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New York 


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Administrator: Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Jay Harrison on Feb 26, 2006

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Guidebooks (10)
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The 5.7+ third pitch of Cascading Crystal Kaleidos...

Description 

Rock Climbing in New York State consists of three main regions: the world-famous Gunks, properly called the Shawangunks; the Adirondacks, a vast state park with dozens of crags scattered across an area the size of Rhode Island; and Moss Island, a small crag near Little Falls. Several other areas exist, e.g. bouldering in Central Park, the Timp in Harriman Park, as well as many places of questionable access and/or worth.

The main rock climbing venues are near the eastern side of the state, so folks out in Rochester, Buffalo, etc. have a tough time of it - they're either traveling a long ways, pumping plastic, sneaking into the Niagara gorge, or driving across the border to climb in Canada.
Ice climbing is a bit more evenly spread out. The Adirondacks holds the most reliable and extensive ice, but the Catskills generally forms a lot of good ice as well, and the Finger Lakes Region boasts a few lesser-known classic lines (many of which, alas, are not legal to ascend).

Alpine climbing is limited to the Adirondacks, though a few Catskill peaks come close. None of the mountains are particularly tall - Mt. Marcy, at 5,344' is the highest - but the weather is capricious and runs the extremes. Winter ascents of the High Peaks can be very serious endeavors, especially when climbing a classic line such as the Trap Dike or Gothics North Face.

Although a small state compared to the big West, travel in NY, especially to its mountainous regions, can be tricky. Public transport is decent within two hours of NYC along the major transport corridors, but off these or farther away, and car rental, good maps, and good luck are required.

The great majority of visitors arrive in New York City; for those who do, the Gunks is a 2 hour bus ride to reach, and is definitely the place to go for rock climbing. The Catskills is a bit farther north, and having a car is almost mandatory, particularly during ice season. The Adirondacks is 4 to 5 hours away, and also requires a car. Moss Island lies along Interstate 90 and busses stop in the neighboring town of Little Falls


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for New York:
Gelsa   5.4     Trad, 3 pitches, 195 feet   The Near Trapps : a. Beginning of cliff to Ge...
Horseman   5.5     Trad, 1 pitch, 120 feet   The Trapps : a. The Uberfall
High Exposure   5.6     Trad, 2 pitches, 250 feet   The Trapps : i. High E
Madame Grunnebaum's Wulst   5.6     Trad, 3 pitches, 210 feet   The Trapps : f. The Guides' Wall (Madame...
Shockley's Ceiling   5.6     Trad, 3 pitches, 275 feet   The Trapps : d. Strictly - Shockley's
Yellow Ridge   5.7     Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet   The Near Trapps : a. Beginning of cliff to Ge...
Limelight   5.7     Trad, 2 pitches, 180 feet   The Trapps : h. The Arrow Wall - CCK
Something Interesting   5.7+     Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet   The Trapps : e. The Mac Wall (Something ...
Arrow   5.8     Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet   The Trapps : h. The Arrow Wall - CCK
Cascading Crystal Kaleidoscope (CCK)   5.8 PG13     Trad, 3 pitches, 250 feet   The Trapps : h. The Arrow Wall - CCK
Son of Easy O   5.8     Trad, 2 pitches, 170 feet   The Trapps : c. Frog's Head - the Arch
Birdland   5.8+     Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet   The Near Trapps : b. Gelsa to Moe (closure)
Modern Times   5.8+     Trad, 2 pitches, 250 feet   The Trapps : h. The Arrow Wall - CCK
Bonnie's Roof   5.9     Trad, 2 pitches, 250 feet   The Trapps : i. High E
Ants' Line   5.9     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   The Trapps : i. High E
MF   5.9     Trad, 2 pitches, 180 feet   The Trapps : e. The Mac Wall (Something ...
Directissima   5.9     Trad, 2 pitches, 120 feet   The Trapps : i. High E
Directississima   5.10b     Trad, 1 pitch, 200 feet   The Trapps : i. High E
Fat City Direct   5.10d PG13     Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet   The Near Trapps : a. Beginning of cliff to Ge...
The Yellow Wall   5.11c PG13     Trad, 2 pitches, 125 feet   The Trapps : j. The Yellow Wall (Airy Ar...
Browse More Classics in New York


Featured Route For New York
Looking down from the twin crack belay

Regular Route 5.5 PG13  NY : Adirondacks : ... : Chapel Pond Slab
As per "Climbing in the Adirondacks" by Don MellorP1: From the base of the major left-facing corner that begins Empress, rises a dike that leads up to a belay on low-angled rock. 5.0 150'P2: Climb up and slightly right to a ledge at the base of a huge right-facing, arching corner. 5.2 110'P3: Step out onto the face on the right and head for the low point in the wall above. Step through this dish and belay 30' higher at a fixed angle(1979). This can be backed up with camming devices. 5.3 130'P...[more]   Browse More Classics in NY


Photos of New York Slideshow Add Photo
J Mo belaying Dan on the FA of Killer Pillar... somewhere in the western outskirts of NY state. (Photo: Brian Aitken)

J Mo belaying Dan on the FA of Killer Pillar... so...

returning from the Gunks

returning from the Gunks

I'm the little red dot up top.

I'm the little red dot up top.

Try Three Philosophers.  <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Try Three Philosophers.
Photo by Blitzo.



Comments on New York Add Comment
Show which comments
By JJ Schlick
Administrator
From: Flagstaff, AZ
Aug 17, 2006

When ya'll gonna post some Spiders Web stuff???

By trumpeterfrodo
Apr 27, 2007

Someone should post some topos on McKenzie Pond Bouldering in Saranac Lake. I recently moved from the area, but it was my bouldering home. Anyone who has been there knows what a treasure it is! The Dacks are the BEST!

By RobHudson
From: Boulder
May 17, 2007

True True, McKenzie Pond is a hidden treasure when its dry!!

By Mike O
Jul 6, 2007

I like the adirondack's secrets. ;)

By AdamB
From: Charlotte, NC
Aug 14, 2008

I'll 3rd that McKenzie comment

By Eric Thomson
Jul 29, 2009

There used to be a online guidebook for McKenzie Ponds but I can't find it anymore unfortunately.

By AdamB
From: Charlotte, NC
Aug 16, 2009

www.newenglandbouldering.com/media/mckensie.htm

there ya go.

By Bronson
From: Estes Park, CO
Feb 10, 2010

Dear Trumpeterfrodo,
I agree with you that McKenzie Pond bouldering is a treasure. There is the guide that Adam mentioned, which gives a nicely detailed map of the boulders and their names. The only incorrection it has is that many of the boulder problem names have been renamed in the early 2000's. Depending on when you began bouldering there, it may be a bit weird reading new names for many of the routes.
Hope you get to go back there and boulder.

By Jaysen Henderson
Dec 12, 2010

Adirondackrock.com is the guidebook for the region