|
cacalderon
Jun 12, 2008, 12:36 PM
Post #1 of 7
(6080 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 10, 2006
Posts: 150
|
Going to Adirondacks for the first time. Camping in Adirondak Loj in the Lake Placid area. I have two days to climb and want to try some good single or multi pitch routes between 5.5 and 5.7 (mostly interested in good 5.6 and 5.7)
I can lead 5.9 at the Gunks and my partner can follow 5.7 at the Gunks.
Suggestions on good routes in this area as well as gear are most welcome.
Thanks.
(This post was edited by cacalderon on Jun 12, 2008, 12:46 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
jmeizis
Jun 12, 2008, 1:37 PM
Post #2 of 7
(6063 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 25, 2006
Posts: 635
|
Since you have just two days my suggestion is to break them into two seperate areas, Keene Valley and Poko-moonshine. Spend a day in Keene Valley and do some of the popular routs at Beer Walls like Pegasus, CWI, Labattami. If you can climb 5.9 in the Gunks then you should definately get on Rockaholic's it's a fantastic 5.8. Nice bouldery start and just fun left trending fingercrack after that (if you're not feeling it find a pad or a good spotter for the start). There's a lot of stuff around that area to check out as well.
Then maybe the next day head over to Poko and do Gamesmanship, it's a four pitch classic. The crux is right off the ground on the first pitch so it's not really much of a 5.8. FM is a decent 5.7, four pitches I think. Has some loose stuff sometimes. Then there are some fun single pitch climbs like Pillar (5.7) and Snake Slide (5.8, tricky pro). Some of those might be closed due to falcon nesting though.
There's also the Barkeater cliffs which you'll have driven past to get to the ADK lodge probably. There's some great cracks Fun City (5.7), Yakopudu (5.6), Mr. Clean (5.8, best handcrack, eats gear), There's a crack to the left of Mr. Clean called big Bertha (5.6).
Have fun and harness the bugs to lift you up routes. Nuts will be your friend on almost everything. Bring a couple cams 1-3 with doubles in the 1 and 2, if you decide to climb Mr. Clean bring doubles in the 3 range (watched somebody deck because they didn't place gear early on). The smaller sizes of tricams never hurt.
|
|
|
|
|
smallclimber
Jun 12, 2008, 9:28 PM
Post #3 of 7
(6030 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 11, 2003
Posts: 301
|
Take a day off from climbing and hike up Eagle Slide on Giant Mountain. A grade three scramble.......but the scariest thing I have ever climbed. I tossed a small stone down to see how far it would go to give me an idication of how far I would fall before stopping if I slippped.........um....
Seriously, lots of good climbs in your range in the Keene Valley area. If you can lead 5.9 in the Gunks you'll have a good choice of climbs. Chappel pond slab is a good half day route with a walk off at the top.
|
|
|
|
|
c4c
Jun 12, 2008, 9:34 PM
Post #4 of 7
(6028 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 18, 2006
Posts: 1279
|
get your hands on one of the new guide books Adirondack Rock and go to it! Tons of 4 and 5 star routes in your range.
|
|
|
|
|
cacalderon
Jun 18, 2008, 2:01 AM
Post #5 of 7
(5879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 10, 2006
Posts: 150
|
Thanks for the feedback .... cheers.
(This post was edited by cacalderon on Jun 18, 2008, 2:02 AM)
|
|
|
|
|
cfnubbler
Jun 19, 2008, 1:36 PM
Post #6 of 7
(5838 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 31, 2003
Posts: 628
|
First, I'd recommend camping at one of the numerous free DEC sites near Chapel Pond Pass, not all the way over at the Loj. They're much closer to the climbing you'll be most interested in.
As for good multipitch routes in the specified range, the bad news is that the selection is somewhat limited. Pushing it up to 5.8 definitely opens up the possibilities a little at least. The good news is that there are a few very good ones.
The one absolute "must do" is Quadraphenia (5.7) on Hurricane Crag. It's a brilliant combination of crack, roof, and corner climbing to a nice, open summit. A close second would be something on Chapel Pond Slab. It would make for a nice contrast with the Gunks, though protection is sparse on the slabs.
Poko is among the best crags in the east, but there is very, very little worthwhile to do in the grade range you're after. The first pitch of Gamesmanship is certainly stellar, but the rest of the route (with the exception of a portion of the last real pitch) is mediocre. These pitches are only popular because they are the easiest full length Poko route not involving copious amounts of loose rock. The Sting, right next to P1 of Gamesmanship is also excellent. Paralysis (5.8) is also decent, if funky. It features a long, horizontally traversing pitch which is fun in an odd sort of way. On the South Face slabs at Poko, you could do Catharsis (5.6) which is a very good route that probably deserves an "R" rating.
The Washbowl Cliff also has Partition (5.8), the final pitch of which is truly phenomenal. The problem here is that it will probably be under a peregrine closure.
If you do stay at the Loj, Pitchoff Chimney Cliff is the place for you, with Pete's Farewell (5.7) and the El (5.8) providing good 3 pitch routes. Nothing spectacular, but certainly worth doing.
One consequence of the small selection of high quality multi-pitch routes in the area is that those that do exist tend to be crowded (which by Adirondack standards simply means you're unlikely to have the route to yourself). Get an early start.
As for single pitch options, the Bark Eaters, the Creature Wall, the Tanager Face, and the Spiders Web (while outside of your grade range, a few of the really great routes can be TR'd) are all good options. The Beer Walls are much hyped, and do have a handful of worthwhile routes, but none any better than you can find elsewhere, and precious few even as good. For this reason, plus over crowding, and a rather claustrophobic atmosphere (they're in a narrow, steep sided valley), I'd say give the Beer Walls a pass.
Oh, and do get the new guidebook. Have fun.
(This post was edited by cfnubbler on Jun 19, 2008, 1:40 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
Gmburns2000
Jun 19, 2008, 2:28 PM
Post #7 of 7
(5817 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 6, 2007
Posts: 15266
|
cfnubbler wrote: Paralysis (5.8) is also decent, if funky. It features a long, horizontally traversing pitch which is fun in an odd sort of way.
Ditto on Paralysis. Only P3 is not that fun (if one considers the 4th class start as P1 and the crack as P2, the first traverse as P3 and the roof traverse as P4). The second and fourth pitches are great for two very different reasons. P2 is a really nice crack that I think rivals Gamesmanship. P4 is a short but really, really, REALLY cool traverse under a roof with an interesting view of the deck below you. Just one word of advice, end the climb after that pitch: Paralysis Writeup
|
|
|
|
|
|
