Rock climbing Maine’s top three destinations with professional guides, Northern Vertical.

Every time I travel and meet climbers “from away” they ask where I am from. “Maine??? Why Maine?” Maine is not well known for rock climbing within the larger community, except for Acadia National Park’s ocean side sea cliffs. After a minute of describing the scene and setting, mixed in with a few impressive photos, it is plain to see Maine is a proper climbing destination for adventures the way they should be...

Maiden’s Cliff overlooking Lake Megunticook. Camden, ME

That’s me, Ryan Howes - owner of Northern Vertical Climbing Guides. Standing on top of one of my creative endeavors - a new climbing venue with 30 routes ranging from 5.5 - 5.13. This sport and traditional climbing area at the top of Maiden’s Cliff in Camden, Maine began taking shape in 2021 and the Northern Vertical Climbing Team continues to add new additions to the cliff like Maiden Beauty, 5.11d in the photo below.

Sandor Nagy nabs the second ascent of Maiden Beauty, 5.11d - this technical face climb is a new area classic!

Rock climbing in Camden, Maine is perfect for beginners and advanced rock climbers alike. There is an abundance of single and multi-pitch terrain suitable for learning the basics, learning to lead sport and trad, as well as pushing oneself through the grades into Camden’s several 5.14 rock climbs. The rock type is predominantly metamorphic schist, similar to New Hampshire’s famous sport climbing destination - Rumney.

Northern Vertical Climbing Guides chose Camden for many reasons, mainly access. We meet our climbers at our downtown office 15 Elm Street, and within five minutes we have left downtown and hiking just a few minutes to the cliffs. Parking and transportation in and out of town is easy. The amenities are world class and there are countless outdoor adventures to be had here on land and water. Camden is also known for Maine’s climbing festival the - Camden Climbing Festival which kicks off the rock climbing season every May.

Third annual Camden Climbing Festival attendees spending quality time together after Saturday clinics.

Acadia National Park is worth the extra 90 minute drive east of Camden because it boasts some of the cleanest granite crack climbing found in the northeast, AND… its nestled right along the ocean. There are several unique cliffs that rise above the ocean and some taller, multi-pitch cliffs inland - all high quality - but timing is essential. Mount Desert Island is the crown jewel for summertime in Maine tourism. Annually, the island surges in population that is off the charts. The park alone sees roughly a million visitors annually, mostly from May to October. This just so happens to be prime rock climbing season. So, if you can deal with people, you definitely do not want to miss this A+ destination.

Northern Vertical Women’s Climbing instructor Sarah Gall, belays a climber on the Great Chimney, at Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park.

Katahdin, like Acadia, is one of Maine’s crown jewels for outdoor recreation and tourism. It is famous for being the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and the hardest single hike in the east coast. The trails are essentially rock hopping and days here are long. Fitness and preparation are key. Nestled in Baxter Park, named after former governor, Percival Baxter for his purchase and forever wild philanthropy of the nearly 210,000 acres. At first sight, Katahdin looks misplaced, like a person from away noodling around. It’s prominent rocky top dominates the skyline similar to the Canadian Rockies. This means climbers from far and wide come to enjoy exquisitely wild backcountry rock climbs with nobody around.

Big smiles for this Katahdin dreaming Canadian!

Maine has dozens of high quality climbing areas like Clifton, Shagg, Shell Pond, Tumbledown Mountain, Tumbledown Dick, 10 Degree Wall, Bald Bluff and more, and Ryan’s knowledge and experience on these cliffs far surpasses any professional guide you can find. Nonetheless, Camden, Acadia and Katahdin are our top three destinations because they offer the true Maine experience, while honing the craft in beautiful settings.

Over the course of the climbing season Northern Vertical starts new climbers in Camden over multiple days to learn the basics. We go to Acadia to work on crack techniques, bigger multi pitch routes, and eventually climb a classic alpine route on Katahdin by fall. With these days under one’s belt you can rest assure you have not only experienced Maine climbing, you have now become a proficient climber.

Northern Vertical is here to teach you how to climb. And our guests teach their friends and family how to climb.

Cody, a new Camden, Maine climber clips the chains on the first ascent of Amygdala, 5.6 on the Brain Wall.

Climbing is so much more than seeing beautiful places. Yes, we love the environment and we love to challenge ourselves and have fun. But all of this could not happen without the camaraderie and support of fellow climbers, which is why Camden is our favorite place to climb in Maine. Here, we have built an ever growing, positive and friendly community of outdoor enthusiasts. We invite you to join us for our Wednesday night community based climbing experiences Tour de Camden our Women’s Climbing adventures throughout Maine, our Camden Climbing Festival, and instructional courses and experiences here in Camden, Acadia and Katahdin. Peruse the website for more information and sign up to join our growing community.

First annual Camden Climbing Festival participants on top of Maiden’s Cliff.