Adam Catalano Albany, New York

[Hide Comment] Glad to see this graded up from the previous 5.7. The triangles move down low is tricky, the rest is just awesome climbing all the way up to the top. Don't miss out on the second pitch. Mar 15, 2006

saxfiend Decatur, GA   5.7+

[Hide Comment] The one hard move at the start is the only real reason to give this a 5.8 rating, but it's still a cool climb all the way. Sep 29, 2007

Tim Schafstall Newark, DE

[Hide Comment] Agree with Adam - don't skip P2. Crux gear is bomber and knowing the secret beta makes the crux easier. Apr 2, 2008

eric larson aurora, co

[Hide Comment] Climbed p2 straight up from the anchors instead of out left.. was a bit dirty, but i felt it kept the grade 7 or 8- with decent gear. Pitch 1 was fun, and super exciting as the bottom crux was sopping wet! Jul 7, 2008

Gail Blauer Gardiner, NY

[Hide Comment] Great climb, low crux is easy for me. Not sure I like the middle third run out. It's easy climbing, but, I do like my gear. After leading this several times, I realize that the run out is on very easy terrain. I can usually find a C3 placement somewhere along the way. I really enjoy both pitches of this climb. P2 has a really, nice, exposed move as you transfer from the corner to the face above. Apr 18, 2009

slim   5.8- PG13

[Hide Comment] tricky start and some routefinding on the second pitch. did it all in one pitch, a good exciting pitch for the grade. maybe not the best for someone breaking into the grade, or inexperienced trad climber. Jun 8, 2009

reddirt

[Hide Comment] So is stemming the tree at the start considered off route : P I'm trying to envision the FA's doing the start in sneakers... Jun 8, 2009

David Stowe

[Hide Comment] Why would you stem the tree. There are good holds. The move through the pod can be done at 5.7 or also done to be made much harder if you climb straight up or to the right. Staying a hair to the left makes this 5.7. Jun 9, 2009

John Peterson

[Hide Comment] The legality of tree stemming was always a hot topic at GunksFest (a now defunct climbing event that used to happen every Dec 26th). See tradgirl.com/gunks/paulina.htm for a picture of this highly questionable tactic. Jun 9, 2009

analogical 5.7

[Hide Comment] The move at the pod isn't hard, though you can make it hard. I jam and hand-foot match, and it's more like 5.5, but I'm more flexible than most. There's some thin face climbing above, I would give this route a PG. One thing to note is that the guidebooks do the 2nd pitch differently. Williams has City Lights and Pas de Deux crossing, Swain straights them out - the one stays left, the other stays right for both pitches. Except for PdD's first pitch, it's all 5.6-5.7, so just do whatever doesn't have someone already on it. Apr 27, 2010

Jaysen Henderson Brooklyn NY   5.7+

[Hide Comment] great climb but the pro on the second half had me taking a little extra care of my foot holds. i'm with the 5.7+ Jul 1, 2011

K Baumgartner   5.8 PG13

[Hide Comment] One move wonder that had me perplexed until I found a money hand jam. Definitely run out at the top, but it's pretty easy climbing. Aug 27, 2012

Logan Schiff Brooklyn, NY

[Hide Comment] Crux is pretty weird the first time but gear is good. Runout in middle section not too enjoyable but the second pitch was really nice. Worth doing but not as classic as some of the other routes on this wall. Apr 23, 2013

BrianRH Jersey City, NJ

[Hide Comment] Don't get cocky and start to run it out too early, as the options for gear for the last 25 -30 feet of pitch 1 range from poor to nonexistent. There's only one 5.8 move that protects easily. Jul 8, 2013

Josh Smethers Malvern, pa   5.8-

[Hide Comment] This is a good climb with a bit of everything, well protected crux moves early on, some technical climbing, and a bit of runout. I finally made that crux move in the beginning! Apr 13, 2014

Mthoresz

[Hide Comment] I really enjoyed this, though I only did the first pitch - will be back to do the second for sure. I found the move at the bottom hard at first, but agree with others that if you're out left enough, it becomes be easier. I think the next time I won't find it as hard for sure. I grabbed the little crimpers out left and did a huge step with my right foot and jammed it in there. At 5'4" it was a high step for me, but well within reason. I loved this route. Oct 27, 2014

Peter Lewis Bridgton, ME

[Hide Comment] The pod move is ridiculous for the grade. If you haven't climbed at the Gunks much, you will be stymied by both the rating and the move itself. As I was trying to second the pitch there was a crowd of people all shouting some variation of "Put your left foot up by your ear," which sounded goofy until I realized that you actually have to do that. A classic sandbag. The second pitch is wonderful---better than the first pitch, I think. Apr 21, 2015

losbill

[Hide Comment] Peter lol at your comment. Just a week ago Sunday I once again thoroughly embarrassed myself at the pod and had to finally aid through it. In retrospect I think I may now have a way to get through it. Of course I have said that half a dozen times in the past and proved myself wrong! Apr 22, 2015

SethG

[Hide Comment] With all of this "easier to the left" talk I may have to try it that way some time. I've always thought the move I worked out on the right was reasonable.... and it doesn't require you to put your toe in your ear. Apr 22, 2015

Peter Lewis Bridgton, ME

[Hide Comment] I have unusually low ears, SethG, so it's not as hard as it sounds. [wink] Apr 24, 2015

Nick Hamilton Philadelphia   5.7

[Hide Comment] Lead this for the first time a few days ago, and I definitely had my foot in my ear. A beautiful route on a beautiful part of the cliff. Jun 26, 2015

Jon Po   5.8-

[Hide Comment] Another gunks route that is all about the hand jam! Nov 1, 2015

Gabe Cisneros Baltimore, md

[Hide Comment] There is a chalk line that angles right towards the second pitch of frogs head. Is that a variation or a way to finish at frogs head anchors? Jun 26, 2017

SethG

[Hide Comment] Gabe if you're talking about just after the small overhang on P1, if you trend right instead of left and head for the right side of the pedestal just before the bolt anchors, that's Patty Duke, which starts to the left of City Lights but crosses it. Jun 26, 2017

David K The Road, Sometimes Chattan…   5.7

[Hide Comment] The route itself is three stars, but if you do it on a crowded day, expect to deduct two star's worth of enjoyment due to ropes being dropped on you and unintended macrame on overcrowded belay ledges. It's easy to get to the top rap anchors from surrounding climbs, so too many people rap right through the route with zero consideration for climbers. Conscientious climbers walk off to the Uberfall descent instead of rapping. May 27, 2018

Chad Silva Napanoch, NY

[Hide Comment] I remember looking up, seeing no gear in the foreseeable future, and adding a green cam to my purple cam, in a chalked up horizontal. Glad I did! It was all I had for a while. Top Pitch was a bit dirty and just generally OK. Aug 24, 2020

Jacob Ireland NY

[Hide Comment] I wasn't able to get a good hand jam on the starting crux so I went a little left and used the crimps to get past it. Dec 9, 2020

The Weavers High Falls NY

[Hide Comment] Fun boulder problem start to excellent moderate climbing. The second pitch is a hidden gem. Aug 22, 2021

Scott Doering The Gunks   5.8-

[Hide Comment] The crux actually wasn’t bad but I had a little assist. My downfall was grabbing a sandy hold after recent rain at the same time some sorry excuse for a guide yelled to me (Not even one I was with. I was just there with my wife). Had me a little whip. Back on my way I found plenty of holds and decent pro and made the first set of chains just fine. I used a couple of nuts with a .3, .4, and .5. A .75 will fit nicely to protect the crux. However, I found this made the rope block a hold, so I opted for a nut slightly higher up. I only found this run out right after the crux. There’s pro all the way after that if you look enough. Apr 28, 2023