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Elevation: 1,696 ft
GPS: 44.51538, -73.82384
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 3,654 total · 38/month
Shared By: Orphaned User on May 1, 2016
Admins: Morgan Patterson, Kevin MudRat MacKenzie, Jim Lawyer

Description Suggest change

This is another great Silver Lake cliff. A short approach, great rock, and some routes that are among the best in the Park hare a few of the reasons to check it out. The cliff has a mix of trad, sport, and mixed pitches, typically one or two pitches. The cliff really shines in the 5.10 grade, and I consider it a must-visit for the 5.10 Adirondack climber.
Some highlights are:
Connecticut Yankee, two pitches of crack climbing equal in quality to Hard Times at Moss Cliff. The first pitch (10+) features a strenuous undercling out an arch, into a wide flake. Hands around a roof lead to a comfy belay ledge. The 2nd pitch (10-) starts (very) thin crack off the belay for 50' on perfect black rock. Continue up cracks and corners past a final roof to the top.
Ken Nichols got the FFA in 1984, the grades are solid....
Adirondack Iron, an approach pitch (9-) climbs a crack in a groove to a great belay ledge. P2 (5.10) is incredible face climbing up a broad shield of perfect rock with a steep and climatic finish. This is the best 5.10 pitch I've done on any cliff at Silver Lake-spectacular.
Other must do routes for the 5.10 climber are, from R to L:
Rock Hangers, 1p (5.10)-steep crack on interesting rock
Tiguidou Pack-Sack, 1p (9+) steep undulating corner
Objects In Motion, 2p (5.10 A0, 5.10-) climb p1 of Ct. Yankee to ledge. A few points of aid to corners, crack, and a hard mantle.
red, black & blue, 2p (10+, 10) deceptively hard face climbing to a steeper and thinner face on p1, a ramp to corner, then face crux on p2
Do The Evolution, 1p (5.10) climb P1 of Silver Flake to a belay. Follow Silver Flake p2 for 15', step left onto slab. Face climbing to a steep crux corner. Finish up flakes and slashing cracks in a slab.
Wasted Reprise, 1p (5.10) Climb past the p1 belay of Silver Flake to a two bolt belay. Climb the left arching crack/flake that is surprisingly off balance. Enter a true heel and toe off width that has a hidden crack inside for gear, no wide pro needed. Exit right to a shared belay with Do the Evolution.
Quercus Rubra, 2p (9+, 9+) Two varied pitches-sport bolted face/slab to a two bolt anchor). P2 starts easy runout up and right to hands in a perfect corner. When the corner ends, steep face climbing leads to a tricky wide groove, and a final slab.
Tooth & Nail, 2p (10/10+, 5.7) Thin crack to a flawless corner.
There are many other worthwhile climbs in harder and easier grades. Moderates worth seeking out are:
Rolls Royce, 1p (5.7+). Interesting face to a steep crack finish, shared anchor w/ Tiguidou Pack-Sack.
BruisedOrange, 1p (5.7) Closely bolted sport climbing starts in a corner, makes a cool pull around an arete, and finishes on a featured low angle face.

Getting There Suggest change

As you drive in on Turnpike road there are several spots where you can pull over and get a great view of the Silver Lake cliffs, lined up along the ridgeline. COP (and CT Yankee) are extremely obvious. Take a moment here and study the topography. Climbers have been visiting all the cliffs long before the guide was printed. With a good eye and common sense, none of the cliffs at Silver Lake are particularly difficult to locate, or strenuous to approach. COP happens to be about the easiest approach of them all. The brush, "rutted logging roads", and bugs on the approaches have been overstated as well. The logging roads can be a help or hindrance-fast open travel, or annoying slash and debris. Luckily, most of the woods are open hardwoods. Simply step into the woods around any annoying spots. Yes, there can be bugs, occasionally like a bad Wallface day. The majority of the time, however, no different than elsewhere. Wear long pants and light colored clothing.
Park at the Turnpike Rd. Trailhead (pg. 438 Adk Rock Vol #2, "girl book"). Stay off the road, and don't block the gated access!! Hike the great flat road to reach an old grassy log landing. Continue up and left on the great road to reach a left turn with great views of Potter and Outback. Turn left here and go a few hundred yards. Turn right and go past an obvious log landing from this past winter. There was heavy logging from this staging area nearly to COP and over to Midway Cliff. In some places this will make for easier travel, and in others the loggers left behind a mess of slash and tops.
Go past the landing and slightly downhill, past a grove of Hemlocks, passing a small brook. Now there are quite a few crisscrossed skidded paths. Go more or less straight left from there for a few hundred yards, then contour gradually up and left along skidded paths and open hardwoods toward the left end of COP. Previously, the best approach was to contour left a few hundred yards further, and then go straight up through the hardwoods past cairns to arrive at CT Yankee. The logging, however, has left a mess of the final contour. Allow 40 minutes for your first visit, or contact a friendly local.
I'm not sure if GPS would help or hinder to find the cliffs at Silver Lake-maybe they'd lead you on a bee line...directly through a beaver swamp.

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