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Outer Space

5.8 PG13, Trad, 120 ft (36 m),  Avg: 2.9 from 39 votes
FA: Art Gran, Jim Geiser, 1959
New York > Gunks > Near Trapps > a. Beginning of cliff…

Description

A fine route that gets surprisingly little traffic. Not the place for a beginning 5.8 leader.

This is one of the first routes in the Nears. When the trail first hits the rock, look up and locate the huge Kansas City roof. This route starts just a little bit left. The upper part is obvious - a V-shaped corner about 10' high, leading to a roof. The start is harder to locate - look for a long, leftward traverse into the V-corner.

P1: To reach this traverse, climb up easily to a stance below a small roof. Clip the pin above, drop in a nut to back it up and then commit to the crux: a traverse up and left just above a small overhang. This traverse is tenuous at best, and there's not much beyond the pin to protect you. After finally reaching good holds, drop in a piece for your second and continue to traverse to the corner. Then up and left to an anchor. 5.8 PG, 120'.

You can go up to the trees here but most people rap from the anchor.

Protection

Standard Gunks rack

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Simon on Outer Space, p1 of Easy Rider
[Hide Photo] Simon on Outer Space, p1 of Easy Rider
Looking back from anchor at the full traverse. Sews up really well after the piton.
[Hide Photo] Looking back from anchor at the full traverse. Sews up really well after the piton.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Gail Blauer
Gardiner, NY
[Hide Comment] Actually, I don't think you climb up easily to the pin. The move over the bulge is committing and not well protected. A fall there would result in an injury. The traverse has tiny hands but pretty good feet. It's not so bad. Continue to the alcove, look around for hands and work your way up to the final, juggy traverse. It's a fun climb, but, be prepared for run out, PG 13 climbing. May 25, 2014
John Ely
Washington D.C.
[Hide Comment] Yeah, it is very 5.8 just clipping the first pin, though more height would help. Before doing so, it is possible to slot a yellow alien or so in the handholds below to protect while reaching up for the pin. Aug 19, 2015
Don Eiver
Westchester County, NY
 
[Hide Comment] GunksApps advises you to bring a solid 5.8 as your second. I did not qualify. The move stepping up to clip the pin and then back down to the first traverse was straightforward enough, I suppose. However, that first traverse left around the bulge ate my lunch. The feet are giant; hands not so much. Once I got to the jugs after that bulge it's straightforward and manageable, but the bad fall potential at the beginning of this route is real for both leader and follower. Jul 6, 2020
WF WF51
 
[Hide Comment] From the beginning of the traverse until the move up and into the notch, the second can be protected - cams in the horizontal slot under the roof. Oct 14, 2020
gunkie X
Solebury, PA
 
[Hide Comment] One of my favorite pitches in the Gunks. P1 stays dry in rain. May 18, 2022