Snooky's is a lovely face climb up the obvious vertical thin seam and crack between Beginner's Delight and Minty. The good news is that the climbing is continuous and fun. The bad news is that it's directly in the rappel line for both Beginner's and Minty - it's not uncommon for newer parties, with less experience in rappelling and/or etiquette, to send ropes and pebbles down without warning. Or to insist that you wait to finish your lead until all four of them have passed. But I digress ...
The less-climbed second pitch goes up a shallow left-facing corner above the belay bolts to a rooflet, under which you traverse left. Up a steep face with some reachy moves, then up and right following the path of least resistance to the GT ledge.
The quite-less-climbed third pitch, while short, is fun and exciting: on the GT ledge, walk left to the base of a left-facing corner. Climb up the corner underneath the roof, and escape right, continuing on to the cliff top.
Location
Descent: bolts and rap chains on top of P1 (one 60m). PLEASE be considerate, and refrain from gang-roping P1! Tree rappels from the tops of P2 (two 60m to the ground) and P3.
Protection
P1: Mostly smaller nuts and/or cams. Consider zipper potential, and consider groundfall potential from the low crux (a #3 BD stopper works well).
Don't cheat yourself on this climb by rapping after P1. Although not done as often (and even less now that there bolts atop P1), P2 and P3 are good fun.
great climb, second pitch wandered alittle, be aware of rope drag.
By GMBurns From: Boston, MA Sep 4, 2008 rating: 5.8 PG13
I thought P2 was more 5.7, but it was still just as fun as P1. P3 is a one-move wonder (typical Gunks hand traverse under a roof), that may be worth doing if that's your thing. The rest of P3 is bland.
I have always found pitch one to be a fun very straight forward climb with easy climbing and gear. I always find pitch 2 more involved and more challenging. I always do pitch one with just nuts as it is good practice.
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