Belays and Brews: Rattlesnake Rocks
Rattlesnake Rocks has some of the best single pitch climbing in Greater Boston. While we’ve already written about some of the area’s best easy trad climbs, here is a six-pack of enjoyable routes that are worth checking out if you are in the vicinity as well as a pro tip on where to kick back after a fun day climbing.
Tuesday Evening Slab, Overlook Left, 5.4, 2 pitches. Starting in the same location as Sunday Afternoon Slab, this 2-pitch route up the Overlook Face doesn’t join the main face until its second pitch. From a comfortable stance above the initial crack, the route instead heads straight up a ramp with a heady (for the grade) one-move crux before reaching a comfy alcove. On the right side of the alcove, there’s a gear anchor in a crack atop a bulge; larger cams like a Black Diamond red, green, and purple make a great anchor. While you belay your second up to the alcove, scope out the second pitch, which ascends the bulge (crux) and then climbs easily to the top of the overlook. The old rusted poles make a good anchor, but, for obvious reasons, consider backing them up with a cam or two.
Tuesday Evening Slab isn’t in the seminal guidebook for the area (Boston Rocks) or listed on mountainproject.com, but it is the best intro to multi-pitch climbing in Greater Boston.
Mossy Corner, The Playground, 5.7-ish. A jug haul with tons of variations, Mossy Corner is perhaps the most popular route in the Playground area. Slightly overhanging, this one packs a pump, especially when the multiple variations are lapped back-to-back on top rope. Although there are plenty of trees atop the climb to build a top-rope anchor, a long static line helps!
Feeling strong? Move your rope 10-15 feet right under the large roof below a few old bolts. This climb—the Elementary School Roof—comes in at a cool 5.11+ and is still calling Scott’s name.
Jams of Joy, Ships Prow Way Left, 5.5. A great route to practice your crack climbing, this one starts below an overhang with twin finger cracks. Scramble up an initial blocky section to the overhang, commit to the jam and pull the crux move over the overhang, and then continue jamming up to a medium-sized pine that serves as the anchor. Super-fun and a great lead with good gear at the crux. Rap from the tree or follow the descent path to climber’s left.
W-2s, Ships Prow Left, 5.7. Weirder than it looks and a little contrived, this two-pitch climb is excellent during blueberry season, as it leaves the belayer atop pitch 1 in the middle of a stellar blueberry path. Eat your fill after sending the sort-of-protected slabby first pitch, then climb the short, more-vertical block to the top. Watch out for an awkward first few moves on both pitches. And if the blueberries aren’t in season, just go climb the much-more-fun White Face, which starts several feet to the right.
Sodom & Gomorrah, Burger Boulder, 5.9. Even more sandbagged than a Quincy Quarry 5.9, this short little route packs a real punch. Steep and pumpy, S&G ascends left to right on a diagonal crack (cruxy), then works back left to a two-bolt anchor atop the boulder. This great Rattlesnake test piece can be made even harder (5.10) by starting in the low alcove below the outer right edge of the traverse crack, then working directly into the crack. Easily top-roped from the aforementioned two-bolt anchor, you haven’t fully experienced Rattlesnake until you give this route on a rather unassuming boulder a few burns.
Fire Escape, Illegal Extreme Boulder, V1. The Illegal Extreme Boulder is an obvious 12-ish foot boulder on Wompatuck Road near the fire road that serves as the main access point for Rattlesnake Rocks. Fire Escape is a fun V1 that’s great as a warmup or cool down from a roped session at the nearby Burger Boulder. For the pad-bound crowd, combine this with Illegal Arete Extreme (V4, with plenty of easier variations), located on the other corner of this boulder. Need more bouldering routes—make it part of a circuit with the plentiful routes at the nearby 827 Wall and/or the several freestanding boulders across the street in the St. Moritz section of the Blue Hills. All are within a 10-minute walk of the Illegal Extreme Boulder.
Apres In Style. Since everybody loves a post-climb brew, make sure to check out Trillium Brewery’s new outdoor beer garden at 100 Royall Street in nearby Canton. About a 10 minute drive from Rattlesnake, the outdoor taproom sits at the foot of Great Blue Hill and offers drafts of most award-winning Trillium favs as well as light snacks. The patio seating is a great way to kick back with your crew after a climbing session. Hungrier—there’s also indoor dining with a signature menu; just make your reservations early because it fills up fast.
