On The Loose

A Henry Barber classic!

During the last part of the 70s, "Hot" Henry Barber lunged at practically every hard crack route in New England and staked claim to many (if not all) of their first ascents. On The Loose is one of the many timeless testpieces of an era where style and ethics were of the utmost importance.

Begin the route atop some large boulders at the far right end of the cliff. Step up through some awkward wide cracks, and crane your neck back to see what is looming above--the steepest crack on the cliff with, undoubtedly, the most secure jams, as well.

Put your forearms on stun, and jam the hell out of this thick monster of a crack. A couple of rests can be had along the way; however, they may not feel like they are working by the time you reach the anchors.

At the far right end of the cliff is the off-width crack of Eternity. To the left is a prominent hand crack system running up the wall. This is On The Loose.

A wide selection of small to large gear, with double in the green to blue Camalot sizes. An additional blue isn't all that bad of an idea either.