a. The Uberfall  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  56,783. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  JSH, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  JSH on Feb 13, 2011 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 84° | 64° 72° | 61° 66° | 48° 63° | 41° 66° | 45°

Area closures MORE INFO >>> 2013 Peregrine Closure: Bloody Bush (5.7) to Overhanging Layback (5.7). This includes Arch, Ribs, Strictly, Shockley's and the Mac Wall. Best wishes to the nestlings. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

BETA PHOTO: The Uberfall on a typical summer day.

Along the Cliff 

next area: Jackie

Description 

Major Features: The Uberfall is the first section of rock you encounter as you walk north from the steel bridge that separates the Trapps from the Nears. On most in-season weekend days, a Preserve ranger is parked at the Uberfall, and it's a very social area.

Lest you think the Uberfall is named for the trickle (or, in season, the pouring) of water that descends down the escarpment here, Dick Williams wrote in his 1991 guide: The Uberfall acquired its name, according to Fritz Weissner in a 1960 Appalachia article, from 'the method used in the descent of letting oneself, with outstretched arms, fall across the four-foot gap between the massif and a huge block (Susie A) above the road'.

For our purposes, routes in this section include the beginning of the cliff -- the big whitish face you pass closest to, just where the carriage road takes a slight turn, is Katzenjammer. We'll end the Uberfall section just past the striking, right-leaning crack, Ken's Crack. The very last route in this section is the corner system of Trapped Like a Rat, which starts with a left-leaning hand crack, just behind the kiosk, the Hans Krauss plaque, and is almost directly across from the vault toilet (the "Uberpooper"). The next section is b. Jackie and friends.

There are two landmarks within the Uberfall: the Gerdie Block is a huge block leaning against the cliff with the routes Herdie Gerdie, Dirty Gerdie, and Nurdie Gerdie (aka Dogs in Heat); on the block's right side is the short crack of Red Cabbage.

Just below the carriage road across from Nosedive is another big block -- the Mental Block. It contains one of the Gunks' true crack lines, Sonja, and several other harder cracks, which face the road.

Approach: Most Uberfall routes start almost directly from the carriage road. A trail runs along the cliff between The Brat and the Gerdie Block.

Descents from most routes involves walking off; most Uberfall routes are single-pitch. Closer to the very beginning, you'll be able to walk back and scramble down behind the cliff. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Uberfall Descent, which provides the walkoff for the majority of Uberfall routes as well as many beyond it.

Routes, left-to-right: 

(might add a hand-drawn topo here ...)

Short and Simple: 5.7, G
Birthday Biscuit Boy: 5.9, G
Great Wall of China: 5.9, R
Keyhole: 5.7, G
Katzenjammer: 5.7, PG
The Brat Direct: 5.6, PG
Handy Andy: 5.7, G-PG
Easy Keyhole: 5.2, G
Black Fly: 5.5, G
Nice Crack Climb: 5.7, G
Astro Traveler: 5.10+, PG
Short Job: 5.4, G
69: 5.3, G
No Picnic: 5.4, G
Shit or Go Blind: 5.8, G-PG
Sudoriferous: 5.2, G
Suderiferous: 5.8 variation: 5.8-, G
Heel, Hook, and Hack-It: 5.10-, R-X
Herdie Gerdie: 5.8, PG
Dirty Gerdie: 5.9-, PG
Nurdie Gerdie (aka Dogs in Heat): 5.10+
Red Cabbage: 5.9-, G
Red Cabbage Right: 5.10, PG
Friday the 13th: 5.8, R
Fancy Idiot: 5.6, PG
Bunny: 5.4, G
Retribution: 5.10, G (**)
No Solution: 5.12, X (**)
Nosedive: 5.10, G (**)
Double Chin: 5.5, G
Something Scary: 5.10, PG-R
Eyebrow: 5.6, PG
Double Clutch: 5.9+, G
Gill's Boulder Problem: 5.12-, R
Ralph's Climb: 5.8 A3, PG
Sonja: 5.10b, G
Doug's Roof: 5.11+, G
Lower Eaves
Bridal Path: 5.7, PG
Horseman: 5.5, G
Pony Express: 5.6-, PG
Apoplexy: 5.9, PG (**)
Coronary: 5.10, R (**)
Dirty Chimney: 5.0, G
Junior: 5.9+, R
Laurel: 5.7, G (**)
Clover: 5.7, G-PG
Rhododendron: 5.6-, G (**)
Birch: 5.10+, PG-R
Das Wiggles: 5.3, PG
Shitty Mitty: 5.11-, PG-R
Walter Mitty: 5.8, PG
Low Exposure: 5.10+, G
Squiggles: 5.4, G-PG
Dislocation: 5.9, R
Squiggles Direct: 5.10, R
Devine Wind: 5.12-, TR
Jacob's Ladder: 5.10, X
Crowberry Ridge: 5.6, PG
Hudson's Boulder Problem, aka Trashcan Overhang: 5.11-, PG
Uberfall Descent: easy 5th, G
Susie A: 5.10+, R-X
The Flake: 5.1, PG
Ken's Crack: 5.7, G
Phoebe: 5.10, R-X
Boston: 5.5-, PG
Charie: 5.10-, TR
Fitschen's Folly: 5.8, R-X
Alphabet Arete: 5.10+, PG
D. D. Route: 5.10, R
CC Route: 5.7-, PG
BB Route: 5.8, G
The Star Route: 5.4, G
Crimson Corner: 5.0, G
Yale: 5.3, PG
Eyesore: 5.6, G
Harvard: 5.2, G
Trapped Like a Rat: 5.7, G

The Classics

Featured Route For a. The Uberfall

Nosedive 5.10b  NY : The Gunks : ... : a. The Uberfall

This classic route is a left-facing, then a right-facing corner system capped by a crack, immediately right of Retribution.P1: The climb starts in a left-facing dihedral and works up to a small roof on the left. Clip a fixed pin and work up the short hand crack. The crux is the bulging finger crack above. The finger locks are bomber, so don't forget to enjoy the exposure. Traverse left to a bolt anchor. Rap with a single rope....[more]   Browse More Classics in NY

Photos of a. The Uberfall Slideshow

Add Photo

Uberfall on the weekend	Looking up Dirty Gerdie	BETA PHOTO: Nosedive on the right, Retribution on the left. No...
BETA PHOTO: Laurel is the left crack with climber at the ancho...	BETA PHOTO: Ken's Crack on a cold day.	Nearing the top of Boston
BETA PHOTO: CC Route is the crack on the left. Note: the clim...