The Ghost in New Hampshire Goes Free

Two climbers have free climbed a 1971 aid climb on Cannon Cliff’s Big Wall in New Hampshire.

The Ghost was first climbed by Paul Ross, John Bragg and Michael Peloquin in July 1971. On Aug. 8, 2015, Will Carey reported on Mountain Project that he and Michael Larson made the first free ascent of the six-pitch route at 5.12+.

The esthetic route climbs a rising white streak in the middle of Big Wall. After adding protection bolts to a few pitches, but leaving the bolt ladders for aid ascents, they found thin and technical climbing on a steep slab.

Pitches two and three are the 5.12 cruxes. After six pitches of technical climbing, follow easier slabs to the top.

Climbers have been ascending the 300-metre Cannon Cliff for nearly 100 years. The are is well known for a few classic routes. One being the Whitney-Gilman Ridge, a five-pitch 5.7 that climbs up the prominent arête in the centre of the face and was first climbed by Bradley Gilman and Hassler Whitney on August 3, 1929.

Another classic route is Moby Grape, a nine-pitch 5.8 that climbs tallest section of the cliff, which was first climbed by Joe Cote and Roger Martin on July 1972.