behind the Whitney Gilman Ridge. It is a classic 5.8 wall climb, perhaps more due to the shared experience between those who have climbed it, the exposure, and the adventure - and less to do with its quality (read loose rock).The Conn buttress borders the right side of the big wall section and Moby Grape climbs up the center of this buttress. Though the original first pitch climbed the left corner of the buttress, Reppy's Crack, a splitter in the truest sense of the word, has become the pitch of choice.*Rapping this route after the first pitch should be reserved for emergencies. Aside from the bolts at the top of the first pitch you shouldn’t expect to find fixed anchors.  .*Lots of variations exist. Have fun.  [Note: while given here in 7 pitches it can be broken up many ways. There are several route descriptions in the comments section. R. Hall ]Pitch 1, 180’ (Reppy's Crack) 5.8: Climb the obvious splitter crack. This has been called the best hand crack in New Hampshire. Follow the crack up and right then back left to directly above the start on easier rock, stopping at a bolted belay. (FA'd by Phil Nelson and Allen Wedgewood in '65)Note 1 - The original start is a quality pitch of the same length as Reppy’s to the same chains. It follows the left side of the buttress (starting about 25’ left of Reppy’s Crack) and climbs past a bolt about 20’ off the ground, continuing up the strenuous wide layback until traversing to the right onto the face at a bolt and up the finger and hand cracks to the chains. It does still have one spooky block and a bit of friable rock up high. Big cams make it PG. A more strenuous start than Reppy's. Cannon 5.9.  Pitch 2, 140’ (The Triangular Roof) 5.8: Climb 50 feet of broken rock (careful). You can avoid the loose rock in the chimney by going left or right. Climb up cracks to the prominent triangular roof (either directly or, more easily, going from left to right). Belaying on the face above the roof is safer and cleaner than going to the ledge. (Lots of loose rock on the ledge and challenging to make a safe belay).  [Historical note: the triangular roof is quite "geologically young", having formed about 1968-69 due to rockfall. Prior to that time the old ConnCourse route climbed an inside corner to a set of "rising steps" on a slab. R. Hall]Pitch 3, 120’ 5.7: Move up and right following a flake system around the corner. Continue ascending until you reach a right-facing arching corner.Pitch 4, 90’ (The Finger of Fate) 5.8 PG-13: Climb the arch and step right to reach a prominent fin of rock (“The Sickle”). Ascend to the huge flake known as the Finger of Fate. This flake looks dubiously connected to the cliff but is actually pretty solid. Either chimney up the left side of the flake or hand traverse (campus if you dare) along the right side. A few spooky, poorly-protected slab moves lead to a large ledge with a huge left facing flake.Pitch 5, 160’ (The Boulder Problem) 5.7:  From the belay, walk left about 30 feet to a dike, make a tricky move (“The Boulder Problem”) and then climb an easy slab up to a grassy ledge (optional belay). Follow cracks up the next face, trending right past a tricky sequence requiring good balance and a cool head to get to another long ledge. Go to the right and belay near the left side of a huge fallen pillar.Pitch 6, +/-60’ (The Cave) 5.7: Climb the fun corner in the left side of the pillar to a roof (“The Cave”). Make a move to the right to exit the corner and continue up and right to build a belay in good rock.Alternate finish, +/-250’ (Kurt’s Corner) 5.8: From above the Cave move, zig-zag up and left to get to the huge, left-facing corner system. Belay at the base of the corner, then follow it all the way to the highest point of the cliff. Kurt’s Corner often stays wet when the rest of the cliff is dry, so scope it out from the parking area. Pitch 7, +/- 200’ 5.8: Follow discontinuous cracks and slabs up right, then straight up, aiming for the beautiful splitters on the horizon. This section involves scrambling intermingled with short sequences of good 5.8 climbing.

Descent: The trail can be hard to find. Scramble right from the end of technical climbing and you'll find a trail leading downhill that trends climber's right (north). Follow the trail, which is mostly on slab and is well established. It takes a couple of switchbacks and tends to be closer to the edge of the cliff than you might expect. If you are struggling through spruce or down climbing you've lost the trail, turn around and go find it. When you find the cables and rods that failed to keep the Old Man on the mountain, follow the waterslide (a cemented water diversion apparatus that obviously didn't work) downhill until you pick up an obvious, well-worn climbers’ trail. The trail will bring you to the trail on the west side of Profile lake. Turn right to head back to the climbers lot.

Return to start of route: [From Krutz in the comment section] Walk down the descent trail about 20 minutes. Look for faint climbers trail that cuts hard right where the main trail hangs a left (about halfway down, where the steepness starts to ease off). Better to be too low than too high. You should emerge at the base of the slabs. From there, it's about 15 minutes walk back to the start of MG.

Formerly a thin desperate but well protected crack climb this route has been hit by rockfall the past two freeze/thaw seasons. What it turned into is an excellent moderate cragging pitch with wonderful climbing throughout. This could be a popular route to jump on if waiting for mobey.

 Thin moves off the ground (Probably hard for the grade) to a stance. Place small pro and break right onto brand new rock then a slightly chossy ledge. Layback up the beautiful brand new left facing corner joining a shallow corner and hand crack to the anchor. Rap or lower with a single 60m

 Old description: Excellent crack climbing off the ground gains a stance below the crux. Stay left using the face and crack, or stay right and climb the crack direct, (a little harder) up to a ledge. From here aim for a shallow corner flanked by a nice short hand crack (5.8). Belay from fixed pins above.

This route has three distinct cruxes.  The first twenty feet involve sustained 5.11 micro-edging (see picture) with good protection.  After moving left to the third bolt, the route goes up a shallow groove with a difficult mantle to clip the next bolt.  (I took a 40 foot fall on this move on the first ascent!)  A short traverse right brings the leader to the crux -- a sequence of pure friction moves that seem impossible.  (Full disclosure: Paul, Tom, and I gave the crux about 100 tries before Tom finally succeeded.)   

  This is a genuine test piece -- old school 5.12 thin face with bolts put in on the lead.  My old buddies in North Conway have told me that the young Turks who are tearing up the 5.14 sport routes think it is impossible, and they don't believe that this route was ever led.  Rest assured gym rats, it was. 

admin edit -Apperently there was a previous FA. According to John Strand he climbed this previously with 2 bolts, belayed by Nick Santigrist, and called it 'Yuppies', but he said no one believed him because of the difficulty and he hadn't claimed an FA because he wanted to eliminate the crack finish.

I started to set the climb up for climbing by myself by doing the beginning roped soloed because near to the start of it there was necessity to placing 2 bolts to get past a practically too smooth to climb ramp. I invited Anders Kressy to climb it with me. I led the first pitch using the bolts for aid (A-0) and then went through the easy arch via a horizontal finger crack to bolt belay on top of big block. Invited Jim Shimberg, to lead the second pitch. Jim rope dolled it, andled a magnificent endurance lead. On two pitches, Jim drilled a dozen holes,  Bravo, Jim. We went together, and didn't do any 5.12. The third pitch (5-8), goes to the base of Moon Shadow. Bolt belay and dubious rock, foot ledge.

Just left of Vertigo is another excellent route.

 Locate the left facing flake of P2 to determine the location of the route.

 P1: (5.6) Up a crack and then left (100')

 P2: (5.9) This is the crux - go delicately up and left, aiming for a finger crack / layback that ends in a bulge just below the belay ledge. Exciting! (100')

 P3: (5.8) Find an excellent flake up and right from the belay - this leads up about 120' to an excellent ledge below an ominous looking cave / overhang.

 Although the guidebook has more pitches (5.7 and then easier), we rapped at this point - the chimney above didn't look very inviting.

 Not sure if you can rap on a single 60m rope - we needed 2 50s to get down.

 Not as much good climbing as Vertigo but well worth doing.

 An enjoyable alternative to climbing the upper pitches of Union Jack is to switch to the upper pitches of Claustrophobia at the top of Union Jack's pitch 3.

150' of sustained liebacking make this a memorable adventure.

 Pitch 1, 5.7, 150' (or, in the words of a guide, "Only 5.6 but be sure to send up your strongest leader.") Climb either corner to the top of a pillar (about 70'), then traverse 25' left under the large overhang, and pull the layback flake and exit right and build a belay level with a pointy flake. Look down and realize you are standing on top of the same massive flake you were underclinging on the traverse.

 Pitch 2, 5.7, 110'. Step left and down past flake into left-facing dihedral. Climb this corner, exit right, then wander up an easy but runout face to a ledge.  I doubt that one path is much better than another.  I do remember traversing to look for placements, and also deciding to go without.

 Pitch 3,  From the ledge, this is 5.easy and short. Go up and left to another ledge at the base of the huge slab.

 Pitch 4, 5.9, 150'. Belay as far left on the ledge as you can. The leader must step out left and down into the corner at the base of the left-facing dihedral. From here you have a clear view of the Half Moon Crack, above you to the left. A finger crack protects the first cruxy moves up into the dihedral. Lieback the long, leftward-arching dihedral. The second crux is near the top, and also protects well.

 Pitch 5, 5.8, 150'. Climb up right, then back left over a corner, and pull through a bulge split by a hand crack. Belay on the vegetated ledge. We improved a rap station up and left of the belay and directly above the Half Moon Crack. We used this to descend to the bolts atop Half Moon crack.

 Pitches 6 & 7. These should be easy. Jon Sykes says to head up and right to the summit (and the usual walk-off).

Vertigo is a classic (mostly) free route that offers sustained and varied climbing. A lead of the fearsome Half Moon Crack is a feather in a trad climber's cap. 

  Locate the undeniable splitter of Reppy's Crack and head to the right past a death gully. The next section of solid rock to the right holds Union Jack and Vertigo. Vertigo starts in the center of the low angled pane of granite at a wide crack. 

  Pitch 1, 5.6: Head up the wide crack to easier climbing. Belay on a comfortable ledge. 

  Pitch 2, 5.9 AO: A long 50 meter pitch. Climb up the slab to a roof. Skirt the roof on the right and climb up a beautiful cleaved flake to a mass of slings attached to a new bolt. Clip the bolt, lower down about 15 feet and pendulum or tension traverse right to a stance below a large left facing corner.  

  If you are using double ropes, it is useful to lead the first part of the pitch, including the pendulum, on one of the ropes and then use the other rope after swinging into the corner. This way, you will have little drag and your second will have an easier time cleaning the pendulum. It is still a good idea, however, to climb as high as possible in the corner before putting a piece in. 

  Once established in the corner, follow the amazing fingercrack in the left wall. The technical crux of the route is found here. This part reminds me of Serenity Crack in Yosemite- thin technical jams in lower angled rock. Finally, belay off two bolts at an awkward stance. 

  The pendulum section of this pitch was freed a few years ago by Tim Kemple at 5.12. 

  Pitch 3, 5.9: Make commiting moves right off the belay and then make a big span move to a crack out right. Follow this crack as it widens and goes through a bulge. Belay at a stance at the base of the unmistakable wide crack. This is a short pitch and can be combined with the next pitch. 

  Pitch 4, 5.9R: The Half Moon Crack. Routefinding is not an issue on this pitch: simply climb the wide crack. Pro can be placed at the start of the crack, but after that, there is no pro for the rest of the pitch since the crack is just too wide for gear. All goes swimmingly until the final few moves when the crack trends rightward and the angle steepens.  

  Do not underestimate this pitch. I did and scared myself silly at the top when I found myself desperately thrutching up the crack all the while contemplating a 60 foot fall onto the slab below. It's really a memorable lead.  

  Most climbers rap from the bolts atop The Half Moon Crack. Three double rope raps will get you down. 

Van Ryan led the first pitch with intermittent pro below the large gaping A hole of Conn Dike. Found were 70's vintage pitons (5.7) left of a large block to more (5.7) until belay station. Not an exactly secure looking belay on two large blocks sitting there on the ledge. Okay. Loose stones were found and thrown down. I led the 2nd pitch. It started off right and up the dike on crumbly rock towards a pin. A decent right facing inside corner before left higher on traverse left the bugaboo pin not half-way in a crack. What a bad joke. I clipped into it. No picnic doing retreat. Got to lost on Cannon again. First thing a 30lb. loose block got thrown down. Next Van Ryan told me to go back towards the pin and climb down to another traverse ledge. That was okay I got in two #1 stoppers. More loose stones left as I went on left know pro was a joke until pro in the corner held me. I would stop near Van Ryan's belay. Did the awkward step down left onto a too small slope (5-8+). Very small sloping hand holds. lift right foot up to a vertical push off edge (5.8+). Van Ryan watched the controlled jump off from foot edge to get left foot high to hold below a large detached on King's Variation. "I didn't have a heart attack". From the block got lower to Mopy Grape (our goal).        Its been cleaned out of loose stones and has some excellent moves on it also but lacks enough pro.

Start by climbing right, next to the start of 'North by Southwest' make awkward moves right under clinging through and up to an inclining inside corner that faces south. Top of corner was desperate (A4+) because of ground fall potential. Think outside the box to get up it (smallest wires are important). Nice rock and I might have missed a better pro placement and gear has improved. It might be (A2) now. Probably can be free climbed but no chance for placing protection while free climbing. Get out the drill?    After corner go easily left under a large ceiling via crumbling rock crack to meet up with North Southwests second pitch belay ledge. Climb up North Southwest and move right to aid (A1) where two cracks intersect to create an X. This X marks the spot and is a landmark seen from below the cliff. The short crack goes onto North Southwest upper corner. Above corner belay. From here go right from North Southwest until you are on the right side of a tremendous house size block (4th class). Climb the far side of this block (gross bushy right facing corner) At the top of the block this climb ended at the belay below the Down East crux slab. I traversed right to down the goat path to climb down Wiessner's Dike. Then did one 75ft rappel to the ground. This climb became named 'Middle East' somehow. Could become a decent free climb directly to North Southwest upper 2nd pitch corner. It will need a lot of preset protection work. It finish right of Down East crux by staying with the crack maybe plausible.   

Routes in the general area of Moby Grape, roughly defined as routes to the right of the Big Wall and left of Weissner dike. Long, clean, though often loose routes about 800' high. Vertigo, Moby Grape and more.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in 4. Moby Grape Area