rock routes recommendations for Adirondack

I'll be in the Adirondacks for a week in mid-July. Looking for suggestions on 'classic' routes that would give this Southerner a good sampling. I'll definitely do Chapel Pond Slab, and play at Beer Wall.

Looking for multi-pitch trad up to 5.8 and sport up to 5.10-.
Approaches 2.5 hours or less are good.
Classic single pitch 5.9 trad and 5.10c sport would be great if there are several other quality routes close by.
I have the new Adirondack route book.

Thank you!

Shoot me an email (PM) and I'll send you a spreadsheet I have that goes along with the book. It'll let you sort - for instance, I just printed a list of every 4 and 5 star route from 5.6 to 5.10a within striking distance of Keene Valley. It will help you narrow it down quickly. It includes the page number of that route in the book.

EDIT: here's the spreadsheet:
ptmaynard.com/daks/ADK_Rock…

It's just this PDF, sucked into Excel and massaged:

adirondackrock.com/goodies/…

You NEED to hit:

Chapel Pond Pass:
Beer Walls
Spider's Web
Chapel Pond Slab

Poke-O Moonshine (probably at least 2 days here!)

Avalanche Lake. There's not a ton of climbing given how remote it is, but it's an amazing place just to hike to. Once you've gotten used to the grades and pro around here, California Flake shouldn't be any problem for you. And you can always climb the Trap Dike and head down the back side of Colden on your way out - only 3rd/4th class, but incredibly worth it!

I would strongly recommend heading into Wallface one day. Diagonal is EXCELLENT. It's a full day for only 6 pitches, but the approach is beautiful. The climb starts out just OK, and then gets better and better towards the top, with a juggy 5.8 final pitch that is just perfect.

Make sure you hit The Mountaineer with any gear or beta needs. They are a wonderful crew.

In the range you are looking for you probably have more than enough fun in Chapel Pond Pass. My experience has been that if you aren't comfortable leading 5.10 trad routes you probably would be able to sample the best Poke-O has to offer. I would suggest staying in the Chapel Pond Pass area because that way you won't have to waste a lot of time finding and orientating(getting lost) at new areas.

At Poko you could do The Sting, Gamesmanship and Sunburst Arete at 5.8.
The first pitch of Fastest Gun is a classic 5.9, as is Phase III. If you want to step it up a little, The Great Dihedral is a great route with an adventurous feel.

Bark Eater Cliffs in the Pitchoff area are good for a day of puttering, lots of varied and interesting stuff, but only single pitches. My buddy swears by Quadrophenia on Hurricane, that is a 4 pitch most of the day adventure with approach and descent. Def hit up The Mountaineer in Keene Valley for beta, etc. The climbing gear prices are pretty reasonable. Beers at Lake Placid Pub afterwards (esp 2 for Tuesdays).

Quadraphenia is commonly done in two pitches (Pitch 2/3 linked). It's not an all dayer. I'm a relatively slow climber and I did it in 2 hours, as my first 5.7 trad lead ever. The approach is slightly committing, 20-30 minutes mostly uphill. Lots of other good climbing though at Hurricane crag.

In addition to the other recommendations, Crane Mt in the southern ADKs has a backwoods feel and a TON of recently developed climbing not in the 2008 guide (click the link below for new route descriptions). if you want easier multipitch and great single pitch with no crowds, you can't beat Crane. Approach to the climbs varies from 25 to 40 minutes. You can climb your way along the path as there's numerous walls with varying degree of difficulty and styles. Even some mixed/sport stuff (but mostly trad).

adirondackrock.com/newroute…

A lot of the areas in the first reply can get crowded on nice days. Places like Crane are still hidden gems.

Sport is hard to come by in the ADKs. Expect to use gear for 95% of the time you're here.

Bring deet, maybe even a head net. Bugs are hit/miss on any given day and depending on which particular place you're climbing. Most definitely better to be prepared than not.

Kevin Heckeler wrote:Quadraphenia is commonly done in two pitches (Pitch 2/3 linked). It's not an all dayer. I'm a relatively slow climber and I did it in 2 hours, as my first 5.7 trad lead ever. The approach is slightly committing, 20-30 minutes mostly uphill. Lots of other good climbing though at Hurricane crag. In addition to the other recommendations, Crane Mt in the southern ADKs has a backwoods feel and a TON of recently developed climbing not in the 2008 guide (click the link below for new route descriptions). if you want easier multipitch and great single pitch with no crowds, you can't beat Crane. Approach to the climbs varies from 25 to 40 minutes. You can climb your way along the path as there's numerous walls with varying degree of difficulty and styles. Even some mixed/sport stuff (but mostly trad). adirondackrock.com/newroute… A lot of the areas in the first reply can get crowded on nice days. Places like Crane are still hidden gems. Sport is hard to come by in the ADKs. Expect to use gear for 95% of the time you're here. Bring deet, maybe even a head net. Bugs are hit/miss on any given day and depending on which particular place you're climbing. Most definitely better to be prepared than not.

Kevin's got THAT right about better bring DEET and head nets. I never climb in the ADK's anymore w/o having both stuffed into my pack! Black fly bites up there can be horrendous and produce huge bumps and welts! When they are swarming all over you and biting you it makes for dangerous belaying (belayers end to wanna let go of the rope to swat the flies/mosquitoes away)and unless you have a head net on and DEET you're in for one hell of a miserable day!

Don't let them scare you - black fly season is only a month or so, and it's over this year. The ocassional mosquito is all that will show up in July.

It would be a good bit over 2 and a half hours of walking, but if you truly want to sample the back country climbing in the adirondacks, wallface is the place to do it. Certainly the diagonal would meet your 5.8 multi pitch desire.

Auto-X Fil wrote:Don't let them scare you - black fly season is only a month or so, and it's over this year. The occasional mosquito is all that will show up in July.

Oh it wasn't my intention to scare anyone from ever climbing the 'Dacks. With just a little planing and preparation one can be prepared and ready for the worst case scenario with black flies, mosquitoes, etc - esp when hot, humid and sweating.

Never hurts to be prepared. DEET and a head net take up little room stowed away in my pack and ensures a great day of climbing no what what gets thrown our way!

Pitchoff Chimney cliff would be a good place to check out... it's right by a noisy road, but it has two very good 5.7/5.8 2-pitch climbs.

I just wanted to stress/clarify that NOT bringing deet is probably one of the dumbest things I could recommend to anyone who climbs in the northeast. A small bottle of Ben's 100% goes a long way and weighs nothing for the comfort it brings. In one section of the park you could be black fly free, and in another they're aweful. It's also NOT true that they are only out for a month. The flies go through breeding cycles and tend to last several months. They peak at about a month after the first hatching but linger for quite a while after. I've been on summits in the high peaks in July in swarms of them.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black…

"In the wetter parts of the northern latitudes of North America, including parts of Canada, New England, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, black fly populations swell from late April to July, becoming a nuisance to humans engaging in common outdoor activities, such as gardening, boating, camping, and backpacking. They can also be a significant nuisance in mountainous areas."

Plus deet helps with the deer and horse flies, as well as mosquitos. Deer flies have been really bad so far this year.

These are all great suggestions. I'd like to add to them two crags i'm always partial to: Upper Washbowl (see Partition, via Butterflies are Free and Overture via P1 of Prelude) and Moss cliff (see Touch of Class and Hard Times).

Trouble with both of these is they get closed for Peregrine Falcon nesting. I heard a rumor that upper washbowl will be opening back up soon, much earlier than normal, but Moss cliff is usually closed till 8/1.