Why do you climb a rock? I mean a single rock, a boulder about 10 to 20 feet high. Climbing a cliff is a bit more obvious. Sometimes it’s standing between you and where you want to go.
In the past, people lived in caves perched mid-cliff to leave lowlands open for farming or to slow an enemy’s advance. You can follow in their carved out footprints in places like Mesa Verde National Park or Meteora, Greece, where monks built cliff-top monasteries to flee religious persecution.
Or you can head to Eagle Bluff on Rebel Hill Road in Clifton, though the history of climbing this cliff may only date back to the 1990s instead of the 11th century. If you aren’t prepared to scale the rock face itself, you can scramble up a steep and challenging trail to a marvelous view.
The hike starts at the North Eagle Bluff parking lot, which is marked with a small sign, and marches to the top in a half mile.
Keep to the left on the way up, and your hard work will earn a commanding view of the rolling Maine woods, spinning windmills and serene Cedar Swamp Pond. Take a picnic and imagine scanning the expanse below for enemy hordes or threats to your croplands. It adds to the fun.
You can also access the hike from the South Eagle Bluff parking lot, though it’s harder to navigate the route.The Clifton Climbing Alliance website’s Eagle Bluff page has a map.
If you follow the southern trail away from the road and into the woods, you’ll pass through a field of boulders. Which brings us back to our original question.
The Clifton Climbers Alliance is working to establish short climbing routes, called “problems,” on these stately rocks. While climbing a cliff face at least earns you a view, and perhaps some bragging rights, struggling up a 15-foot boulder borders on the absurd.
I say this as someone who quite enjoys the pastime that climbers refer to as “bouldering.”
The point of the exercise is to find the hardest way to reach the top, focusing on the pure athleticism that scaling a rock requires. The physical challenge and puzzle-like nature of “sending” your route is rewarding and can be addictive.
Though, upon reflection, I do spend a lot of time lounging on the cushy pads that soften unexpected falls, chatting with my friends and eating M&Ms. (I can definitely recommend trying that. It’s like moving your couch to the woods.)
Some find that bouldering is a less intimidating way to try rock climbing, since you don’t have to deal with the vertigo and fear of falling that dangling 100 feet up a sheer face can inspire.
Others find it even more frightening. If you fall when climbing a boulder, you will always tumble to the ground, though you should have crash pads and friends there to help make it a safe landing.
If you’re climbing a taller route with a harness and all the correct gear, you’ll be caught midair by a stretchy, forgiving rope.
What isn’t up for debate is that bouldering requires far less gear than roped climbing. All you need is a crash pad to land on (that’s seriously what they’re called) and a pair of climbing shoes.
If you’ve never tried rock climbing and want to, consider starting indoors at the Old Town-Orono YMCA or Maine Bound Adventure Center on the UMaine Campus.
If you’ve only climbed in the gym but want to try outdoors, Maine Bound offers clinics to teach you the skills you’ll need. You could also get involved with the Clifton Climbers Alliance to meet and learn from more experienced climbers.
If you just want to walk around and marvel at these outdoor jungle gyms, it’s a lovely place to do it. Red cedars, big boulders, towering walls and a few miles of trail make Eagle Bluff an especially fun spot to explore.
For experienced climbers, this place is a full-on playground. The cliff boasts 130 established routes. Some are sport climbs, allowing you to clip your rope to bolts secured in the rock with the help of quickdraws and anchor-building skills.
Others are traditional, or trad, routes. They’re less user-friendly, You’ll have to build your own protection as you go using gear that either wedges into natural cracks (nuts) or expands to fill them (cams).
There are single-pitch climbs that let you climb up and repel down in one rope length, and multi-pitch routes that will take you all the way up the mountain.
It’s up to you to decide if you prefer the view from the top, or the one from atop the nearest rock.
Learn more on Mountain Project, which also links to a number of local guidebooks. Find a map of the area on the Clifton Climber’s Alliance’s Eagle Bluff page.
