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Utopia Guide Author: Jon Adamson ([email protected]) Last Revised: 2015-08-28 Description: New Brunswick's newest sport crag! Most of the rock is steep and most of the routes are hard. If you are looking to crank out some hard sport climbs or find a new project this is a great choice of destination. Sunnyvale Wall is one of the most wildly overhanging walls in the province and is definitely worth checking out, but quality routes are found on all four walls of Utopia. It is also quite close to McQuirk’s Mountain, which boasts a concentration of spectacular trad routes on clean, quality granite. Location: Utopia is located approximately 4.5km north of St. George, NB. The cliffs are only a few hundred metres west of Route 770 and are visible from the road. Access is via a quarry road approximately 1.4km north of where Route 770 crosses the Magaguadavic River, or approximately 8km south of the intersection of Route 770 and Red Rock Road. The quarry is still semi-active and occasionally trucks, excavators, and other heavy equipment are seen in the area. The quality of the quarry road varies year to year and parking depends on the vehicle you are driving but regardless of where you park it is less than a 10 minute hike to either cliff. Be sure to park out of the way so machinery or locals can pass.

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Short Wall / Dystopia Wall

Short Wall: This very steep and short wall is located left of Dystopia Wall, accessed via a dirty, loose slope. Watch your footing and try not to knock rocks down onto other people. There is only one established route here at the moment with a couple of potential projects. Dystopia Wall: The first wall encountered as you hike in to Utopia. 25 metres high at its highest point, most of the rock here is vertical to slightly overhanging but there are many roofs and steeper sections as well. The rock on this wall varies from beautiful, bomber, pink granite to crumbly, grey choss so take your pick! 1) Steep As Flake 5.11b 6m/S(4)/R(2) FA: J. Adamson, P.Adamson. September 2014. The route begins above a dirty slab about 15m left of The Death Gully. Climb a large, juggy flake to the fourth bolt. Traverse right slightly and finish on a short hand crack. A rare route for NB, very steep and very juggy! The first move may be a bit reachy. Currently the rope will run best if you belay from the trees on the left side of the slab, and anchor into the trees to prevent a fall taking everyone down the slab. 2) Heinous Project I Can’t Climb 5.17b 6m/S(3)/R(2) FA: Open Project The route begins above the right side of the dirty slab about 10m left of the gully. Climb up the the black streaked rock past 3 bolts and finish via the same hand crack as for Steep As Flake. Separate anchor from Steep As Flake. Note: There is a bolt down low I used to clip in so I could stick-clip the first bolt on the route. The route could use a little more cleaning, I guess, whatever… I botched a bolt and left an ugly hole on this route, I will patch it at some point. 3) Heinous Toprope I Can’t Climb 5.16b 6m/TR/R(2) FA: Open Project This route is located 7m left of the access gully, and starts below a shallow groove/corner. There is a top rope anchor located just above the top of the steep wall. You will have to rap in to access the anchor.

Page 3 of 7 4) The Death Gully 5.4X 5m This is not really a route, just a way to get to the top of the cliff. It is the obvious loose, dirty, dangerous gully on the right side of Short Wall, above the loose dirty slope left of Dystopia Wall and the route Bleu, Ha-Ha! There are a couple of fixed lines on this gully, but be very careful. Or just don’t do it. 5) Bleu, HaHa! 5.11 15m/S(?)/R(2)/Chains FA: D. Caron? 2014?. The left most route on Dystopia Wall, just right of the dirty slope leading to Short Wall. Climb the bolt line up the arête. Awkward climbing and tricky smearing, but a worthwhile climb. 6) Pink 5.11d 25m/S(?)/R(2)? FA: A. Morgan? 2014? This route is located 6m right of Bleu, HaHa! Begin by climbing up and right of a left-facing corner to gain a ledge and continue up through beautiful overhanging pink granite. 7) Green 5.12b/c 25m/S(7)/R(2) FA: J. Adamson. October 2014 This route is located between the left-facing corner of Pink and the wide black streak of Black below a left-angling crack/seam. Start on heinous crimps just left of where the ground begins to slope uphill. This route requires a variety of techniques on interesting features. Finish at rap anchor located on the large ledge halfway up the cliff. Note: Route still has biners for rap anchor, hangers to be replaced at some point. Route could use another scrub. 8) Black 5.13b 25m/S(15)/R(2) FA: J. Adamson, P. Adamson, August 2014 Located on the left side of Dystopia wall. The route begins up a vertical, 10ft wide black streak where the ground begins to slope uphill. Fantastic, technical face climbing and powerful moves lead to a large ledge. Climb directly over the next bulge to gain another ledge. Continue through juggy blocks above the ledge and up the overhanging headwall to the anchors. Note: This is currently the hardest established route at Utopia. Route still has biners for rap anchor, hangers to be replaced at some point. 8) Daily Beating 5.11 25m/S(?)/R(2)? FA:?? Located 4m right of the wide black streak of Black. A tough start leads to a short, pink face and a small overhang. Fun climbing after the overhang takes you to the anchor. 9)Nothing but Knot 5.12b 27m/S(12)/Q FA P. Adamson, A. Morgan November 2014 Bolted line right of Daily Beating. This route starts with sustained face climbing to a ledge and a rest. Continue past a small overlap to another rest. Move up and right through a final overlap to the top. 10) Absentee Landlord 5.11a 20m/S(9)/Q FA: P. Adamson, A. Morgan November 2014 Start 6m right of Nothing but Knot, standing on a small boulder. Fire a few bouldery moves before trending left up a ramp. Clip a long draw on the 4th bolt to reduce rope drag. Move back right onto the face and race the pump to the top!

11) Mystery Route 5.? ?m/S(?)/R(2)? FA:?,? I believe there is a new bolted line in this area but I can’t remember if it is left or right of Absentee Landlord. Who has the info on this?

Page 4 of 7 12) Vocal Kitty 5.11b 20m/S(7)/R(2) FA: J. Adamson, K. Maillet, P. Adamson April 2014 Located 7m left of where the trail meets Dystopia Wall and 3m right of a very large tree. This route currently has two bolted variations. Vocal Kitty follows the left variation and Kitty Choir follows the right. Tricky climbing for the first 3 bolts, then trend left on technical face climbing to the 4th bolt. Continue straight up easy climbing in a shallow gully. Note: Route still has biners for anchor, and the lower 2 biners were removed at some point and left at the base. If you climb this route please bring these biners up with you and hang them on the anchor. Hangers to be replaced at some point. 13) Kitty Choir 5.11b 20m/S(7)(R(2) FA: P. Adamson, K. Maillet, J. Adamson April 2014 This route shares a start and finish with Vocal Kitty. Move right at the 3rd bolt, and clip 2 more bolts before rejoining Vocal Kitty. Note: When we first bolted this route there was a very cool hold/move on this variation and we could not decide which way the route should go, so we bolted the two variations. I then broke the cool hold off and the route is now sharp and crimpy. It may be worth abandoning this route at some point and establishing an independent line a bit more right. 14) Feline Flakes 5.12b 20m/S(7)/R(2) FA: P. Adamson, J. Adamson April 2014 This route begins where the trail meets Dystopia Wall. Climb up through a wall of stacked undercling flakes leading to the middle of a small roof. Pull over the roof and continue to the anchors. The rock under the roof looks funky but is surprisingly solid and contains interesting climbing. 15) Chow Meow 5.11d 10m/S(5)/R(2) FA: J. Adamson, P.Adamson, S. Wilson. September 2014. Located 5ft right of the where the trail meets Dystopia Wall, where the stacked, left-facing flakes turn back to more solid face. Climb big holds to the large horizontal ledge/roof. Climb through the face above, and finish on good holds. Expect a difficult clip at the crux.

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Dr. Seuss Wall / Sunnyvale Wall

Note: A lot of trees came down last year, obscuring this trail to this area. We did a little work clearing and blazing the trail recently but there are still a couple of fallen trees at the very start of the trail where it branches off the trail to Dystopia Wall which hide the start of the trail. Dr. Suess Wall: Located a few hundred metres north of Dystopia Wall and lying directly below the impressive overhang of Sunnyvale Wall. This wall is mostly slabby with a vertical section to the left and a short, near-vertical headwall. Sunnyvale Wall: This wall is comprised of two sections: A massively overhanging section of rock featuring roofs, corners, fins, arêtes, and all sorts of funkiness and, around the corner, a more vertical section which will eventually offer a number of routes at a more moderate grade. The overhang is one of the most impressive and intimidating chunks of rock in the province and likely to be the future home of New Brunswick’s hardest route. Please be aware that the overhang is reasonably competent rock but several large blocks have been trundled here and there is always a possibility of ripping off a hold, or dislodging rock onto others directly below. Wear a helmet and pay attention. 16) Thing 1 5.10PG 20m/S(9?)/R(2) FA: P.Adamson, J. Adamson. 2013. Located on the vertical section of rock on the left side of the wall, 3m left of a left-facing corner crack. Begin on a block/ledge and climb up vertical bulgy rock to gain the slab. Continue straight up the slab to the anchor below the headwall. Note: This route was originally done ground-up when MEC was out of hangers. The bolting was done on stance and wired nuts were used to sling the bolts. The route was recently retro-bolted, and a rap anchor was installed. The route could use another scrub but is certainly climbable in its current state.

Page 6 of 7 17) Thing 2 5.8PG 20m/S(9?)/R(2) FA: P.Adamson, S. Adamson. 2013. Located in the middle of the slab where the vertical section is only 1.5 metres high. Climb up the vertical section on good edges, then trend slightly left for the first section of slab to a small ledge. Continue straight up the slab to the headwall, trending slightly right of the bolts on the headwall as you climb to the anchor. Note: This route was originally done ground-up. The route was recently retro-bolted and cleaned. 18) Cat In The Hat 5.6 R 20m/S(9?)/R(2) FA:S. Adamson, P.Adamson. 2013. Located on the right side of the slab, this route climbs the corner formed between the slabs of Dr. Suess Wall and the overhang of Sunnyvale Wall. Begin on a clean slab with a high first bolt. Climb up the corner, winding around the various bulges. Finish at an anchor at the top of the headwall. Note: This route was originally done ground-up. It serves as an access route to many of the routes on the overhang of Sunnyvale Wall. 19) The Hand Crack 5.12? 10m/N/R(2) FA: Open Project An overhanging hand crack that begins at the top of the the slabs, above the Cat In The Hat anchor. Most likely done as a second pitch from the Cat In The Hat anchor. A beautiful looking crack that is probably the only route at Utopia worth keeping as a trad route. 20) I Am The Liquor 5.13? 25m/S(?)/R(2)? FA: Open Project Climb halfway up Cat In The Hat to reach this route. Climb out a roof/prow feature to gain a slightly overhanging face. Climb straight up the face and past another small roof section to the anchor. D. Caron equipped this route with fixed draws. As far as aesthetics go this route cannot be beat; a beautiful looking route. 21) Inversion 5.12c 25m/S(13)/R(2) FA: J. Adamson, P. Adamson Sep. 2013 From the 2nd bolt of Cat in the Hat break up and right, climbing into a pink corner on the slab. Move out of the corner and onto a short arête. Climb the short arête up into the bottom of a bomb-bay chimney. Follow this chimney to the anchor. Rope drag can be an issue on this route. Back clean the second bolt and through the traversing Bomb-bay chimney section to mitigate rope drag. This might be the most intimidating sport route in the province. Note: The 3rd and 4th bolt on this route are currently not stainless. They were only placed 2 years ago so are most certainly still fine, and I will be replacing them later this year. I added a direct finish last year which I still haven’t climbed although I think it is a better finish, I removed the hangers from the original finish that went left around a bulge and created rope drag. 22) Crypt Keeper 5.13d+? 25m/S(17)/R(2) FA: Open Project When this route is sent it will most likely be the hardest route in the province. It climbs through the tallest and steepest section of Sunnyvale Wall. Begin in the corner formed by the slabs of Dr. Suess Wall and Sunnyside Wall, 3m right of Cat In The Hat. Head up a double corner to a slopey ledge in a larger corner. This lower section is often wet and the left corner is a slimey mess, however this is usually avoidable. Diagonal up and right to gain a right facing corner which leads to a large ledge. Pull over the roof above this ledge and climb into the ‘coffin feature ‘, a shallow, overhanging corner. Stem and Crimp your way up the coffin and finish by trending up and right on ‘easier’ terrain to the anchor. 23) The Way Of The Road 5.12? 25m/S(?)/R(2)? FA: Open Project

Climb up the middle of the short slab under the overhangs of Sunnyvale Wall. Pull through a notch/right-facing corner to gain the vertical face above. Go straight up the face to the anchor. Note: This climbing currently has a piton for the first piece. Also I’m not sure I’m talking about the correct route.

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24) Roast Pastry Dick 5.11d 30m/S(10)/R(2) FA: P. Adamson, J. Adamson, E. Samis Oct. 2013

This route climbs the face immediately right of the large overhanging section of Sunnyvale Wall. Start up the slab on the lower right side below the overhangs to a sloping ledge. Climb off the sloping ledge over the small roof. The route then diagonals up and right to an alcove below a roof, before traversing back left and continuing straight up to the anchor. Note: This route is still crumbly and is also extremely dirty at the top. I plan to come back and give it a good scrubbing as it is fun climbing. PJ and I bolted the diagonal/traversing route as we felt it was the most natural ‘path-of-least-resistance’ but there is definitely a direct variation to be had as well. 24) Worst Case Ontario 5.9 25m/S(11)/R(2) FA: A. Morgan? 2014? Located 10m right of the arête formed between the overhangs and the vertical section of Sunnyvale Wall. Begins on a clean, slightly overhanging section of rock with a good hold 10ft off the ground. Follow the bolt line to the anchor.