Moderate DAKs trad

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Autoxfil

 
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Moderate DAKs trad

by Autoxfil » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:52 am

I'm going to be in the Rt 9 corridor this weekend, and I am looking to climb some rock.

The problem is, I'm not very good at it. 5.6 or easier, PG or better. Short approaches a must (not hours), multi-pitch preferred.

I have the book, and here's what I was thinking - comments? More climbs I should consider?

Weissner on Upper Washbowl
Right Notion on Chapel Pond Gully Cliff
Mosehead and redrum on Beer Walls

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Alpinisto

 
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by Alpinisto » Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:29 pm

Dunno how your slab skills are, but both the Regular Route and Empress on Chapel Slab go at 5.5, though the Reg. Route at least (I've not done Empress yet) is a little runout in sections.

Approach is about two minutes from when you park the car on the shoulder of Rt. 73 and there are a couple tent sites near the base of the climb, if you don't have other accomodations.

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Autoxfil

 
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by Autoxfil » Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:33 pm

I forgot to mention I'm trying to avoid slab because my partner is recoveing from a wicked foot break and it pains him on slab more than jugs.

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by lost_in_nj » Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:35 pm

Alpinisto wrote:Dunno how your slab skills are, but both the Regular Route and Empress on Chapel Slab go at 5.5, though the Reg. Route at least (I've not done Empress yet) is a little runout in sections.

Approach is about two minutes from when you park the car on the shoulder of Rt. 73 and there are a couple tent sites near the base of the climb, if you don't have other accomodations.


If I remember correctly the Empress Route is a LOT more runout than the regular route. So if you have a choice, do the Regular Route.

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welle

 
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by welle » Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:39 pm

I hope you know this, but Adirondack grades are wicked stiff. So if 5.6 is your leading limit, I advise you to warm up on single pitch climbs first and see what they feel like. Have not done Wiessner on Upper Washbowl, but in my experience Wiessner loves wide cracks - be prepared to bring your off-width skills! I don't have a book with me, but there are a couple of easy routes on Pitchoff, IIRC.

And Empress is awesome - but it has an X pitch (belay to belay runout) and a really fun off-width pitch.

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by John Duffield » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:11 pm

welle wrote: So if 5.6 is your leading limit, I advise you to warm up on single pitch climbs first and see what they feel like. .


+ 1

I think Beer Walls is like nothing but 1 pitch climbs. Right off the highway as well. Walk through it and pick one out. Arrive early. Gets more and more traffic.

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Autoxfil

 
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by Autoxfil » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:28 pm

Every place I've ever climbed has had "really stiff" grades. I have a hard time believing that any of them are really sandbagged, it just seems that people aren't used to the rock or pro types at a new area and so it feels harder to them.

The Gunks is sandbagged, Seneca Rocks is really stiff, the DAKs are wicked stiff... So what isn't?

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welle

 
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by welle » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:50 pm

I know a lot of people who climb all over the Gunks and NH and feel ADKs are truly sandbagged. I had the same attitude as you have and got my ass handed to me. Just for a perspective, there is a climb on the Creature Wall graded 5.8, the rating that even first ascensionists couldn't agree on. One of the FA-ers thought it felt more like a 5.10 :shock: That being said, I think slab climbs are graded similar to say Whitehorse in NH.

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Autoxfil

 
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by Autoxfil » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:57 pm

I found this, which is what the guidebook was really missing:

http://www.adirondackrock.com/goodies/I ... 202008.pdf

I'm thinking about Old Route on Hurricane crag as a warmup. Sounds like a neat climb, and New Route is a Wiessner 5.5 so I can test my mettle before jumping on a harder, longer route.

The Chapel Pond Gully Cliff routes sound fun too. Cheap Date, The Right Notion, Left Route.

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Autoxfil

 
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by Autoxfil » Tue Sep 14, 2010 2:32 am

I ended up starting with Old Route, 5.3, on Hurricane Crag. Easy but somewhat awkward climbing - the chimney was really cool.

I did the direct 5.6 finish (last pitch of quadrophenia), which was great fun, on rock that looked like choss but was quite sound. I would really like to come back and do the whole route someday.

The Right Notion on CP Gully Cliff was very neat, with some slab, some crack, and great views.

I love how Adirondack granite eats pro. My C3s and Curve Nuts in particular seemed bomber.

Grades seemed ok, at least on those routes.

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Jim Lawyer

 
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by Jim Lawyer » Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:40 pm

Autoxfil - Nice to see those routes on the Gully Cliff getting some attention. They aren't very popular, but they have a great position and history, and the climbing isn't bad.

Regarding the grades, for every person that complains about a route being sandbagged, there's another person complaining that the same route is over graded. You just can't win.

welle - which route on the Creature Wall did the FAers disagree about the grade? I don't think I've heard that story.

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Autoxfil

 
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by Autoxfil » Wed Sep 15, 2010 4:12 pm

Hey Jim, nice to see you here. Hope you got my message of appreciation I sent through MP.


The Gully Cliff is indeed under-climbed. I wouldn't have found it if it wasn't for your book because no one talks about it, but the climbing is nice and varied, and the views from the top are really cool. Nice short approach, with a fun walk(scramble)-off, too. It was pretty dirty and lichen-covered up top, but there was also fresh chalk.

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welle

 
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by welle » Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:04 pm

Jim,

I PM-d you, but it was Arachnid Traction - I found it hard because the crack was bigger than my fist - I had to armbar it. I know in climbing grades could be subjective due to the climber's size etc., but I think in vertical crack climbing the disparity is even more acute. One's perfect hands could be an OW for others.

I have actually another question to you, after seeing a photo of Rickety Pinnacle in your book, I'm a bit obsessed about climbing it for historical reasons and because we don't get climb spires out East much. What are other pinnacles in the area worth checking out?

Thanks!

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Jim Lawyer

 
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by Jim Lawyer » Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:12 pm

welle wrote:I have actually another question to you, after seeing a photo of Rickety Pinnacle in your book, I'm a bit obsessed about climbing it for historical reasons and because we don't get climb spires out East much. What are other pinnacles in the area worth checking out?


There aren't many true spires, and Rickety Pinnacle is rather small. Try the Lost Arrow, which is in the same vicinity. Dave Bernays wrote an article about the pinnacles of Chapel Pond in Adirondack 9, no 4 (Jul-Aug 1950), which made these seem really awesome.

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Tom Fralich

 
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by Tom Fralich » Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:41 am

Hmm...I climbed all over the NE for 10 years and I didn't think that Arachnid Traction was that much harder than any other 5.8 in the Gunks/Dacks. And I led close to 300 routes in the Gunks and at least 100 in the Dacks.

Having climbed all over, on many types of rock, and many styles of climbing, I can attest that the routes in the NE (and the Dacks in particular) are at the hard end of things. Red Rocks is notoriously soft, although there are notable exceptions. Joshua Tree is hard, but in a different way than the Gunks/Dacks.

I'd raise my eyebrow to anyone who tries to claim that the ratings in the Dacks aren't stiff.

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