quality gunks climbs off the beaten path?

I'm visiting the Gunks in a few days and although I hope to climb mostly during the week, the weather forecast may have different ideas for us. I know that the area can be a cluster on the weekends so I'm curious what people might recommend for routes that are worth doing but a little under the radar or those that don't attract large crowds. Anything 5.10 and under. Thanks.

No specific climbs to mention, but if you just keep walking down the Nears, usually the crowds dissipate, but the quality lines do not.

The crowds at the Gunks tend to be overstated. There is not a long line of climbers waiting at everyone of the 495 climbs in the Trapps. Walk along the bottom of the cliff with guidebook in hand until you find an interesting looking route open. You may not get on a three star classic but I've stumbled upon super classics like Arrow, Ant's Line, and even High E wide open on busy weekends. As others stated the climbs farther away from the Uberfall tend to be less crowded.

If you find yourselves down at the end of the Nears, you must get on Spinal Exam. With the Murial's nose finish, it is one of the raddest routes at the Gunks.

BM at the end of the nears - wild 5.8 in 5 pitches

Cherokee 5.9 in same area

Variation to V3 - hard 9/easy 10 - tricky and pretty cool either way, kinda committing but rarely done.

Commando Rave in same area as v3 - ok not so off the beaten path but great route at 5.9

Casablanca - 5.9 at end of trapps

Slime Wall/Sleepy Hollow - both have quality 10s and rarely busy. End of the trapps

Just avoid the Uberfall and you'll do OK. Pick an area, and with a a little looking around you'll find something open. My suggestion: go to the Arrow area where you'll find 4 side-by-side classics on beautiful white rock. I've never been there where I couldn't jump on one of them:

Annie Oh!
Three Doves
Limelight (easiest)
Arrow

dave, you should do 'low exposure', hands down the easiest 11- at the gunks. it's right there on the road and nobody ever does it.

Dave,

How long ya stayin'. I ask because next weekend (Sat. the 9th) is the film festival, and I know you want to be there. Just to let you know.
The schedule

Lost City, Bonticou, and Millbrook are always great options, though finding info online will be challenging.

The far end of the Trapps (like everyone already said) has some great, AND quiet routes.

Dave Holliday wrote:We hiked past the big waterfall (Aworing or something like that)

Awosting.

Glad you had a good time.

Dave Holliday wrote:o The crowds really sucked on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend but we still found some good stuff to climb.

Glad you had a good time! What area were you in on Saturday? I was kind of pleasantly surprised that the crowds weren't as bad as I thought they'd be. My partner and I spent the whole day in the Arrow area and didn't have to wait in line for anything.

It was kind of funny to look over from Hans' Puss to the High E buttress and see what looked like a frat party on the GT ledge there!

JL

Dave Holliday wrote: It seems like the local custom is to yell the name of the route you're rappelling when tossing the rope (in addition to yelling "rope").

It helps stating the route especially on busy walls where there are several rappel lines.

Dave Holliday wrote: It seemed, though, that many people didn't first make sure that nobody was below them. I was hit at the top of the first pitch of Arrow, on the GT ledge on Something Interesting, and when starting up Baby. Was it my responsibility to get out of the way of a falling rope or theirs to make sure they weren't dropping it on someone? Curious.

No, it's not a local custom. Local etiquette dictates to lower off ropes and not to throw them, and ask the parties below for a permission to lower a rap line first. That being said with so many gumbies around, when you hear "rope" it's wise to make sure you have a good stance, hug the wall and hope for the best!