Ross Rocks Routes Description

Routes
The cliff ranges from thirty to eighty feet in height and is about a quarter mile long. There is the potential for many routes here. There are three main areas: the Parking Lot Wall and a couple of climbs right around the corner, the Party Wall which is easily identified by its large roof, and the Orange Wall which is the tallest at 80 feet high. Dave Fasulo's guidebook Rock Climbing Connecticut briefly describes Ross Rocks but it does not include any specific route information.
History
This cliff has a long climbing history. The AMC climbed here in the 1950s. There is a ring piton on the large roof route that looks like it is from that era. Most of the routes are first ascents by Ken Nichols. He is the source of most of the route information.
Protection
Long slings are required in some spots to set up a top-rope. Leading is possible here on a good number of climbs but beware of rock quality.

Ross Pond Route Guide

Below are the most commonly done routes at Ross Pond.
Parking Lot Wall Left -- (Left to Right) Green 5.5, Orange "Fancy Footwork" 5.10, Blue "Finger Tricks," 5.11, Red "Slippery When Wet," 5.8


Parking Lot Wall Right -- (Left to Right) Red "Slippery When Wet," 5.8,
Orange "Tincture of Benzoin" 5.9, Yellow "Laughing Man" 5.9+, Green 5.7


Around corner from parkling lot wall -- "Crack of Despair" 5.10


Red "Good Book" 5.8+ (V1 5.9), Yellow 5.11+


Party Wall - (Left to Right) Red 5.7 face, Red roof 5.8, Orange roof 5.9, Yellow 5.6 crack, Green 5.7 crack


Table Rock - 5.9 face to roof traverse


Orange Wall - (Left to Right) Orange 5.7, Red 5.6