All Locations > New York > Adirondacks > Lake Champlain… > Poke-O-Moonshine > Slab

Last Chance

Name: Last Chance
Rating: 2.5

5.7 YDS 5a French 15 Ewbanks V+ UIAA 13 ZA MVS 4b British R

Routes in The Slab

L › R R › L A › Z

	Arch T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a R
	Catharsis T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
	Hot Bricks T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Last Chance T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
	Space Walk T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R

Order Wrong? Sort Routes

Type:	Trad, 500 ft (152 m), 5 pitches, Grade II
GPS:	44.39631, -73.50691
FA:	Rocky Keeler, Rick Weinert, 1970
Page Views:	545 total · 8/month
Shared By:	Robert Hall on Dec 3, 2020
Admins:	Morgan Patterson, Kevin MudRat MacKenzie, Jim Lawyer Page Updates (admin only)

You & This Route

2 Opinions

Your To-Do List: ·

Your Star Rating:
Rating

Your Difficulty Rating:
-none- Change

Your Ticks:Add New Tick

-none-

Explore this route in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Access Issue: Peregrine closures and approach trail issues Details

Access to the Main Face is often limited in the spring and summer due to peregrine falcon nesting. Check the DEC web site (www.dec.ny.gov, search for "peregrine route closures"). Closures are posted in the kiosk at the beginning of the approach trail in the (now closed) Poke-O Campground.

Several recent incidents at the Poke-O Moonshine Main Face have heightened tensions with neighboring landowners.

Shortcut Trail (aka the Smitty Trail): The main approach goes from the (now closed) campground to the cliff near Discord. There is a shortcut trail on the right that provides access to the cliff near Pentecostal. This shortcut trail crosses the edges of two parcels of private land, and was closed in the spring of 2014. As of Aug 30, 2014, this trail is open on a tentative basis. Stay on the trail; there are some cairns and Access Fund signage to help.

Northern Trail Closure (aka the Easy Living Trail): There is an old trail that connects US 9 with the cliff near Psalm 32. This trail is entirely on private land and should NOT be used by climbers; indeed, it has been closed and undocumented for many years. Both ends of this trail are now marked with signs courtesy of the Access Fund.

In short, while visiting the Main Face, approach from the campground, and stay on the main trail along the base of the cliff.

Description

The ”500 ft” length includes finishing on Catharsis.
Basically a two pitch variation to the start of Catharsis, I have always found it more pleasant to avoid the first “ Boulder problem” move by joining the route a bit higher up.

P1 - Starting as described below in “1” - After thrashing through the bushes you reach a flat area, climb the steep head wall above at a good crack (good pro but still potentially a bad fall onto a ledge) Above the short head wall is another flat ledge. (Which is where you’ll be if you take “start #2) Climb the obvious and pretty crack/ flake to its top and a gear belay. Start 1 5.7/5.7+, Start 2 5.6 about 100-130 ft Lawyer/Hass reports a fixed belay, probably correct, as even years ago when I last did the route there was a fixed sling.

P2 - Lawyer/Hass say “straight up” but I remember stepping left for a couple of feet and then climbing up the unprotected slab ( maybe a small TCU somewhere along the way...over left a bit). Cross over the diagonally-rising crack and join Catharsis about 2/3rds of the way up its second pitch. Continue to the gear belay below the flake/overlap (where the birch tree used to be) 200(?) ft 5.6R You might have to belay lower.

P3 - Finish on Catharsis.

Location

Find the start of Catharsis, then:

1) If you want to do the route as usually described, while still on ”dirt” drop down one level (about 20-25 ft) and traverse right onto the slab through the bushes, or

2) If you want to avoid the first “bouldery” move (fall potential onto a flat ledge) then traverse in from the starting dirt ledge of Catharsis.