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thelockdude
Dec 26, 2006, 8:24 PM
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Me and my climbing partner are going to do our first big wall (1 night in a portaledge) in the fall of 2007.
Can anyone please recommend some destinations within a 300 mile radius of NY City? I guess that covers some of New England, upstate NY, PA, maybe even VA or WV.
We currently climb 9's but we're only leading 5's & 6's. That's why we're giving ourselves till the fall of next year - we're going to spend all of next year working up to our overnighter. And buying the gear.
So in your recommendations, consider our skill level to be 5.7 or maybe 8 since that's where we hope to be when we do our trip.
Thanks!!
Dan
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jeremy11
Dec 28, 2006, 12:35 AM
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yeah, come do a big wall in upstate NY with me. there's this nice tree in my backyard we can bivy in. about 5.7 to climb up there too.
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blazesod
Dec 28, 2006, 12:42 AM
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Hey Dan,
I have only been back east once but...
Are there any big walls in that area?
Just curious,
-Dave
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organic
Dec 28, 2006, 12:46 AM
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I think the biggest stuff is Laurel Knob or Looking Glass in NC
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marckylove
Dec 28, 2006, 1:54 AM
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While you can spend a night on anything over 10 ft theoretically, you really only have two choices: Cannon in NH or Looking Glass NC. Both have plenty of one day routes but are occasionally climbed in two. If you choose Cannon, bring extreme weather gear and watch out for falling rock. Enjoy!!
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jeremy11
Dec 28, 2006, 2:30 AM
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Don't forget Wallface in the Adirondacks!! there are a few grade IIIs and a grade IV 5.7 A2. havent done any, but good to look into. cant imagine lugging a portaledge 7 miles in for a grade IV though.
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iamthewallress
Dec 28, 2006, 7:04 PM
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You could consider skipping the portaledge, and using the money that you were going to sink into it for plane tickets to a location that has lots of walls with natural ledges. You might want to wait out a season to work on your basics a bit more though. Even though you don't need to free climb really hard to do walls, people typically end up being able to free climb harder than you said that you do by the time they've got their efficiency cf management, etc. down to the point where they stand a good chance on a wall. I'm guessing that winter on the East Coast isn't going to be the best time to really get in the multipitch mileage that would enhance your chances of having more fun on your wall.
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thelockdude
Dec 28, 2006, 10:15 PM
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blazesod wrote: Hey Dan, I have only been back east once but... Are there any big walls in that area?
That’s what I’m hoping to find out Dave.  It looks like a few other people have already replied with some suggestions...
organic wrote: I think the biggest stuff is Laurel Knob or Looking Glass in NC
Thanks Organic, I’ll look into those, as well as Cannon recommended by marckylove and Wallface recommended by jeremy11.
Thanks, also, iamthewallress, for the tips. I’m not a risk-taker. By the time I go, I’ll be ready. I will need a portaledge anyway because I intend to do an even bigger wall in a couple of years. I’d like to do The Nose of El Cap or something. I’m going to build up to that challenge in stages. That’s why I want to do a single night on a wall, in the fall of 2007. I really don’t even mind if the wall is theoretically short enough to do in one day, as long as some people sometimes do an overnight on it. I mean I know people do the Nose in one day, but a friend of mine did it in 5 days. So there’s a lot of variability on these walls. I just don’t want to do a route that’s only 2 or 3 pitches like we have in the Trapps.
Thanks for all these suggestions!
Dan
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nydominic
Jan 4, 2007, 6:56 PM
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I was in a similar situation a few years back and perhaps have a couple of suggestions for you.
Places: The East has quite a few places to do longish climbs, and even good aid. Here are a few (some have already been mentioned.
Wallface has several grade IV routes including the 5.7 A2 (mental blocks) Though none really warrant a ledge. The main part of the face is about 800 feet and a few free routes go through here the best of which is the Diagonal 5.8. Mental blocks is very good but a bit shorter at 600 feet. We did it in a day and were heinously slow with a party of three.
PokeO in upstate NY has a big wall section where there are a few routes that requrie an overnite unless you climb 5.12
Canon has mostly 1 long day free routes (lakeview 5.5, whitney gilman 5.7, moby grape 5.8 and a host of others. There are a few aid routes that are multiday.
Check out whitehorse and cathedral for longer free climbs.
Recently did Cap Trinite north of Quebec City (about 9 hours from albany) spent three days on the wall. Most beautiful
WV has a ten pitch sport climb at Nelson rocks to practice those long route skills.
Even MD has some good aid at harpers ferry (stay tuned for a trip report describing my new route there)
NC especially looking glass has aid most similar to Yosemite.
Since it sounds like you are near the Gunks, do the aid roof Trifecta to practice your aid skills. Kansas city (25 foot 5.12 roof crack at the beginning of the nears) is casual and good introduction. Twilight Zone is mostly fixed but longer and a little more logistically challenging. And finally Spinal Traction is the hardest aid. All are great.
Also a couple of suggestions. Do long free climbs and short comparatively hard aid climbs to practice one thing at a time first. Spend a nite on the ledge hanging out of your house, then on a 30 foot cliff. Working on these small pieces help keep everything manageable. Even a 1 nite wall requires an immense knowledge and comfortableness of a huge array of techniques, not to mention keeping your head together.
Enjoy!
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stymingersfink
Jan 5, 2007, 3:52 AM
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thelockdude wrote: I really don�t even mind if the wall is theoretically short enough to do in one day, as long as some people sometimes do an overnight on it. I mean I know people do the Nose in one day, but a friend of mine did it in 5 days. So there�s a lot of variability on these walls. I just don�t want to do a route that�s only 2 or 3 pitches like we have in the Trapps. Thanks for all these suggestions! Dan
Actually, since you're dan wrote: not a risk taker 
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thelockdude
Jan 5, 2007, 6:14 AM
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Thanks nydominic, for the really informative reply! I think Diagonal is what I’m getting most interested in. I’m going to Keene in a few weeks for some winter backpacking and camping. I’d like to go take a look at it then. Do you know how far the approach is?
Also thanks stymingersfink for the good suggestions. You can bet once I get a portaledge I’ll be trying it out. I was a little uncomfortable about tying up a 2 or 3-pitch route to do a practice overnight, but then again, I could just start the route late in the day and make sure I’m the last party wanting to climb the route (plus pick a less popular route) and then I’ll be up at sun-up and move off the route before anyone wants it.
Well, regards!
Dan
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nydominic
Jan 5, 2007, 2:15 PM
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Wallface is about 4.5 miles in from the Upper Works / Tahawus trailhead, which is the one i always use for wallface. The hike in is remakably easy for the dacks, the only real elevation gain coming as you hike up through indian pass itself. the best view of the cliff is to continue up the pass just past the long ladder on the left.
The diagonal might not have a good place to bivy but im sure with some creativity it could be done. And as a special tip camp on top of one of the huge flat boulders in the pass.
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antiqued
Feb 9, 2007, 7:22 PM
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thelockdude wrote: Thanks nydominic, for the really informative reply! I think Diagonal is what I’m getting most interested in. Dan
I think that Diagonal should be one of your last choices for an introduction. The trauma of a 5 mile approach with full gear will be completely obliterated by the agonies of hauling on a diagonal sloping ramp for several pitches. Rescue, if needed, will be at least a day away.
Cannon Mtn offers several routes which, while not really easy, are pretty straight up and down, involve only a 45 minute scree slog approach, and are probably within cell tower range. Certainly other climbers will be on the cliff in decent weather. Wallface is usually completely empty.
PS - re your Keene trip - it is a full hour drive down to Tahawus, vs acouple of miles further walk from the ADK Loj for a view of Wallface. Pretty close to a tossup. Or you could get the eagle eye view by climbing Algonquin in good weather from the Loj.
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thelockdude
Feb 9, 2007, 8:22 PM
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antiqued wrote: The trauma of a 5 mile approach with full gear will be completely obliterated by the agonies of hauling on a diagonal sloping ramp for several pitches.
Hmmmm. 5 miles you say? I hadn't considered that. And hauling on a diagonal sloping ramp does sound rather involved for my first "big wall".
I will look more carefully at cannon. I was also originally considering going to NC, as someone else in this thread suggested. Maybe that will still be a possibility.
Or maybe I'll try to bump up my timetable by a year and make a trip out west - yosemite or something.
Dan
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In its day, 'Millenium' was super fun. My first multi-pitch.
