Adirondacks Ice Climbing Beta Request

[TimL]

I some of you guys (Alex, JJA) are from the area, so anybody have any good information on Adirondacks ice climbing. I've actually never thought of climbing at this place but since I'm close to the NE right now, I thought I might visit the area since its supposed to be awesome and phat this year.

 

I'm looking to find information about classic lines from WI 2-4. The person that I'm climbing with has only four days of ice experience under her belt so I want to make sure the routes are fun, but not to "exciting". Additional beta on places to stay, rack information, etc would be welcomed. Thanks!

 

- Tim

[cj001f]

If you've never checked out neice.com - it has much of what your looking for, along with recent photos.

 

The Hostel in Keene Valley's nice and cheap.

[PaulB]

You can check ice conditions at:

Rock & River and NE Ice

 

It's been awhile since I looked at the guidebooks, but if I remember correctly, areas around Keene Valley offer the easiest access.

[fredrogers]

Like you're going to leave Toronto.

[jja]

Tim,

The northern New Hampshire climbs should be way quicker to get to than the Adirondacks. Go to North Conway, NH and go to the IME (International Mountain Equipment) climbing shop in the center of town. The owner there (Rick Wilcox) is the guide book author for the area "An Ice Climber's Guide To Northern New England". (Wild Things is also in town)

 

If the weather cooperates, and you don't mind a two hour approach, do the climbs on huntignton ravine on Mt. Washington. Great big alpine feel on a small kick ass mountain. The classic is Pinnacle gulley, but there are others like Odell's gulley. There is also a log cabin in the ravine called the harvard cabin that costs like $5 and has a wood burning stove. The gf might think it's romantic. It's super rustic though.

 

Also right outside of town are the frankenstein cliffs, an area accessed by an old rail grade. Super easy access and good climbs, everything from Standard at like WI3 to harder stuff at 5.

 

The person to respond to this is Ice Ice Baby, he knows all the NY stuff as well.

Have fun,

-john

[cj001f]

Chapel Pond has low rated ice. Also check out Cascade Pass and Avalanche Pass. If your coming from the North, the Mt. Washington Region won't be any quicker to get to - and you'd be driving by all the good ice in Vermont. Lake Placid also has more scenic things to do with the GF other than climbing.

[HerbertWest]

Regarding Mount Washington:

 

Do not underestimate that "small" mountain. It's relatively low altitude keeps it from penetrating upper atmospheric layers, so weather gets "squeezed" between the summit and the atmophere above, resulting in artic conditions, and the highest recorded windspeeds on Earth (the instrument actually blew off the summit). The cairns are six feet tall for a reason. And despite the fact that there is a weather observatory on the summit, there is NO SANCTUARY if the shit hits the fan up there. One dude left his partner to die, and banged on the door for a long time until someone let him in. They couldn't hear him over the wind. Two climbers froze to death at the top of Pinnacle. They topped out, and couldn't make head way into the wind, backed down into the gully, and were found frozen in the act of getting their stove lit. And the Gulf of Slides got it's name for a reason. Etc, etc, just BE CAREFUL.

 

Franekstein is cool, Lake Willougby is close, too, in VT. You can also crag in the Flume if conditions are good. Their are also climbs on Cannon Cliff, Cathedral Ledge, Crawford and Pinkham Notches, Smuggler's Notch, VT, and Tuckerman's Ravine (if there isn't much snow).

[jja]

Do not underestimate that "small" mountain.

 

that's why I called it "kick ass"

[TimL]

Funny Mr. Planner & JJA. We actually got out yesterday to a small town west of Toronto called Bancroft. There we did 4 pitches. I thought it was pretty good for an area thats so flat. Pretty good for someones fourth day on ice and first multi-pitch climb. Best part was this WI3+ route called Amazing Glaze. It started out as a thin glaze about a quarter of an inch think and then at the top go to about 6 inches thick.

 

Chouinards Gullies, Roaring Brook Falls and Multiplication Gully look cool. http://www.neice.com/Conditions/Area/AdirondacksNorthernNY.htm

[PaulB]

If you're in Toronto and want a road trip, take a weekend and go to Quebec City. You can climb at Montmorency Falls, and all women love old Quebec City.

[Ade]

I'd definitely recommend Multiplication Gully and Chouinards as easy classics. There's a lot of harder stuff too, Chapel Pond has very easy access and a lot of routes, not all of them easy. Power Play for instance is one of the two big ticks in the 'Daks (the other being Positive Thinking).

[TimL]

Thanks Ade. Both look good from pictures I've seen. Have you done or heard any infor about Pitchoff North Face? It looks good and moderate. I have yet to get the guide but will soon get off my ass and walk down to the MEC.

[cj001f]

Thanks Ade. Both look good from pictures I've seen. Have you done or heard any infor about Pitchoff North Face? It looks good and moderate. I have yet to get the guide but will soon get off my ass and walk down to the MEC.

If MEC doesn't have it checkout The Mountaineer (www.mountaineer.com) in Keene Valley. They have guidebooks from around the world too. Expensive dreams.

[Ade]

N Face of Pitchoff is NEI4 I think. The ice season this year (I'm in WA but have friends back East) has been really good so I imagine it's in pretty big now. That area is very sheltered and thus reliable if conditions aren't good elsewhere.

 

Screw and Climax, and the routes next to it are also pretty good multi-pitch 3/4 outings. If you want harder stuff (4+ upwards) then a good concentration of them can be found at Poke o Moonshine; Mid Life Crisis, PT, Poko Waterfall, Bushido. PT on a good day is the bestest ever!

 

The guide is very out of date, there's stacks of new routes, mostly quite hard, that have been put up since it's publication. As far as I know there's no new guide but NEIce.com and the Mountaineer are probably your best bets.

[boatskiclimbsail]

Well, I spent the last two years of college ice climbing instead of going to class in that neck of the woods, I've got some advise for ya . I'd highly reccomend Smuggs and Lake Willoughby for some good long moderate climbs. Easier stuff (girlfriend friendly) can be found off the side of the road at both Chapel Pond (camp in the middle of the pond for that special romantic effect) and at Pitchoff, about 40 and 20 minutes (respectively) South of Lake Placid both on Rt 73. Both of these places have very easy, top-rope accessible climbs. They will also be very crowded on the weekends, socializing is always good for the girlfriend factor. Pick up a copy of the Mellor guide at the Mountaineer, it has all the route descriptions. You can also just show up and usually people are way cool about you sharing the routes / ropes if you've got one up as well. Go to the Noonmark Diner (NMD) in "downtown" Keene Valley for dinner and the best pie in the whole world. There are dozens of off-road campsites to be discovered that I'm not going to publicize but aren't hard to find. There is a big marked one about 1/4 mile hike off the road at Roaring Brook Falls. Very scenic. If it's cold enough, you can even climb the falls. You can see the falls off the East side of 73 (very obvious), continue North and find a parking area for Giant mtn on the same side of the road. Hike in and take the right fork. Say hi to CUOC if you meet them.

 

The hard stuff in Keene valley (if she wants to shop for the day) is on Poke-o-Moonshine, on rt 9N in the gigantic town of Keesville. The park is closed in the winter to camping, but that mainly means you can't park in the lot. Keep on the trails at Poke-o, there are some access issues and the "direct" approach route cuts straight across some angry private land. Other hard and mixed stuff can be found on Canon in Franconia Notch in NY. North conway has equally splendorous ice as it does rock in the summer. I haven't seen it for myself but I hear that they are doing some sick bolted mixed stuff at Rumney these days. I wouldn't bother with Mt Washington if you are looking for vertical ice or are with a newbie. Lots of people die up there.

 

Most of these places also have good near-road campsites.

[Alex]

I've climbed a lot of the routes at NF Pitchoff. Its about a 3 mile ski/hike into the climbs. Most of the routes are like 1-2 easy pitches on mostly NEI 3 or NEI4. Arm and Hammer is a good solo (I did it like 3x in one day back in 1991). Weeping Winds was thin and scary, but might be a good mixed route for you on far-between trad gear....its low angle so not strenuous, just heady.

 

Roaring Brook Falls is nice and good when very cold, but its a bit high volume so be careful. Same with Chapel Pond Slab. Chouinards Gully is pretty fun. You could easily do a romantic weekend to Keene Valley and do alot of pitches close to the road.

 

I found Cascade Pass to have the best access of all the areas. Drive. Park. Don crampons and climb.

 

Of course, you arent a real ADK ice climber until you do Trap Dyke.

 

Alex

[Alex]

..Other hard and mixed stuff can be found on Canon in Franconia Notch in NY.

 

Wow, first A-Rod, now Franconia moves to NY!!!

[boatskiclimbsail]

Who put the "Y" above the "H"!?? Maybe I should start looking at the keys to type again. Damn you Sholes...