Roger's Rock - End of April Conditions?

Hey all.

I'm looking at climbing at Rogers Rock / Slide over the last weekend of April (27-29). I'm trying to find info on how quickly the rock dries out. I know that it's not prime season, but if there is a couple of sunny days in a row would that be enough at this time of year to dry out Little Finger etc?

Thanks so much!

Snow is melting here in the ADK. There is some precip in the forecast, but things have started drying and the ice is gone in all but the most sheltered places as of today (in the tri-lakes at least). Can still be really chilly this time of year especially out on the water. If you’re looking for a guaranteed good time, you may be better off cragging and saving little finger for a summer day when you can dip in the lake after. Just be careful on the trails as they’re extremely muddy and we’re under a high elevation mud advisory. 

Noah Ballwrote:

Snow is melting here in the ADK. There is some precip in the forecast, but things have started drying and the ice is gone in all but the most sheltered places as of today (in the tri-lakes at least). Can still be really chilly this time of year especially out on the water. If you’re looking for a guaranteed good time, you may be better off cragging and saving little finger for a summer day when you can dip in the lake after. Just be careful on the trails as they’re extremely muddy and we’re under a high elevation mud advisory. 

Thanks for the beta! We’re a little limited in that once May starts my partner & I’s schedule conflicts until November. I guess I’ll keep an eye on the forecast and if it looks warmer & sunny we’ll go for it. (We’re a 7hr drive away). I’m not much of a trad climber, so are there any nearby moderate sport climbs in the area you’d recommend? I find the guidebooks a little overwhelming to filter through

A number of the crags in the ADK have bird closures at this time of year ( Shelving Rock), so you should check before committing. While there isn't a large amount of sport climbing in the region, I believe that you will find some on Crane Mountain, which is in the southern ADK, so relatively close to Rogers, Check the updates on the website in addition to what's in the guidebook. Even if there aren't too many sport climbs there, the layout of the cliff is such that you can often scramble around to set up TRs. Sadly the principal developer there, Jay Harrison , recently passed away, but he left an amazing legacy of excellent climbs.

Alan Rubinwrote:

A number of the crags in the ADK have bird closures at this time of year ( Shelving Rock), so you should check before committing. While there isn't a large amount of sport climbing in the region, I believe that you will find some on Crane Mountain, which is in the southern ADK, so relatively close to Rogers, Check the updates on the website in addition to what's in the guidebook. Even if there aren't too many sport climbs there, the layout of the cliff is such that you can often scramble around to set up TRs. Sadly the principal developer there, Jay Harrison , recently passed away, but he left an amazing legacy of excellent climbs.

Thanks for the heads up about bird closures. Looking like Rogers Slide & most of Crane is still open. Flicking through the guide Jay Harrison comes up a lot, so it'll be interesting to check out some of the climbs he's put up. Thanks for the information!

I would not let the cold lake water deter you . if its your only chance to climb Rogers  go for it. try to do it on a sunny day. The crux is often the canoe paddle. that lake can whip up really fast so wear your life jacket and bring a dry bag for phones. cameras etc.  LF direct is the better finish at the over lap and has better gear than the finish that goes right around the overlap instead of through it. .  Screaming Matrix is probobly the best moderate  line on the cliff if you have a decent slab game.  

It is also possible to approach Rogers Rock overland from the campground---at least that's how we did it in the 70s. It is a bushwhack and requires some route-finding, but I don't remember it being too bad ( though it was a long time ago and memory is a funny thing!!!). I recall that we did LF, descended the 'gully' in the slab, then did another route ( don't recall which one), then topped out and walked the trail back to the campground and our car. I agree with Nick about doing the LF direct finish. While it is harder than anything else on the route, it is short and well-protected.

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

I would not let the cold lake water deter you . if its your only chance to climb Rogers  go for it. try to do it on a sunny day. The crux is often the canoe paddle. that lake can whip up really fast so wear your life jacket and bring a dry bag for phones. cameras etc.  LF direct is the better finish at the over lap and has better gear than the finish that goes right around the overlap instead of through it. .  Screaming Matrix is probobly the best moderate  line on the cliff if you have a decent slab game.  

I was eyeing up the direct finish! Going to wait and see how I’m feeling on the day as I’m newer to trad and haven’t fell on gear yet.

Screaming Matrix is in my mind too! The main slab experience I have is Banana Peel in Squamish which I’ve led / simuled. Did some 40ft run outs there so I’m hoping Roger’s Slide is a similar feel

Alan Rubinwrote:

It is also possible to approach Rogers Rock overland from the campground---at least that's how we did it in the 70s. It is a bushwhack and requires some route-finding, but I don't remember it being too bad ( though it was a long time ago and memory is a funny thing!!!). I recall that we did LF, descended the 'gully' in the slab, then did another route ( don't recall which one), then topped out and walked the trail back to the campground and our car. I agree with Nick about doing the LF direct finish. While it is harder than anything else on the route, it is short and well-protected.

Good to know you can access from the top. Looking at the topo I assume you have to find the anchors on The Matrix and then rap in from there? Might be a bit of an adventure for us if we go that route

Hi David! Early and late season can be the best times to climb at Rogers Rock. Summer is often too hot to climb, the lake is dangerously busy and there may be many parties lined up for Little Finger. The Slab dries quickly and gets full sun. Every route requires two ropes for descent. There is no reasonable way to access the routes other than by boat.

Lake George is a big lake and can have some serious white caps. Cap-sizing in April/May could be life threatening. Thankfully the paddle is short and straightforward. 

The Campground may have some of the roads gated but you should be able to maneuver down to the boat launch.

Lake George has lots of sport climbing, perhaps the biggest concentration in the Adirondacks. Most of the cliffs are in Adirondack Rock 2nd edition. Consider a visit to Last of the Mohicans which is a new cliff with easy access from the campground.  https://www.adirondackrock.com/newroutes.htm

little finger itself is well protected with no real mandatory runouts if you do the direct finish. the suposedly easier finish is more run out and not as straight forward to  get to the anchor. the direct finish has good gear and leads you right to a new bolted anchor. Alan I can't imagin how you got to the start of little finger overland without approaching from the top and down climbing that gully?  the canoe ride is wild and not to be missed.  matrix, Screaming matrix and Screaming Meanie are all pretty serious moderate routes with massive run outs but sort of reasonable climbing. 

Jeremy, you are very definite that "there is no reasonable way to access the routes other than by boat", and clearly you should know, but I am curious why you say so. Are there private property trespass issues? Because, as I wrote yesterday, it is, or, at least was, physically possible to contour across from the campground, as that is what Al Long and I did when we climbed there in the fall of 1974.This was before the routes there were included in any guidebook and that was how we assumed one approached the climbs. It was 50 years ago so I don't remember the details. However, I do know that I've never been a fan of bushwhacking and have always been very cautious ( chicken) when it comes to exposed unroped climbing, and have no memories of that approach being an epic in either respect.  Maybe it was, and I've suppressed the bad memories, but I do clearly recall some 'horror' approaches from that time period.  Looking at photos of the cliff ( I haven't been back since then), there is a low ledge system across the slab which was what we undoubtedly followed to get to the base of LF.

I'm sure that going by boat, at least on a reasonably calm day, provides an easier, and quite unique, approach but I presume that an overland one is still a feasible, even if not very pleasant, alternative.

Also, as I wrote previously, after our second route, (which I believe was Two Bits as it was right of LF and had some bolts) we did top out and follow a trail back to the campground, as we didn't have a boat to get back down to.

Alan. You must have approached from the top? It's all cliffs down low for about a 1/4 mile. Starting at the little island it's cliffed out. 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Alan. You must have approached from the top? It's all cliffs down low for about a 1/4 mile. Starting at the little island it's cliffed out. 

Nope. We contoured. Possibly went high for a while and then cut down to join the ledge system, but didn't approach from the top. After LF we did traverse over and descend that gully/ramp ( no fixed rap anchors back then) to get back to the base for our second route. Walked off the back after that one.

Alan Rubinwrote:

Nope. We contoured. Possibly went high for a while and then cut down to join the ledge system, but didn't approach from the top. After LF we did traverse over and descend that gully/ramp ( no fixed rap anchors back then) to get back to the base for our second route. Walked off the back after that one.

i’ve paddled out five times and can’t really imagine a route as you describe, hiking. there is supposedly a way to rap in but if you have access to a boat i can’t imagine doing it any other way. i’ve never had the water be so rough i’d wished i wasn’t there. usually paddling out is kind of tiring and coming back easy, not sure why it’s always the same. 

I have had some epic paddles where we had to stop in the lee of the island and bail out the canoe but i would not have missed those. they were part of what made it a special day. 

Even in late April/early May, be prepared for fierce sun if it's a clear day. Sun block, and a sun hat really help.

Jeremy Haaswrote:

Hi David! Early and late season can be the best times to climb at Rogers Rock. Summer is often too hot to climb, the lake is dangerously busy and there may be many parties lined up for Little Finger. The Slab dries quickly and gets full sun. Every route requires two ropes for descent. There is no reasonable way to access the routes other than by boat.

Lake George is a big lake and can have some serious white caps. Cap-sizing in April/May could be life threatening. Thankfully the paddle is short and straightforward. 

The Campground may have some of the roads gated but you should be able to maneuver down to the boat launch.

Lake George has lots of sport climbing, perhaps the biggest concentration in the Adirondacks. Most of the cliffs are in Adirondack Rock 2nd edition. Consider a visit to Last of the Mohicans which is a new cliff with easy access from the campground.  https://www.adirondackrock.com/newroutes.htm

Hey Jeremy! Thanks for the advice and for the brilliant guide book you've put together. Looks like Last of the Mohican's would be closed right now as online it's saying anything lakeside is open but campground side is closed. Looks like a great spot otherwise!

Thanks again for the help!

Hi Alan! Sounds like your Rogers Slide day was a great day of climbing. I imagine many of your early ADK ascents were in the pioneering spirit! I still hold Rogers Slide and one of the top five rock climbing experiences in the Adirondacks. Perhaps you will make a return someday?

Rogers Slide is encircled by complex 3rd-4th class terrain and water. Traverse to high and a party would end up on undeveloped slabs (near Kings and Desperate Men). Traverse too low and a party gets cliffed above the lake. I have done field work in the area you have described and the shoreline gets complex and technical right away, i.e. fixed handlines and social paths.

The top of the Slide is equally complex. Besides Matrix, none of the routes really top out. The last 100' of the Slide is moss-covered, often wet, and has plenty of loose rock. The Slide doesn't have a clean top out, i.e. an obvious point at which you could walk off. I have tried to locate the top anchors of the Matrix, from above, and it looks like 200' of bushy 4th class. Although there is a good trail to the "summit" of Roger Rock, it is well above the Slide and it isn't easily discernable. 

There was a technical rescue on the Little Finger a few years ago. I believe the party got their rope stuck on the descent (or didn't bring a second rope?). That rescue was done top down. If I was on that rescue team I would have been really nervous about generating rockfall. For future rescues I can imagine two scenarios that may occur: 1) a party attempts the approach without a boat and get cliffed out, 2). a party fails to bring a second rope and cannot descent the established rappel routes.

David, thanks for the guidebook props! Last season I put ten days of field work into the Rogers Rock area. It will be included (soon) in the Gunks App: Lake George guide. There are several new crags in the Campground Wall area, including Last of the Mohicans, which will be included.

Last of the Mohicans is not affected by the Peregrine closures, it is very distant from the nesting site. I will be monitoring later this week with the hope of being able to open up cliff sections that are not affected by bird activity. Adirondack Climbers Coalition website is the most updated way to follow cliff closures and openings.  

Jermy.  My first trip up Rojers was 1984ish. The descent for little Finger was described as rappelling through the trees on the right side of the cliff.  We did this with a single 50m rope and it took as long as the climb but we had some drama first.  On P1 I made belay in the dish about 150ft up  just below a shallow overlap. fixed pin BINTD. My partner Mike Fischer (camp and pataguchi rep at the time.) was belaying me from the dish and I had  just placed a nut at the first steeper section on P2 after the belay when a jet fighter buzzed us. I was a new leader and daks 5.7 was quite intimidating to me. Little finger was 5.7 in my blue plastic bound guide book. Getting buzzed by a fighter jet did not help.   The jet was below me at about the height of my belayer. It was a two seater and both the piolet and navigators oxygen masks were hanging to the side of their helmets so I could easily see their faces and make eye contact. When they were even with us the piolet pointed the nose straight up and went up like a rocket leaving a boiling froth on the water.  There was motor boat full of joeys watching us and they must have literally gotten their eyebrows singed. The driver of the boat yelled up at me  "OMG did you see that?"  I don't remember if or what I answered him with as I was hanging on for dear life. I led the rest of the climb without incident and found a belay tree in the woods on the right that had  slings and rings on it. The dirt at the base of the tree was well packed  and obviously this was the right spot. We were both clipped to the tree sorting out the rope when the ledge we were standing on that had well packed dirt on it fell out from under us leaving us dangling from the tree. Fortunately we had not tossed the rope yet and it was not caught in the rockfall. The ledge we had been standing on was now bounding end over end down the cliff. It was about the size of a truck hood and about a foot thick. You could smell the sparks and smaller chunks broke off as it went any of which would have been deadly but the bulk of it stayed together  and made a massive cannonball when it hit the water. The yahoos in the speed boat were long gone otherwise we could have done a bit of eco terrorism and reduced the speed boat impact on the lake by one.  I do suspect that you are correct that rapping in from the top poses significant rock fall hazards.  

Small trip report from my time on Roger's Slide on Sunday.

Weather was near perfect (in my opinion.) Woke up to around 12C and by the time we got to the Slide it was approaching 21C and sunny. We rented our canoe from Brookwood, which was also our camping site. They have a trailer hitch for canoes which made it easy to get down the road. Paddle in was calm and took us about 20 minutes, there was no one else around at all.

As for the climb itself, this was the first time I would be "guiding". My friends have always been rope guns for me, and this time I took a new partner up and I had to lead every pitch as it was their first multi-pitch and first trad climb. The climb was fantastic though. The rock was completely dry except for a few jugs off to the side at the top. The climb eats gear although after placing the first few pieces I was happy to go 15ft or so between pro. Pitch 1 anchor was bomber as there was two pitons and a great nut placement. Pitch 2 anchor was a bit of a gong-show as I climbed past the intended anchor and ended up building it in a mini roof using a 1, .3, and .5, non of which inspired me. There is also a huge (2ft by 5ft) flake which is hollow and seems fully detached sat right where i was building the anchor. Definitely sketched me out a bit and also made my legs burn, so after belaying my partner up I got him to build a new anchor in the right spot, then lowered down to re-rack and stretch my calves. Third pitch was super fun and had the crux transitioning around the roof. We took the 5.5 finish. After clipping the anchors we took a rest and chatted through rapping. We chose to rap using a 60M tag line, and we also stacked raps too. Also two firsts for me as I've never rapped on an ATC outside of practicing, and I've also never used a tag-line. Everything was fine though and uneventful. Rap line is right below and hard to miss.

Overall it took us nearly 5 hours to climb and rap the route, with two rests / snack breaks. I was expecting a quicker time but the P2 anchor took me around 20 minutes before I felt confident enough in it. Car to car was about 6 hours.

Definitely worth climbing if you're interested in easy, safe milage with a great view and unique approach. End of April was awesome conditions, although that can vary year to year I guess, but honestly any later in the year might have been far too hot for me