Duet Direct is a stout and neglected two-pitch route near the popular one pitch climbs of Slow and Easy and Sticky Fingers. The first pitch is an excellent warm up for the business on the second pitch. Here, expect Devil's Tower-style stemming and Yosemite-quality granite. I'm surprised that this excellent and well-protected route doesn't get more traffic.  

  Pitch 1 (5.8, 100ft): Climb up thin but seemingly sold flake systems, using a combination of techniques. This pitch is fun and leads to a comfortable stance and a belay/rap station. 

  Pitch 2 (5.10+ 120ft): Climb the steep corner by stemming, jamming, and laybacking--sometimes using all three techniques at once. This pitch is very well protected and given the steep angle and the solid, clean rock, it's easy to forget you're at Cannon. Finish the route at a two bolt anchor on a perfect ledge. 

  Descent: Ideally, use double 70m ropes to rap to the ground. Double 60m ropes MIGHT make the ground with rope stretch, but be sure to tie knots in case yours have shrunk! A single 70m MIGHT make the fixed-gear belay at the top of P1; but again be sure to tie knots in case you come up short!  At any rate, be mindful of where the rope runs, as the cracks can be rope-eaters.

Duet Direct

Slow and Easy

Sam's Swan Song

The Light Brigade

Rodan

Shadey Grove (unfinished)

The British Were Coming

Sticky Fingers

Pops-Sick-Hill

Add Libs

Rock Candy

Condemned Man

Sayonara

Jawbreaker (not completely done)

All Day Sucker

Sextet

Duet

Raven Crack

Continuation of Rock Candy

Sam's Ghost

Lightning Crack

Fall from Grace

White and Young

Sinister Satisfaction

Michael and I started this climb up the 'Duet Arête' corner crack (5.8) on the right wall besides the giant dike fissure called Quartet. I led climb and moved up and left away from Duet Arête after the corner (5-6). Then more moves up into a long corner groove. I put in a small angle piton and some small stoppers below the groove corner and went up it hard (5-7) with a run out to a horizontal crack (there are foot ledges left of groove that will down grade this section to being a little easier. Then I moved down and right to create a pin belay where we rappelled.   I went back to the climb with Anders Kressy. Anders led the first pitch and I led the second. I led off left or back into the corner groove run out hard (5-7) from the belay and then moved right at the end of the corner and placed decent protection so that I could ascend up left on great rock ramp (5-8-) into the Quartets dike fissure. I stayed in the fissure doing moderate (5-5) climbing for 30-40ft and passed over a very odd body sized block wedged in the fissure (that was way more solid than it looked). After I hurdled the block I continued up the left side of the dike fissure and reached a belay station higher up on top of another block left of the fissure. Bad rock piton placements on this pitch. Came back next year with Craig Young and changed second pitch by moving right onto nice (5-6) face with 1 bolt and placed 1 bolt onto (5-8-) ramp. This pitch is still R rated.   

Climb the crack to the left of Sticky Fingers (5.10). It is a beautiful right arching crack that looks way more straight forward than it is.     Jam and layback up the crack; you may be surprised at how thin the crack gets in the back. It's not a hand crack. There was no real crux as I could see, but it's a sustained pitch that wears you down over the full 80 or so feet. Tricky bugger... 

  Slow and Easy is a good route to get on while you wait for the crowds to thin on the full length routes.

When I climbed Sam's, the third pitch was intact. Sam's Swan Song, although easier than Moby Grape, has had climbers get killed and has had hospitalizing injuries. All accidents were due to human error.       We found our way up the first try. On the sixth pitch, Ted Hammond leading did an extreme variation missing the crux. Going left side up is the easiest. The crux high above the cow pasture goes through a pocket between blocks crossing upwards, to the entrance above the void an unseen corner. After corner belay. Straight forward easier route finding from this belay to finish. It used to be among the full length classic routes. It may have had to much rock fall to rate this high. It could be rated as low as a bomb. Thank you, very much Sam and company. 

  1. Climb corner or the Lightning Crack variation to belay on top of Buttress. 

  2. Move up and left to step across into shallow dike. Go up dike until able to ledges right of erosion rock. 

  3. Rock slides have changed this area. It was and is still potentially active. Its an ongoing process. No new info on area besides it is seriously doable and good for adventure. Climb what makes the most sense up the broken corner dike until able to move right. 

  4.Continue up corner until foot ledge right to shallow stance. 

  5. Up the easy ledges to the cow pasture, a large recessed ledge. 

  6. Many ways to get lost and not do this crux pitch. Some lost ways can be difficult. Right slanting crack heading towards where you think would be wrong to go is the route. Keep on heading for the most exposed way up and you'll stay on route. The more directions here I think the worst off you'll understand. Most exposed and steep becomes no exposure and excellent crack corner to belay 

  7. Straight up to belay under small cracked overhang. 

  8. Take overhang crack to vegetation and finish where you're comfortable.

On the face, that is way right of the start to Cannonade's Buttress is a sort of left facing corner to start up on. Climb up this part (pin) until able to face climb and under cling left to stem across (crux) to an excellent and short, finger crack (pin). Climb crack to belay ledge (40ft). Traverse left and up past small old tree and continue up on blocks of rock to join Cannonade Buttress start midway up. Second pitch is a 'take it very seriously' area, hence the name.

Under an arch until I was able to stand on top of a block wedged in the arch. 1/4" bolt protected step up from the block over the arch onto a ramp I climbed hard (5-6) to a platform below a shallow corner bolt. This hard (5-7) corner I climbed till it terminated underneath the right side of the large ceiling. Underneath the ceiling it was hard severe (5-8) while traversing below the ceiling. Halfway through the traverse it became no protection until I got in a piton above the ceiling in a crack. A lot of rope went out to clip into the piton. The piton sounded like a good placement and with no good footholds I needed to rest my arms for a while. So I used my head, the top of my head in the granite ceiling so my hands could let go of the rock. I called it a head jam. The head jam also enabled me to extend my arms left to do a hardly extreme (5-10-) to hard severe (5-8) moves until I got to 5-8) Icaruss corner crack. After that I belayed Jim up onto Icarus. I led up Icaruss third (5-7) corner to a grand belay ledge just right of Icarus corner. Then I continued climbing the corner till I could climb left up the slab easily (now 5-3) to Sextet. There was a rock slide that change the finish and the start. Start is now (A1) past the bolt. The corner to the finish is gone and the third pitch is (5-3).

2002 I climbed straight up the moderate (5-5) slab unprotected until I reached an arch. Followed up right moderately (5-5) to break between arches then up break to arch and then a long easy (5-0) walk to the right. Here I belayed Craig down from the walkway about twenty feet into a nice depression on the slab. Next I led through the moderate (5-5) break in this arch and made moves left to the base of an excellent central corner crack system. This system I went up to a small inclining wall that is much easier than it looks (5-5) but the exposure is high and gear is inadequate. Often protection is a mixed bag of good and bad or who knows what will happen when fallen onto these placements. Whatever I didnt find out and I dont want to know when a crazy long run out begins after such protection. It doesn't really matter because of the run out, it's easy (5-2) on solid rock to a great belay. Craig arrived and we made a big cairn on the rock garden wide ledge against the cliff to rid ourselves of the danger of sending a rock down on us during rappel or retrieval of the rope after rappel. It looked like we were making a hiking trail. It is a route Id highly recommend to climb but probably it wont be done because of where it is.    2003-The third pitch to Shady Grove was started with hit the deck (5-6) face moves up left and then across right intimidating walk like an Egyptian 10ft up to a (5-8) short strenuous finger crack (pin) that I led. After that I went left over a very exposed outside cornered void gingerly not touching the large loose block poised there to go off the cliff. Then a highly exposed easy (5-2) ramp slab face was climbed to a stooped platform ledge system that stopped me beneath a corner of the blackened rock head wall. I put in a bolt ending the attempted pitch. This wall is definitely free climbable. Needs 2 more bolts. Thats as far on this climb as we have gotten. I belayed Craig up and he nudged the block off the cliff.    Then I lowered Craig and the #1 stoppers I had put in to belay him up with blew out of the crack because of our combined weight of force was too much onto them. Oops, but we were also belayed on the bolt. We both dropped several feet into air from this occurrence onto that bolt. I lowered Craig down on our one point of protection and rappelled myself out of there. Craig hasnt returned to Cannon Cliff since then with me, and he pretty much quit climbing crags a few months later.    I would like to finish the climb up this blackened head wall and there will be a ramp to traverse left across to the gully like path of Fafnirs Ice flow to a belay below the large buttress between this flow and the Black Dike. From there on, excellent rock to climb up and off the cliff. A rappel anchor below the summit would be much easier than crashing bushwhacking through the stunted pine trees to the W.G.R. trail. It is a route I would highly recommend to become finished but it probably wont be, because will anyone else besides me, firstly go where this climb is? At least you all know it's potential exist now. Holds are similar to the W.G.R. 

1. Climb the steps and the dark corner above until it's possible to exit left into a V-grove. Belay at the top of the buttress (there is a not so good rap anchor at the far left end of the large terrace). 5.8 

  2. Climb diagonally right, zigzagging across slabs until you reach a short corner where it's possible to belay. This pitch wanders a bit and has difficult route finding. 5.8 

  3. Climb the corner and fractured slabs to a small roof. Step left to surmount the roof (crux) and belay above. 5.9 

  4. A short pitch leads to the base of the obvious bomb-bay chimney. 5.6 

  5. Climb the chimney to its top (gear deep inside the chimney - strenuous) and exit left and down to a good stance. 5.8 

  6. Climb slabs to the left, almost to a large dihedral, then back right to a belay on a ledge. 5.7  

  7. Straight up through a first overlap then slightly left through another overlap. Belay atop a characteristic block. 5.7 

  8. Easier climbing straight up to the top. 5.6

Sticky Fingers is an awesome finger crack makes the first pitch a must do if you climb hard 5.10 cracks. The second pitch is a hard slab and I'm sure its fun for someone. OK, the second pitch is good;it just made me whimper.  

  I've listed this route as simply 5.10 because I've heard different reports on the grade from different sources. I felt like the crack was around 5.10b/c and the second pitch was hard 5.10d. However from that you may gather that I love finger cracks and don't do as well on hard slab climbs. So basically make sure you are a SOLID 5.10 climber.   

  Pitch 1: Climb the perfect finger crack as it heads up and right. There are a few thin cruxes along the way till you gain a pod of sorts where you can rest and then continue to a ledge on the right edge of the buttress. Fixed belay but you might want to back it up.  

  Pitch 2: Climb out left and clip a bolt. Then make challenging slabby moves left to a good stance (crux #1). Easier mantels get you to another bolt (I don't like the placement of this bolt because it could cause a bad swing for your second). After clipping the second bolt make a few though moves up and right to gain the third bolt (thank god). From here friction straight up making a really hard move to OK holds (crux #2) and better holds as you drag yourself on to the ledge.  

  One 60m rope stretcher rappel will get you back to the ground.

The detached slab came off a year after the ascent. How to start and finish it are the same. Begin on the friction ramp using the tip of a tree branch hung near to the ground for aid up to the shallow ceiling cornered cracks (5.7+). Then I walked across the dirt ramp  to climb the 30ft table slab leaning on the cliff. After that moved right above the slab to veer off left to get to a nice strenuous sustained moderate (5-6) shallow corner crack (small off sized cams (aliens) might work in this crack but having none I didn't get any placements) and before this corner crack a decent white birch tree for pro. Above this crack I got in a leaper pin. From here easily climb up to the same belay, rappel station of the 'British Were Coming'.

I rated this climb a bomb because it was dangerous and little pro. A climber has done it and changed the rating and so his choice to the rating of it.  The more the merrier to the start up the Quartet Dike 15ft and exit left to it's near vertical edge. Climb the outside edge with inadequate nailed piton protection. Do committing (5-8) moves. Be intrepid to climb past an expansion block and stand on it to move right. After 50ft up get first reliable pro in. It's a shame that the beginning is problematic because the rest of the climb is solid fun climbing up a series of groove to corner to outside face moves (5-6) with great pro. Worst thing about the climb is that expanding to body weight lay back block. I should pull it off the cliff someday. It wouldn't change the inadequate 50ft of pro though. Be careful of rope drag. This climb would be better leading it with two ropes and two bolts placed where the pro is no good. Belay on Quartet platform terraced ledge. A little rock candy is good to have and too much of it will rot the teeth. I lost my sweet tooth for Rock Candy after my first ascent and left just cavities in the rock rotting there where the dubious pitons once filled those cavities.  

A brilliant almost death route done just before Tom's wedding. Kinda like a Sam's thing. The quote: "If I fall off, you're gonna have to marry her!"

Strenuous hard (5-6) start off of the ground protected by Army ring angle pin in dirty crack. Enter the dirt and the trees. Then a few feet later move left into a wide crack on the left wall of the corner. Above the crack a hard (5-6) step up on the wall to a ledge with a detached block to be maneuvered around. Then an easier (5-3) ramp to a decent belay ledge with a tree. I belayed Teresa up and she pushed off the rock block from the cliff. Second part started up right on slab to clip a very old large solid rivet bolt (1950-60 Darcy?). Went on up a steep moderate (5-5) ramp above bolt to do 40ft of easy (5-2) run out to the belay of the 'British Were Coming'. I believe the climb Teresa and I did isnt a new ascent and parts of it discovery of an old ascent. This climb is classical and the rock has a unique roughness to it like there is at the top of the cliff. The protection on the climb is adequate and the trees are enjoyable surroundings. The tree corner itself doesn't get climbed except for a few feet after the start. The inaccessible excellent upper crack of 'Add Libs' is accessible again.

climb up the obvious incipient crack that splits the head wall above and to the right of All Day Sucker and just left of the Quartet dike. Be equipped with knife blade pitons and short lost arrows. I believed everything was going fine while I was leading it on aid. The pins I had placed appeared to be fine but as I was about to put in the eighth and last pin, the piton I was standing on came out and three more blades came out after that. Consequently I stopped falling on the fifth piton down from where I had been. Fell 30+ft or the whole distance of the head wall. I came to a stop where I had started from about 15ft above Craig belaying me, centimeters from crashing my head off on the platform terraced ledge. Rappelled and on another day placed a bolt on rappel midway. Now this pitch shouldn't kill anybody but it's still in the (A3-4) range. Most of the climb has (5-13,14) potential. excellent granite and if ever free climbed the crack wouldn't be utilized. It's off sized edge would be the handholds for an extreme lay back.

At the right of the south-facing corner move up until on top of staircase of holds (5-6 but very awkward boulder problem) move up (5-8) or across (easier) left into the large corner. Exhilarating moves and then there is a rest in the corner. Go up the corner moderate(5-5) and move onto the outside of it to traverse right 10ft on the wall to find pin protection in a crack. Continue up crack (harder, 5-7) or move back left to climb up the outside of the corner until able to go right again (or go back left into the corner, easier), back to the crack and (to follow this crack (5-7) 20+ft sustained it will end at a horizontal crack to traverse right and the end of traverse was protected by large lost arrow but I removed it and its complicated) move right from crack to Quartet's left side terraced garden. Belay with small angle and gear can be made here. Higher up is the rappel station but it is necessary to be at this lower place to protect the second from a large pendulum swing.     The rock on this pitch doesn't get any better than this on Cannon. Very airy and exposed for a base pitch climb. I utilized both belays because why not.

This was a Diamond in the rough. Bill Hardigan belayed me as the first pitch began up the central crack that splits the Duet Slab in half. The climb enters the slab from the left and then proceeds directly up the crack. I was applying a lot of torque onto the rope from my protection so I placed a large piton at this height (just in case the torque pulled my gear out if I fell). Mid way up the climb near the end of the crack (crux) I fell ripping all the gear out above and below the pin. The torque in the rope pulled every piece of gear out of the cliff except the piton. I came to a stop in the bushes at the base of the cliff and I put my feet on the ground. Time for some thought and afterthought opposition wires to get past where I fell and another piton. That worked. I climbed ahead to do a tension traverse right (A0) into the strenuous arch difficult (5-10+) shallow corner arching lay back. After that I belayed Andy Crane up to the right end side of Duet Buttress's large ceiling.    Dave Karl freed the first pitch later on that summer with Ted Hammond and I.   Joel OConnell climbed most of the route with me. Joel and I did the 'Wrong Crack' 2nd pitch to get to Sextet's new third pitch. A superb (5-8) hand crack, the furthest left crack of 3 cracks from a shared belay station of other climbs. Crack ends at the next large ledge also shared as a belay for other climbs. Moving right and up is the connector pitch with its nuisance bushes at first, then the hard severe (5-8) ramp onto the wall between Duet Buttress and Icarus midway corner. The climbing becomes moderately easy (5-5) up this wall traversing up to a excellent belay with large medium cams, hexes in a crack. The fifth pitch went moderate (5-5) diagonally up traversing with no protection until gained is a series of steep little protected cornered slab ramps (Icarus) climbed to an excellent belay ledge (5-4). Joel and I stopped and rappelled from here.      I returned with Andy Byerly to include a second pitch for Sextet with an extreme difficulty (5-11b A0) crack climb on the wall to the right. Cool two slab cracks. 200ft of slab cracks at least. I led and nailed the crack 100ft+ free climbing it. I had to hoist myself up with aid (A-0) on the crack after a rest ledge. Fingers aren't small enough for the crack. This is the the same crack as 'Wrong Crack' from here moved to Wrong Crack's belay Station. After that we climbed Sextet to where Joel and I had stopped before. I led on up the corner to a giant house size block was climbed under and over to a belay. After that I led the 6th pitch right and up diagonally moderate (5-5) poorly protected to the bottom of the fifth pitch of 'Sams Swan Song'. Then I led up and left of Sam's at (5-7) variation and we finished up Sam's.    A Large Rock slide happened that winter and removed the house size block and smashed up Sextet and the Icarus Route. This altered the fifth and sixth pitches. Anders Kressy and I went up Sextet in 1986. I led through the debris field and Anders cleared the (some car sized) rocks. Now the fifth pitch ends to the right. A new start to the sixth pitch is a newly available corner to the unprotected face (5-5)from the original climb that ends up on Sam's. The climb overall has excellent rock and superb variable techniques. The fixed gear is badly rusted, especially on the second pitch.    

Pitch 1: Start at the base of the left facing crack system on the left side of the Duet Buttress. Climb moderate handcracks until the wall steepens then smear and layback up the blocky crack system (crux). Belay at the base of the enormous left facing corner of Duet Direct on fixed nuts/hexes. 100 feet 5.7

 NOTE COMMENTs from two recent climbers who report:" P2 has a lot of loose rock, some of which is in the crack and hard to avoid. Rockfall from p2 would land fairly near the base of Slow and Easy. " RHall NH Admin.  Pitch 2: Begin as for Duet Direct but bail out around the corner to the right before the crack steepens. Protect the move (crux) in a horizontal and move right into a huge right leaning crack. Traverse up and right with awkward technique and plenty of hidden holds in the crack. Enjoy the exposure and belay at a pin on an obvious ledge with small gear. Watch for loose rocks and be careful to protect your second in the last 30 feet; a fall would put them a ways down on the blank face below. 130 feet 5.6

 Pitch 3: Depart the ledge up the obvious ramp to the left. Continue up easy ground for about 30 feet. Place a #3 cam about 12 feet above a ledge and downclimb to the anchor for Duet Direct. 45 feet 5.2

 This climb can reach the top of the cliff but I have not completed it as the upper pitches are "loose and unmemorable." This is a great way to set up a toprope on Duet Direct. 2 60 meter ropes are needed to barely reach the ground from the anchor.

Raven Crack is an often overlooked extension to the popular route,  Slow and Easy.  

  P1: Climb slow and easy to the 2 bolt belay. 5.8 

  P2: Head up and left to the right leaning chimney with ominous looking flakes. Chimney up using finger cracks in the flakes for protection and jams. Continue up the twin cracks on awesome lie backs and finger jams. A very fun and fully sustained pitch. The anchor is 2 fixed nuts and a pin. Lower off here or continue up for a third pitch. 5.9 60' 

  P3: Step around the corner and into the exposure where an awesome hand crack awaits you. Climb this till you reach the right side of the Duet buttress. Traverse left on easy 4th class to the two bolt belay on Duet Direct. 5.8, 140'

Above 'Quartet Ice Hose' belay and rappel station climb corner with (5.8) difficulty from the start. This an excellent solid corner with a deep crack in it. Do (5-10c) moves mid way up as the corner begins to bulge (tri-cams are helpful). Very hard moves are made to get high up the bulge to clip and pull over the bulge by large solid lost arrow pin (A-0). Easily climb up to one smaller than another spooky hollow sounding stacked 8" thick giant table rocks that are wedged into the corner (excellent #3 cam below these). The blocks appeared to be defying gravity with their inclining angled seamless line in the corner. The blocks must be wedged in the corner tightly somehow because of their weight staying on the cliff so unbelievably the way that they are. Lay back the suspended blocks (5-7) and get gear in above them (I didnt dare put any gear in the lay back crack of the blocks for ten ft.) With nothing much to hold onto at the top of the smaller wedged block it is a difficult situation to be in and the bigger the person, the more cramped stuffed into this spot you'll be. After gear (smallest stoppers) stand up (5-9) on top of block. To fall before stopper placements would be disastrous. Then there is a wonderful finish out on the right climbed strenuously but easily (5-4) with a horn of rock over the corner to the Pops Sick Hill block rappel station.   

The steep dike itself is not climbed but its south outside wall is until beneath a shallow ceiling bulge (protection crack fills with pebbles, bring nut pick to pry them out). Get over it and go straight up to belay under loose protruding flake. Here there is easy access to Sam's. Climb pass the horrid loose flake that forms the right side of a crack, avoid contact with it. After crack (if it still exist at all-because much rock has fallen out of this area on Sam's), climb the upside down staircase at 5-10 to either runout 5-9 face finish right (Ted Hammond led it) or much easier moves left to join the beginning of the traverse north of Sam's third pitch. Some Aid used on first accent.     

Nice climbing up an erratic crack with lots of rests and a fine position.   

  P1 5.7 150 Start up Sam's Swan Song's broken corner but break left after about thirty feet. Follow lightning crack until it ends then look right for a bolted belay.

More than likely the nicest pure arete climb in New Hampshire. An extravaganza of desperate slapping, at the top end of the grade (12b). The bolting was a little sporty because there just weren't many clipping stances. Jerry Handren. 

  My friends and I set this up off the anchor for Sinister Satisfaction. You have to belay from above but it's worth the effort, it is kind of a gem.  

  Climb 20 feet of S.S. then move left out a small crack gaining the face and arete. From here intricate climbing leads to a laughably small roof that will take some thought. Up the rest of the arete the beta is more straight forward. Strenuous, sustained, pinching, and laybacking with smearing feet to the top!

I led up with no protection in the corner (5-3) on the left side of the slabs very close to the Black Dike and entered the arch moving to the left doing some tricky (5-5) moves at the top of the arch and then a run out onto easier (5-4) climbing across the slab moving right into the cubbyhole like place with a five foot ceiling above it to belay. This is where a rappel station-belay is now set up with pins. From under this ceiling I led up right underneath the ceiling and up around it to these incredibly big stacked and cracked solid sections of rock to get into a large long vertical crack system. I went up easily (5-4) the crack 30 ft and at its end moved horizontally right to intersect with Shadey Grove. I contrived a belay, belayed Craig up and we finished up Shadey Groves 2nd pitch. Long run outs on solid rock. 

Originally graded at 5.8 you may find something a bit sinister about Joe and Howey's sense of humor. Anyway locate a right facing dihedral that looks good from the ground, but is actually way better than that.  

  P1 5.8 150, A long Dihedral...About twenty feet in Hard 5.8 laybacking will give you a sense of what you in for... Good fun physical climbing all the way to the top, Ahh Satisfaction.

This area as I'm outlining it is the area right of the Black Dike and left of the big wall VMC area.    There are many fun routes here climbing corners, cracks and aretes some short like Sticky Fingers some quite long like Sam's Swan Song.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in 2. Duet Area etc