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Climbing "between" NYC and Montreal in April

Chris Duca · · Dixfield, ME · Joined Dec 2006 · Points: 2,345
Gaby wrote:

Those areas look great, thanks!

These three areas have a lot of dry rock to offer in the Spring, even in light rain, plus the crowds are generally far less than Rumney.  The dirt roads to Shagg and Shell can get pretty rutted out, though mostly manageable. 

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,697
Nolan Nolan wrote:

 https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106050968/poke-o-moonshine 

April is falcon closure for much of Poko.

Alan Rubin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10
Chris Duca wrote:

These three areas have a lot of dry rock to offer in the Spring, even in light rain, plus the crowds are generally far less than Rumney.  The dirt roads to Shagg and Shell can get pretty rutted out, though mostly manageable. 

Even with a week, I think that those areas, especially Shagg and Shell, are pretty far out of the way between NYC and Montreal ( several hours east of Rumney, which itself is pretty far east of the best routes north) -would require much of a day of driving in both directions, so would cut significantly into their available climbing time.

Gaby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

Thanks all for those amazing answers!

Rory Holt · · New York City · Joined Apr 2024 · Points: 0

Hey Gaby,

While many people in this thread have done a great job of reccomending sport areas, I can't help but think that you'd be hugely missing out by avoiding Trad in the NY area. If I was traveling to Fontainbleu I'd want to go bouldering, in Yosemite bigwalling, in Maillorca deepwater solo'ing, and without a doubt NY is the place to go trad climbing. NY and the Gunks are in many ways the home of American Trad climbing - there's a history here that few places outside of Yosemite can match, the terrain is enormously fun and engaging at all grades, the horizontally featured climbing is always interesting, and the community is open and very helpful. People here understand that Trad gear is expensive and sometimes intimidating, and you should have no problem finding someone willing to take you up approachable, moderate trad multipitch routes as a second. I'd highly recommend posting on the Gunks climbing partners FB group to start; the community is super helpful, and while it's probably not very active now, it's easy to find a partner on short notice during the climbing season. I'd even be happy to lend some trad kit like a nut tool, personal tether, etc if you needed.

There's lots of info on the Gunks out there if you want to look into it further, but to get a feel for it, I'm especially partial to this short film from the early 00's: vimeo.com/841295453

By all means do your thing while you're in the Northeast, but just my 2 cents - I think you'd be really missing out by skipping some of America's most classic climbs simply because they're an unfamiliar style. Cheers

Gaby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

Thanks Rory,

I will be on vacation with wife and kids, who are not much into trad. I wish I could make a stop at the Gunks. I have a good old book from Edlinger with nice pics from the Gunks ;-) But I am going to think about it twice!

Alan Rubin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10
Gaby wrote:

Thanks Rory,

I will be on vacation with wife and kids, who are not much into trad. I wish I could make a stop at the Gunks. I have a good old book from Edlinger with nice pics from the Gunks ;-) But I am going to think about it twice!

If you are heading straight north on the Interstate 87 ( New York Thruway in that stretch of road) you will pass right by the Gunks ( exit 18--New Paltz and  Poughkeepsie) just a few minutes west of the highway, so it would be worth a brief detour to at least see the area and take a walk along the Carriage Road at the base ( literally for a few of the climbs) of the Trapps section of the crag. Maybe do some bouldering as well. (You will have to pay a day use fee--not cheap, but goes to a good cause). And while passing through the town of New Paltz on the way to the cliff, stop at Rock and Snow ( right adjacent to the road on the left near the west end of town)--one of the best climbing stores in the US.

Rock Games by Edlinger? Good book, excellent photos, great climber, so sad that he had such a tragic end to his life.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

If you want to visit the Gunks, but trad climbing isn't logistically viable while with the family, then bouldering at the Gunks is also a good option. Gunks bouldering is a classic destination in its own right, and the logistics/access is incredibly easy with many of the boulders right along the carriage road. I think the shop in New Paltz (Rock and Snow) has crash pad rentals available.

Otherwise, I'd say go to Rumney.

cubist A · · New York, NY · Joined May 2010 · Points: 10

There's also decent top-roping in the Gunks. Peterskill is a very family-friendly place to set up a few top ropes for the kids. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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