Type: | Trad, 275 ft (83 m), 3 pitches |
FA: | Bill Shockley, Doug Kerr, 1953 |
Page Views: | 61,184 total · 335/month |
Shared By: | Guy H. on Feb 23, 2006 · Updates |
Admins: | RJ B |
The Mohonk Preserve, GCC, Access Fund, and Petzl have worked to install bolted anchors that eliminate the need to rappel from healthy trees with slings and rings. The primary reason for this action has been to reduce impact on the trees. By monitoring the trees we have direct evidence that this has worked.
Do NOT rappel from trees without in situ anchors. Wrapping ropes around trees is banned by the Mohonk Preserve, and damages the tree even if done only once. The Mohonk Preserve is private land and climbing access is a privilege that can be revoked. It is incumbent upon us as climbers to speak up when we witness environmentally unsound practices – so DO speak up and spread the word.
Currently there are enough rappel stations and walk-off options that a VERY short walk will lead to a bolted station, healthy tree with slings, or down-climb descent. The Gunks Apps, MP, and newer print guidebook each have detailed information that provide Leave No Trace descents.
If you feel there is a situation where there is no good LNT descent, you can contact the GCC or the Climbing Ranger of the Mohonk Preserve directly.
History
William Shockley managed a research group at Bell Labs, including John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, that invented the solid-state transistor. Bardeen, Brattain and Shockley were jointly awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics for "their researches on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect".
In later life, Shockley repulsively described his outspoken advocacy of eugenics, the effort to manipulate the human genetic stock by excluding those judged as inferior and unfit, as the most important work of his career. Because of this, his name is forever tarnished.
Description
The Shockley's access trail is located almost exactly where the East Trapps Connector Trail (the Stairmaster) meets the carriage road. This is about a 5-min. walk from the Uberfall.
P1: Start 25' right and uphill from Strictly in a large right-facing dihedral. Follow a chimney (or climb the face to the left) to an awkward step around a roof. 5.4, 50'.
P2: Angle up and right into a steep right-facing corner. Follow fun jugs to a lichen-y slab finish. Belay on the large ledge below the roofs. 5.5, 120'.
P3: The money pitch: Jam the hand crack through the roof. After making the crux move, place some gear for your 2nd. Continue through the second roof and follow a crack system to the clifftop. 5.6, 100'.
Communication from the clifftop is notoriously bad - plan accordingly (and also know that people on the carriage road will hear you and your partners much better than you'll hear each other - this is often quite amusing! -JSH).
Descent: walk left about 200' to the bolted rappel down Ribs. Three single raps with a 60 will get you down.
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