Pettaquamscutt Rock (AKA Treaty Rock)
Directions (640 Middlebridge Road, South
Kingstown
for those with GPS)
Routes - Protection
The main cliff at Pettaquamscutt Rock is approximately 50 feet in
height and 60 feet in width. The rock surface is pock marked with mica
and quartz nubbins that are very sharp. There are few distinct routes
on the face. The distinct routes follows the cracks which offer
decent trad leads. Generally the farther to the left (south) you
climb the more
you can increase the difficulty. There are also some smaller rocks in
back of the the main cliff that provide interesting but painful (on the
fingers) bouldering. There is one sport route on the main face
that was established in 2019. Be aware of posion ivy if climbing here
in the summer.
The five eye bolts that were at the top of the cliff were chopped in
2001. Thre are now two sets of anchors on the top but they are not
reachable unless you lead or rappel off a tree to get to them.
Otherwixe, you
will need long slings or a static rope because the trees are a way back
and the
top of the cliff does not fall away at a 90 degree angle and
substantial rope abrasion is possible. Extend your anchor over the
cliff and belay from way back away from the cliff to avoid rubbing your
rope on the rock.
History - Guide Books
Climbers have used Pettaquamscutt for many years as is evidenced by the
rusty piton found on one of the routes. A small guidebook entitled
A Climbing Guide to
southern Rhode Island was written by Gary Peterson in 1978 and is
republished here
with the permission of the author. The grades in this guidebook were
established in 1978 and would be considered to be sandbagged by today's
standards.
Left: One Good Hole'd 5.8,
FA (lead) Shelley McDonald June 2019, 6 bolts to anchor. Right: Mark Phillips rapping 1995.
