Getting to Roger's Rock - Lake George, NY

Has anyone out there climbed at Roger's Slide? The area page recommends either renting a boat/canoe or paying someone at the marina to ferry you out to the base along the lake. I'm trying to figure out which is the best cost versus effort balance. Also, does anyone know which marina to contact about this?
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Thanks

I've never "bought a ride" there, but I have rented a canoe at the campground, and that was super easy. You may want to call and check what time they start renting boats - last time I was there, we showed up 1/2 hr before they were ready to rent us anything. I was thinking I could have used that time to sleep in a bit later. I suspect they want all the boats back by 5 PM but when I asked, they were cool: said just lock the boat up and drop the paddles and vests at the entry station on our way out.

By all means DO IT. Rogers is one of the best outings in the ADKs.

Suggestion - if you're not super-confident in a canoe (or if the lake is choppy - the wind can raise BIG waves if the wind is out of the N or S), get an extra life jacket for your pack. Gear don't float, and the lake is DEEP.

never thought of the life jacket on the pack... interesting idea. I Always secure the packs to the cross brace on the canoe. WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET!  if you think you are cool sitting on it instead of wearing it you might get your butt kicked hard if one of the powerboats swamps you with their wake and you are trying to deal with the swamped canoe and climbing gear without your vest on. ..  its a wonderfull adventure but the canoe paddle can often be the crux. its really not that long but the waves can whip up fast and be pretty exciteing :)

You sort of imply you're going maybe soon...check that the campground is even open. Many State areas are staying closed later and later into the spring due to budget issues.

When canoeing, go between the mainland and the tiny Juniper island...saves a bit of time.  If you know what you're doing in a canoe it takes about 20 min from the dock. Expect to get your feet wet at the base of the rock pulling the canoe in.  I don't know if rental canoes have "painters" ( 10-15 ft of line from the bow & stern ) for tieing up the boat on land, but I'd be prepared with some cord just in case.

Once you land and pull the canoe up on shore and tie it off, to get to Little Finger go about 25-30 ft right, then up 15-20 ft, then over right a bit more.

If there's wind or T-storms the canoe back can be epic...reaction waves off the cliffs that plunge directly into the water. You get a wave coming at you from the lake-side and another coming off the cliff.

It is, in theory, possible to hike up and scramble down to the top of the cliff; however two problems:
1) It is very difficult to tell "where" to drop down, and the top of the cliff is further down than you think.
2) ...and this is the important one...IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO ANYONE CLIMBING BELOW The very top of the cliff is quite poor rock (most climbs "top out" before this) and the stones at the jucntion of talus and cliff are lose.
We tried it once when the park was locked up (gated so we couldn't even get to the dock with the car and out own canoe) and after about an hour we gave up.  

Thread drift - what are the “must do” routes at Rogers?  I just did the Regular Route at Chapel Pond Slab last season, found it awesome, but would prefer something a grade harder.  Also, that amount of PG13 seemed benign.  To that end, what’s the route to do at Rogers??

Hamish Malin wrote: Thread drift - what are the “must do” routes at Rogers?  I just did the Regular Route at Chapel Pond Slab last season, found it awesome, but would prefer something a grade harder.  Also, that amount of PG13 seemed benign.  To that end, what’s the route to do at Rogers??

Little Finger. If you're feeling in-the-zone after 2 pitches, go straight into the Direct finish.

Gunkiemike wrote:

Little Finger. If you're feeling in-the-zone after 2 pitches, go straight into the Direct finish.

Then have lunch and decide what's next. Screaming Matrix maybe. But that's "more PG" than L. Finger.

Thanks!  For clarification, you’re recommending the third pitch “direct variation” to Little Finger as opposed to “Little Finger Direct”, right?  What’s that last pitch rated?  Can’t tell from MP, might have to go dig out the book... cheers!

Hamish Malin wrote:

Thanks!  For clarification, you’re recommending the third pitch “direct variation” to Little Finger as opposed to “Little Finger Direct”, right?  What’s that last pitch rated?  Can’t tell from MP, might have to go dig out the book... cheers!

Answered my own question!  Read through the comments, looks like the 3rd pitch variation has some ~5.7.  Sweet!

the 3rd pitch variation of LF has good gear INMOP and is easy 5.7 the pitch about 25ft right of  LF ups the game considerably solid 7??8??? micro stopper crux at the start and then 4 bolts in 50m. P2 is retro bolted and 5.8???
 P1 and P2 of Screaming Meanie probably the 2nd easiest and  best protected pitches on the the main cliff???  try not to get sucked into the squeeze job first bolt of  whatever that hacked up thing between LF and SM...  the traverse left at the top of P2 to reach the  2 upper pitches of Matrix is a bit spicy but not bad compared to the real finish. P 3 of screaming meanie is well protected 5.8 at the start but then you have a 90ft 5.5 runout that is vauge and blind. Super fun if you go the right way. terrifying if you miss the hidden belay.

 Matrix is in the mix  and stellar but have you A game for P1 and 2  Pitch 1 red #1 camalot , a micro wire  3 ? bolts and perhaps a micro stopper or cam in the corner  before the chains.  Its a contrived rap job so you might find yourself missing one of the bolts if you follow the natural line. P2 4 bolts in 50m P3 much easier. 4 bolts. P4  some bolts and a green camalot.
 
The belay/ rapell anchors on Screaming meanie are in DIRE need of replacement. many of the newer anchors  on adjacent routes were extremely poorly done with non stainless gear that is now also in need of replacement.

FYI..Everybody calls it the "5.7 3rd P variation", but in fact the FA went that way...it's the "now 'normal' 5.5 'variation' that goes off up and right' that is the actual variation.  At least that's what Kololkotronis told me 6 days after the FA...he was still "on a high" from the route!  Adirondack Rock (Lawyer & Hass) indicates the 5.5 P3 and the 5.7 P3'direct' were all done on the same day, so maybe the 'direct' is actually the 'variation'.  No matter.

If you're up there...read the MtnProjct description for P3 of "little Finger Direct" as well as the "best route down" (from the 'top' of LFD), which calls for moving left to the "Meaney" anchor to rap. Once down the first rap you can TR the crux pitch of Screaming Meaney (5.8 PG bolt protected / 5.5 R/X) ...but be warned, that 5.5 R/X seems trivial to TR but "changes colors" when leading it. (The "Book" calls it 5.4, but IMO it's way more "Psychy" than P1 of Cartharsis.

in reality LF is the only climb there that is G protected. the rest of them you need to be a real slab climber to be safe on them.... that being said the first 2 pitches of Screaming meanie are pretty reasonable.

Thanks, guys! I'm hoping to do it later this month.

Nick Goldsmith wrote: The belay/ rapell anchors on Screaming meanie are in DIRE need of replacement. many of the newer anchors  on adjacent routes were extremely poorly done with non stainless gear that is now also in need of replacement.

 I tried to get with Tom Rosecrans to replace bolts on Roger’s slide. I spent most of two summers ago 10 minutes south of there in Hague. It never happened for whatever reasons. Now I’m working and stuff in San Francisco. 

...and I think the anchors on the 2nd rap should be moved to one side or the other...as they are now the rope's knot can jam in a crack below when pulling.  (at least I think it's the 2nd rap) If I remember correctly, they are in a great place for belaying....but not for rapping.

Never had the rope jamming problem on screaming meanie. over on matrix care needs to be taken on one of the middle raps. 

Right idea...wrong climb.  

I would recommend being some guide tennie or some other approach shoe with rock rubber for climbing. Way more comfortable and way more surface area for grip. 

Looking to do this in early July when I'm in the area for a wedding, very excited for it.  I've been eyeballing this climb for a while but don't want to leave my area if I don't have to.  

If you can get a group together (perhaps some non-climbers with $), the cost of a motor boat saves a little time and your arms from the paddling, but I remember it being slightly challenging to get onto the rock from the motorboat (super deep drop off). I don't remember it being too bad with a canoe to get onto the rock, but I second paddling back w wind being harder.  Just a little run out at the top... but easy!  

The paddle is a large part of the good experience for me but then again I don't drink......

I've done it both ways and each has pros and cons. You have drinks on either watercraft, but a motorboat allows for more room & people and there is an extremely low risk of swamping it, but ya gotta pay for the luxury of being lazy... If renting a canoe, you still have to lug the thing to/from a vehicle and human power it, but its certainly just as much fun, costs significantly less and is a memorable experience for sure. If you can borrow either one, that is probably the best option, imo, but then you still have to deal with getting it from point a to b.