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Bella Vista

5.7 PG13, Trad, 510 ft (155 m), 5 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 2.7 from 23 votes
FA: 2012
New York > Adirondacks > G: Indian Lake… > Crane Mountain > Belleview > Bella Vista Slab

Description

A long, fun jaunt up the side of Crane Mountain. The top of this route is open and the view is excellent.
P1 110' 5.4 PG: Climb the slab up and right, running it out on friction 25' to the first bolt. Continue weaving upward, following clean patches and bolts, to a right-facing corner. Hop left, up on this, and make a semi-hanging belay. With a 60m rope, one can continue climbing another 25m to reach the short crack below and beside the crux headwall. A gear belay allows the second pitch to then run from there all the way to the oak tree in the central swathe of woods (top of pitch 3). This eliminates two belays, making this a 3-pitch route.
P2 90' 5.5 G 5.3 R: Climb a short vertical crack, then the slab above, moving up and slightly left to a flap. Go over this and up the unprotected slab above to the left of two short vertical cracks to the right of a steep headwall. Climb through this and make a belay (use the spruce tree).
P3 40' 5.7 PG 5.2 R: Climb up the headwall using a short vertical crack and the face to its left. Walkable slab leads to a slightly steeper end at a spruce tree anchor.
P4 100' 5.3 R: Step right onto the main slab and make a few dicey moves to the first gear at 25', then continue up easing slab to a point by a spruce tree on the left. Step into the wooded patch at an oak tree with a horizontal branch, and belay.
P5 200' 5.5 G 5.3 R: Scramble left, over blocks, onto a low-angle slab. Work up to its upper left end at a vertical crack in a steeper slab (possible to belay here). Climb the crack and short slab above its end to a stance, step left to a series of shallow scoops beside a seam and go up these to a stance below 2 small spruce trees. Step right around these and climb to the top. There are cracks where a gear belay can be established, or you can stretch the rope out to trees in the woods.

Location

At the lowest point of the slab above and climber's left of the Belleview Slab.
Descent: walk climber's right, traversing along a narrow ledge to reach a brushy gully. Walk down this gully to the lowest of several spruce trees, where there is a rappel anchor, near the top of Benediction. Rappel anchors lie along the general line of Bella Vista all the way down from here.

Protection

Standard Rack. While the crux move is well-protected, be aware that there are many 5.3 R runouts along the way.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Summit of BellaVista 07/21/2020 iPhone pano shot
[Hide Photo] Summit of BellaVista 07/21/2020 iPhone pano shot
3 piece anchor at P2 belay station. Mark included the last bolt of P1 in the master point. Unnecessary in the eyes experienced climbers albeit emotional support to supplement lack of confidence in building aforementioned anchor for us.
[Hide Photo] 3 piece anchor at P2 belay station. Mark included the last bolt of P1 in the master point. Unnecessary in the eyes experienced climbers albeit emotional support to supplement lack of confidence in…
Bella Vista P5
[Hide Photo] Bella Vista P5
Bella Vista P5
[Hide Photo] Bella Vista P5
upper crack
[Hide Photo] upper crack
View from the top
[Hide Photo] View from the top
view from top of P2
[Hide Photo] view from top of P2
Bella Vista, view from P3.
[Hide Photo] Bella Vista, view from P3.
Bella Vista P1. Mike coming up.
[Hide Photo] Bella Vista P1. Mike coming up.
Looking up Pitch1 of Bella Vista, Crane Mt, Adirondacks
[Hide Photo] Looking up Pitch1 of Bella Vista, Crane Mt, Adirondacks
Robin nearing the top of the route.
[Hide Photo] Robin nearing the top of the route.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Kevin Heckeler
Las Vegas, NV
 
[Hide Comment] Some of the description on this could use some updating, there's some bolts now on the areas of unprotected slab which help the head a lot. The safety of the climb does go up, but I'm not sure if the few bolts that were added actually change the overall safety grades. Apr 29, 2017
Jay Harrison
  5.7
[Hide Comment] Hi Kevin,
Whether the pro grade changes or not is a matter of opinion. There are still some substantial runouts, but the fixed gear greatly alleviates the risk-factor in these places; given that the areas are low-angle slab, there's a good chance a fall, even at the maximum in the fifth-class sections, would not result in serious injury. Compared to the runouts on, for example, Roger's Rock routes, Bella Vista would now be "G" rated.
But a few of the falls could be extensive, and on any long fall, risk of broken ankles or inversion is elevated. While a broken ankle is not considered serious, it certainly ruins the day - and as you and I are very aware - can be a life-changing event. While my "old-school" training is aware of these facts and takes it into consideration, there is a modern trend to differentiate between "no injury likely" and "medical attention required injury possible". My head sees no difference; the most trivial, "safe" falls can result in option B, while some of the scariest huge whippers can (and the plethora of online videos depict) be harmless. But the latest generation, raised on plastic and overhanging rock, does.
So I have not changed the pro rating on this one yet. We old-schoolers will be pampered, new-school folks will be informed.
I am sorry I was away the day you came up. I've wanted to see and climb with you for awhile, and of course, the one day I'm off the mountain, you visited. Let's try to get together before the season is out. May 6, 2017
JSW
[Hide Comment] FYI- there was a fairly severe injury on this route last weekend. During the descent over the crux headwall the repellee lost lateral stability swinging left off the corner. She hit the back of her head. Please take care especially with less experience climbers. Jul 6, 2017
Scott H
Southern ADK
 
[Hide Comment] The last pitch is the money pitch of this entire area (probably). For the perfect crack sandwich, start on Belle Bottom Crack and climb Bella Vista to the top. Thoroughly enjoyed. Jun 11, 2020
Jonathan Bright
Huntington, NY
[Hide Comment] How does this "5.3 R" compare to a Gunks 5.3? (I've led Gunks 5.5 and Rumney 5.9 without incident, but I can still see myself slipping on a Gunks 5.3, and don't want to end up in a hospital...) Aug 29, 2022
[Hide Comment] Jonathan Bright: The R parts are slab, so it depends if you're comfortable in that style (you won't find this style in the Gunks or Rumney). The rock at Crane is very textured and secure WHEN CLEAN. If there's dirt, moss, or lichen, all bets are off and the R parts will soil your pants. Aug 29, 2022
Scott H
Southern ADK
 
[Hide Comment] The first pitch was quite slippery last time I was on it (earlier this summer); doesn't seem to be getting a lot of traffic. Try Belle Bottom Crack...the R section you can go left then right on a ramp/crack. If you're ok with that R section you might be ok on Bella Vista. Or, start on Le Jour de Bon Heures instead but realize that crack is often filthy, though easily cleaned. Welcome to the dacks! Sep 28, 2022