Gunks MUA scheduled to close?

Luc wrote:I don't know if I'll renew my membership, like many Canadians, we only hit the Gunks early season and some also add very late November to December. It's sad, I'm dropping a load of money for the membership, and then I don't mind spending my earnings (and quite a bit of it) on the local restaurants, groceries and gear at Rock and Snow. But now, I'm not going to book the AAC a month ahead (I'm not going to drive 5hrs down the 87 if it's raining) and I'm not going to drive down crossing my fingers to find a walk-in spot, there's always Creekview and its putrid water 45 minutes out of the way. This is killing a lot of the folklore involved around the Gunks, I've been heading down since 1992. Edit: The rest of the season we're staying up north in the Adirondacks, New Hampshire and in our own playground (where we need another membership or two for liability insurance reasons...)

Interestingly, I had a similar discussion on Facebook and I got the impression that Gunks locals were perfectly happy to take metro NYC/NJ money and didn't care about folks north who have alternative options.

Honestly, the Gunks won't he hurt by you (from Canada or I from Saratoga County) spending more time in the Dacks or Vermont or NH. there are 20 million potential climbers south of Albany a 3 hour or less drive from the Gunks.

But that said, it is a shame that they've basically turned it into a metro NY outdoor gym for day climbers.

Also, two small 3 man tents (basically two large two man) will fit. It's definitely max 4 people per site no matter how you slice it.

And those four have to share a car or park away from the site. Possibly off campground. Which makes cars more prone to break in.

Bottom line, get a van and stealth camp.

ClimbLikeAGirl wrote:For me it's not so much about the cost, it's the fact that the AAC c/g isn't open for a long enough season! Is it supposed to be open longer/year round when the MUA officially closes? Personally, I only travel to the Gunks in the off- and in-between-seasons in the ADKs, for most of which the AAC c/g is closed. What do they expect folks to do on those random sunny days in January and February?

Same here. I climb in the Gunks warm winter days through late April or May, it it's cool/wet, June. But by mid June it's ADK and free camping every weekend through Columbus day. Then I get a few extra weeks of foliage in the Gunks till ice season. Fortunately for me I mostly climb Fridays down there in spring but weekends late autumn.

NESteve wrote:yeah, what Ranger-groopie-girrrrl said: dont ask questions just deal with it and hand over your money!!!! They shut down the free camping just deal with it and dont complain LOL what are you supposed to do whenthe mua is closed and the campground isnt open next april just not drive there?!?! sound good to me befor May 1st IS gunks season but theres nowhere to camp now. They guy who knocked on my window sunday morning was out of bed early the gunks have enough rangers to send peple packing and take there cash but not much esle -AGAIN. Who wants to share a site with somebody you never met Id rather be able to meet them first an feel them out to make sure there cool before I spand the weekend on the same tent platform oh yeah and are we all supposed to meet at home and ride in the same car since you can only park one. what if I'm just rolling in late for the night spurof the moment and looking to sleep a few bwforw climbing -out of luck, go home? I want to say they diidnt think this threw well enough but I bet Boss Hogland and his buddys thought threw how to grab more of peoples money reel good!!!! I cant wait to read the reports about how everyone loves the new campground and its always booked -no shit when its the only camping in town it wont matter how much it sucks people will do what she says and just PAY UP!!!!

So, what do you suggest?
Out of curiosity, did you provide any input during the public comment period? Send any notes to NY DEC (or whatever entity has control over the MUA) or the PIPC during the planning period?

NESteve wrote:Who wants to share a site with somebody you never met Id rather be able to meet them first an feel them out to make sure there cool before I spand the weekend on the same tent platform oh yeah and are we all supposed to meet at home and ride in the same car since you can only park one. what if I'm just rolling in late for the night spurof the moment and looking to sleep a few bwforw climbing -out of luck, go home?

Good point. It would really suck to have to share a campsite with someone like, well... you.

What's not to love?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P23KRKvaKMw

James Sweeney wrote: What's not to love? youtube.com/watch?v=P23KRKv…

The part with the glamping...Glam Camping says it all to me.

It's for folks with a little extra money to spend that want to rough it like real dirt bag climbers but are too good for places like MUA and Camp Slime. A whole new world is open to them. Glamping! They can go back to work Monday in the city and talk about how they roughed it out in the wilds of Gardiner.

oh right after watching the video Im all for it -NOT -LOL! I didnt make a statement to anyone about cosing the MUA because I never heard about it until now some of us have jobs where we have to do something and cant scroll fakebook and MP all day and do the same with all there free time!!!! LIke J.SErpico said they just want money from city folks with cash fuck everybody else who actually comes to climb. I get it HippieGrrrrumpy you love the preserve (your employers) and anyone who questions what they say sends you into rantmode I'm not trying to be a jerk just pointing out that its not all flowers and roses in Gunksland and everythings not perfect whatever you say about whats going on here. The people who mange the paid campground not wanting the free camping shut down doesn't even make sense if Im selling something and somebody is giving it away for free next door does that sound like a good idea to you?!?! Does someone who gets paid by the preserve defending them about everything sound like it doesn't? yeah I bet a bunch of asshats who only show up at the campground to complete it the whos got the coolest color down jacket contest wouldn't want to camp with me either!!!!

Unreal ...smh

NESteve wrote:yeah I bet a bunch of asshats who only show up at the campground to complete it the whos got the coolest color down jacket contest wouldn't want to camp with me either!!!!

I won that.. mines blue with a green zipper.. The trophy was pretty lame but the gift card to sizzler was nice.

ever notice that the AAC was booked solid last year even though the MUA was open?

ismt the AAC campground just like every other car camping campground?

How both you talk bout the city all bad when you live the burbs of Albany?

Hey I can write like a high school dropout too!!!!!!!!!!! Wait, am a high drop off

BrianKostelnik57 wrote:If everyone in this thread spent half as much time climbing at the Gunks as you all spend whining like a bunch of entitled babies, you would all climb a couple of number grades harder and lead the routes that you can only hangdog gangbang on toprope.

please tell me your ticklist isn't up to date.

And "take my ball and go home" is a WAAAAAAYYYY more mature response than critical discussion :eyeroll:

BrianKostelnik57 wrote:"Can't afford" the $90/year pass and camping rate? Stop it. You're wearing a $500 worth of Patagonia clothing, carrying a pack with $1k worth of gear in it, and sleeping in a $40k sprinter van. After climbing, you're probably headed into town to spend $50 on beers and dinner. You are not a "dirtbag".

First of all, that's .1% of climbers. How many $40k sprinter vans have you seen at the gunks?

Second, It's not a matter of not being able to afford it, rather a matter of it not being worth it. Like Luc said, it's just not worth booking a campsite that costs that much so far in advance when you might get totally washed out. Not an unreasonable perspective.

Overall, I actually agree with you. I've only been to the Gunks once and I'm fine if I only return a few more times in my life. Let the locals have it. Frankly, if the weather is equal I'll take my backwater Vermont crags over the Gunks any day of the week, hands down. But casting such a sweeping judgment of climbers does nothing for rational conversation. (Admittedly, an ambitious if not foolish expectation of MP)

Another advantage, as you said, is that now maybe people get off the beaten path a bit more. There are thousands of good pitches to climb withing 3-5 hours of the Gunks. If you are driving that far to get to the Gunks, try somewhere else. Your next favorite crag could be one you've been missing for years because you've never given it a chance and instead driven to a destination crag like the Gunks.

It's true, for those who love weekend trips to the Gunks it is a blow. Not trying to invalidate that. Just pointing to a silver lining.

Bill Kirby wrote: Hey I can write like a high school dropout too!!!!!!!!!!! Wait, am a high drop off

There is only room for one short bus per campsite Bill :)

...

My favorite memory of the MUA is when my boys and I ended up sharing a camping space with a large group in a green Coleman tent (hereinafter the "convict tent") where two of the men had just been released from prison, one of the women was a wife of one of the ex-convicts, and the rest, I cannot remember their tales of woe. This was their home. When we woke up in the a.m. they were pounding miller high life and breaking bottles. Despite owning nothing, they generously offered to share.

Instead of a groundcloth, the convict tent was pitched on a red rug. Mold was horrendous.

We returned each and every weekend to find the convict tent still standing. You could even see it from the GT ledge, it lasted almost the entire season even though its inhabitants had moved out. Apparently no one wanted to pitch their tent next to the convict tent, so it served as as an easy way to reserve our camping spot no matter how crowded the MUA. We'd actually keep our leftover firewood in the convict tent all week, and it was always there come the next weekend.

Once I discovered substantial quantities of human poop two feet from the convict tent, the camping spot started to lose its charm though.

This was like 2 or 3 years ago. Someone here must have seen it.

Jon Frisby wrote: please tell me your ticklist isn't up to date. And "take my ball and go home" is a WAAAAAAYYYY more mature response than critical discussion :eyeroll:

Gotta love that about climbing...almost everyone has someone who climbs harder than them to bring them down a peg!

J. Serpico wrote: Gotta love that about climbing...almost everyone has someone who climbs harder than them to bring them down a peg!

All I was trying to say is that you shouldn't talk shit about people getting out there and trying hard when folks are leading near their limits and at a much higher level, and not even trying to make that part of the conversation. I don't see how climbing ability has anything to do with any of this conversation, but if you're going to come in here guns blazing, at least have real ammo

Jon Frisby wrote: All I was trying to say is that you shouldn't talk shit about people getting out there and trying hard when folks are leading near their limits and at a much higher level, and not even trying to make that part of the conversation. I don't see how climbing ability has anything to do with any of this conversation, but if you're going to come in here guns blazing, at least have real ammo

It's the internet so sometimes intent of wording and reaction to it are different. But I was actually agreeing with you. As someone who's limit in the Gunks is around 5.7 on lead, just about everyone leads harder than me, so I really don't give a damn.

But I have no idea why anyone's send ability has anything to do with their feelings on any subject except climbing itself. We are talking camping and access to climbing. How hard you climb has no relevance on it.

J. Serpico wrote:But I have no idea why anyone's send ability has anything to do with their feelings on any subject except climbing itself. We are talking camping and access to climbing. How hard you climb has no relevance on it.

It's ego.

J. Serpico wrote: It's the internet so sometimes intent of wording and reaction to it are different. But I was actually agreeing with you. As someone who's limit in the Gunks is around 5.7 on lead, just about everyone leads harder than me, so I really don't give a damn. But I have no idea why anyone's send ability has anything to do with their feelings on any subject except climbing itself. We are talking camping and access to climbing. How hard you climb has no relevance on it.

If you don't onsite 5.10c your opinion on anything in my eyes is meaningless.... :)

J. Serpico wrote: It's the internet so sometimes intent of wording and reaction to it are different. But I was actually agreeing with you. As someone who's limit in the Gunks is around 5.7 on lead, just about everyone leads harder than me, so I really don't give a damn. But I have no idea why anyone's send ability has anything to do with their feelings on any subject except climbing itself. We are talking camping and access to climbing. How hard you climb has no relevance on it.

He wasn't directing it at you, he was directing at the person above you who posted that if everyone spent more time climbing instead of complaining blah blah blah you're not allowed to post about the gunks online because it somehow inhibits your climbing there? I dunno. John climbs hard and spent more time up there last year than anyone I know, all the while going to law school and not owning a car so it's funny anyone would call him out on not climbing enough????