PRINT: Rock Climb The Ceiling, The Gunks

The Ceiling

5.6, Trad, 275 ft (83 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 3.5 from 774 votes
FA: Bill Shockley, Doug Kerr, 1953
New York > Gunks > Trapps > d. Strictly - The Cei…

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. The name of the route is now "The Ceiling" rather than the original "Shockley's Ceiling."

Description

This route is considered to be one of the top three 5.6 routes at the Gunks, with High E and Madame G being the other two. The first two pitches can be linked up with Strictly From Nowhere - climb past the first roof of Strictly, and make a traverse right to the belay just below the Shockley's roof. P1 and P2 can easily be combined.

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.

Protection

Standard Rack.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Going big!

Unknown climber a few feet above the first crux roof.

the late great Roger Marshall in the mid 80's

1957 Shockley's Ceiling-climber Marianne Marquardt

Derek underneath the first crux roof on Shockley's Ceiling (5.7)<br>
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A cropped version of a photo submitted by Denis O'Connor.

Derek underneath the first crux roof on Shockley's Ceiling (5.7) A cropped version of a photo submitted by Denis O'Connor.

Start

Shortly after this, he fell. This is the photo that was displayed at the Mohonk Visitor Center for many years, and is the photo that "covers" Shockley's Ceiling in Dick Dumais' book "The Shawangu…

pitch 2 roof

Derek underneath the first crux roof.

Pulling the move

Jen pulling the classic roof. (Short people beware).

pitch 2

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Paul Crowder
Louisville, CO

The crux roof was the scene of my first ever leader fall, in Fall 1977, onto an archaic pin. I was sure that I was going to die. Its rating, at 5.6, is a sandbag, but it's not the only sandbag at the Gunks in this rating range. It's an amazing climb. A truly high-quality outing for the solid 5.8 leader who is experienced with traditional gear. A potential horror fest for anyone else. Mar 7, 2006

John Peterson

The popularity of this route has a lot more to do with the classic photo-op at the roof and the proximity to the road than the climbing itself. It's an OK route but the crux is a real grunt (well protected though!) and definitely not really 5.6. The rest of the route is OK but not classic. It's also notorious for long waits at the crux pitch--I've seen parties take hours to clear this. Note that you can easily bail to the left ("Shockley's Without") instead of waiting for some poor panicked novice that keeps swinging into space.

Waiting in line for Shockley's is a waste of time--there are plenty of better lines at the grade. If you want another classic 5.6 in the area, go for Arch / Wrist. Mar 7, 2006

Adam Catalano
Albany, New York

A definite must for anyone looking for the Gunks experience. Hit it during the week. Start on the first pitch of Strictly from Nowhere to the top of the block and then right onto Shockley's. The roof move is not that difficult. All of 5.6+. I think the tougher move is just before topping out, jamming the wide crack when you are out of your #2 cause you used it under the roof. Mar 15, 2006

percious
Bear Creek, CO

5.6

It might be worth noting that the route is named for one of the contributors to the invention of the semi-conductor, and eventually the integrated circuit, which we all are lucky enough to utilize whilst contributing to, and consuming, this site!

Awesome climb. Do it in the "classic" way. In the buff. Dec 12, 2011

Tom D
New York

5.7

Save one or two number 1"-ish pieces for the second roof on the third pitch to prevent runout. I only had small gear left. Managed to squeeze a 0.4 by a pin. Pulling the roof and the first pitch crux felt 5.7ish May 27, 2014

Cedric Bien-Gund
Philadelphia, PA

5.6

I did the money pitch 3 in two pitches, mostly because it was my partner's second day outside and wanted to be able to communicate with him when he pulled the famous Shockley's roof, which he did like a champ! I think the Dick Williams guidebook recommends belaying about 10-15 feet afterwards in a comfortable left-facing corner. I placed a ton of pro in case my second needed to pull on gear over the roof (it eats pro!).

I also agree with gblauer, the last roof felt a little trickier; fewer jugs than the shockley's roof. I am 5'7" and didn't think anything was too reachy, just get those feet up! and definitely didn't think it was harder than gunks 5.6, as long as you're OK pulling roofs. Jun 19, 2014

Stephen Bittner

First and second pitch are nothing special. The 3rd pitch is super fun. If you want a 4 star climb, link the Oscar corner to Strictley roof, and then continue on to Shockley's 3rd Pitch. The 4 stars here is for the 3rd pitch alone. Sep 23, 2014

losbill

5.7

link the Oscar corner to Strictley roof, and then continue on to Shockley's 3rd Pitch

Just don't do it on a busy day since you will really tick off people coming up Strictley's and Shockley's. Besides it isn't all that good. Oscar's corner is just so-so and the second pitch is a long boring traverse over to Shockley's roof. Sep 24, 2014

SethG

Losbill, are you serious? Oscar's into Strictly's is a great great pitch!

Obviously you shouldn't cut someone off who is already leading the routes. That would be jerky. But barring that, you are within your rights to lead Oscar's into Strictly's into Shockley's-- one of the best moderate climbs anywhere imho.

If your party doesn't have anyone who will be likely to struggle at the roof and you have a 70 meter rope, you can take it all the way from the Strictly's chains through the Shockley's crux pitch and to the top of the cliff in one long pitch. I've actually done it with a 60 meter rope, but it just barely made it. Depending on your particular rope and what your leader does to set an anchor, a 60 might come up just a tad short. Sep 24, 2014

Ryan M Moore
Philadelphia, PA

5.6

Roof is super fun, and super well protected not sure if there's an elegant way up it, but it certainly is no more difficult than a single 5.7/8 move at a softer area and right in line for other 5.6 routes at the Gunks. Definitely follow the MP pitch breakdown and not the Gray Dick. Jun 4, 2017

Lev Kisselman
New York, NY

We rappelled down in one go with two 70m ropes, it was juu-ust enough Jul 4, 2017

Adam Mattessich
New York

5.7

A Gunks classic! Although except for the crux roof it’s a pretty unexceptional climb. And the crowds to get on it and at P3 especially on summer weekends are brutal. Like most Gunks ratings this is a serious sandbag. If you’re a confident 5.8-.9 trad leader it will be a blast but less confident leaders on high exposure will struggle and Judy add to the lines. Jun 23, 2018

Adam Mattessich
New York, NY

5.8

Super fun roof climb with moderate exposure. Typical Gunks 5.6 which is to say more like 7-8 at other areas. Great pro. If you want to photo your 2nd on the crux belay just above the roof in the corner instead of running it out to the top. Jul 26, 2018

Robert Hall
North Conway, NH

5.7

Funny about ratings - in the "old days" Pitches 1 & 2 were considered 5.3 (the rating of the climb "Shockley's Without", whose P3 climbs the wall 30-40 ft left of the OH) and the crux OH on P3 5.6.
Now P1 is given 5.4, P2 5.5 but P3 stays 5.6. Interesting. Mar 30, 2019

Brandon Newton
Nashville, TN

5.6

Really fun, felt more "6+" compared to other Gunks 6s. Crux was a bit more technical than Laurel, which goes at 5.7. Either way, crank and scum your way to victory. Aug 10, 2019

Franz Buzawa
Brooklyn, NY

It looks like the top-outs of this and other popular routes in the Trapps are affected by run-off from eroded climbers trails after heavy rains. So, don't be surprised if when you reach for that bomber-looking horizontal you wind up grabbing a handful of dirt. Jun 27, 2021

Ryan Thomas
Brattleboro VT

While the comments on this route seem to be, so far, largely free of assessment of the first ascensionist's character and consequent discussion of the route title emendation, I'd suggest the link below to anyone interested in forming or adjusting an opinion of the man. Following this suggestion, I want to make clear that my aim is education, not endorsement or condemnation.

youtube.com/watch?v=7JOIqkh… Dec 4, 2021

Tim Stich
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Well, at least they didn't erase Shockley's name in the FA line. Ha ha ha. So lame. May 18, 2023

Ryan A
Highland Park, NJ

A bit of protection beta: Consider protecting your follower by placing gear to the left after pulling the roof. If you place your first piece after the roof in the corner and they fall they'll end up on the right side of the roof, which makes it strenuous to get back on. There's a nice spot for a 0.4 a few feet left of the corner and about 10' above the main roof will keep your climber from swinging too far into space. Nov 6, 2023