Gunks Route Recomendations

[powderhound]

Hello,

I am looking for some help. People keep telling me that the gunks routes are graded stiff, yet everyone say's that about there home town crags so here is the question. I will be there for four days and I am looking for some route recomendations. Currently I just now breaking into 5.11 trad meaning that I can get up them but usally take a one fall. I can onsight reliably up to 10+. So if anyone has any recomendations for routes I would greatly appreciate it. I am looking to get on some long classic cruisers and some stout horziontal hand roof cracks.

 

Secondly which campground is best?

 

Thirdly, there are a ton of guide books for the area which one is the best, most compreehnsive and accurate? I will buy it becuase I love having them around so being up to date is key also.

 

Thank You for All of Your Help

Bryan

Edited June 27, 2006 by powderhound

[Jim]

I learned to climb there and was back two summers ago. Check out Gunks.com - they have a route database that is good, click the "classics" checkbox.

 

Here's a few suggestins, all that the Trapps:

 

Balrog .10

Nosedive .10

Retribution .10

Directississima .10 - finishes on High Ex - worthwhile

Welcome to the Gunks .10+?

Manitee .10+

The Feast of Fools .10

High Times**** 5.9+

Rock and Brew 5.9

Bonnie's Roof 5.9

Son of Easy O 5.8

Arrow 5.8

Cascading Crystal Kaleidoscope *** 5.8

Modern Times 5.8+

 

And a few lower grade classics

Madeam Grumbaum's Wulsp (sp?) 5.6*****

Shockley's Ceiling 5.6******

Rusty Trifle 5.5?

High Corner 5.6?*****

 

You might consider a warm up day on the lower classics to get used to the ratings. Having learned there I found most of the crag ratings soft out west.

 

Forgot to mention camping - camp slime, as it is affectionly know, is adjacent to the steel brige near the trapps. It's quite busy and can be quite noisy, as is the multi-use area near New Paltz. I was travelling with my wife last time and had spend enough sleepless nights at the slime machine so I opted for a B&B. That said, you can always sneak into the woods with your bivy bag for the evening, just watch out for copperheads. Don't miss the brewery near Rock and Snow in town. I'd advise getting an early start to beat the heat, humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms. If you have the time take a hike out to Mohonk House and Skytop, where there are some great routes where climbers are no longer allowed. I spent a quite a few weekends there climbing, taking a quick swim, and then poaching the afternoon tea and cookie session.

Edited June 27, 2006 by Jim

[crackers]

I am a local. You can search the forums over on gunks.com or read the article. BTW, I'll be writing with max = ***. Search the gunks.com gunks section of the forum for linkups and classics.

 

that said...Here's the thing: the gunks was cutting edge from the 1930s till the 1990s. Its getting there again, thanks primarily to Cody Sims, who's doing his best to put in some pretty damn hard stuff. So, for each grade, there is going to be one of the first in the USA at that grade. In my opinion, honestly, the best three grades for leading in the gunks are 5.7, 5.8 and 5.10. The 5.11s that you can lead are pretty out there in terms of protection, so you'd better be solid.

 

For example, the super classic 10d Coexistence was done the week after the FA party returned from Yosemite where they did the third ascent of some 11a offwidth. They said, well, it's not as hard as that offwidth is, so it must still be 10d. Fast forward twenty five or thirty years, and the offwidth is an 11+/12- and Coexistence is a 10d, totally in character with 10d in the gunks.

 

At the same time, something like Hawk (5.4, world ***) is one of the scariest --not do to difficulty or pro-- most fun routes in the world. Arch-Wrist (5.4, world *) takes you through some of the wierdest stuff you'll climb on, and Madame Grunnebaum's Wulst (5.6, world *** as one pitch route) is the best 5.6 I've ever climbed.

 

A lot of the early routes were put in by the guy who was probably the best climber to ever live in America--Fritz Weissner. According to people I know who climbed with him a bunch, he was still following 10+ in his 70's early 80's, but it wasn't his preference. The first 5.8 was put up in 1946.

 

Okay, a couple of notes:

5.10:

Balrog-I don't love it. YMMV.

Nosedive-Tricky hold sequence.

Retribution-Straight forward easier 10.

 

Nosedive and Retribution bracket a 12 called No Solution. Lead the climb on the right, and drop a TR off the bolts for the lap. I am not lying when I say that No Solution is not a particularily hard 12a for the gunks. If you cruise it, you should go climb the Throne and the Sting, and Enduro Man's Longest Hangout.

 

Welcome to the Gunks is a standard 10d, but it's hard in terms of the power endurance needed for it. Its easier than most of the 11a's though --harvest moon is the easist 11.

5.10

Feast of Fools is awesome. So is Carbs and Caffiene, Try Again, and Fly Again. Erect Direction is my favorite ever 10c.

 

5.9

Bonnie's Roof Direct is supposed to be a global *** route, but I haven't done it. M.F. is good, but it's harder if you're tall. Grim Face Ace is really good. First pitch of Erect Direction to do Keep On Struttin'

 

5.8

Birdland.

 

Camp at Camp Slime unless you want to party all night with high school kids and random climbers.

[TimL]

Buy the Gunks Selected Guide.

 

The place is really amazing. One of the best crags I have ever been to. Don't worry about the grades, there are so many classic climbs that the only thing you'll have to worry about is the lines.

 

The grades are hard. Start out easy then go harder as you fell more comfortable.

 

There is a nice gear shop, Snow and Rock or something. Ask them were the free camping is.

 

BE careful with the grades. I tried the Sting and I was solid at the grade of the route. It smacked me down.

[cynicalwoodsman]

I'm born 'n raised in Upstate NY. The Gunks are the first Rock I ever climbed.

 

I usually can onsight up to 10a (sometimes 10b)on sport routes at Smith, and I've led 5.8 trad on a few old-school grades, but I've never even bothered leading anything harder than 5.6 at the Gunks.

 

You could spend the rest of your life there and never even get on anyting harder than 5.8. This place puts a smile on your face! It continues to be the most fun I've ever had climbing. The Trapps 'r what craggin' is all about!

 

The stuff is steep, and appears harder than the grades in the guidebooks, which they are, but not as hard as they look. It's all there!

 

Try Three Pines (5.3), Horseman (5.5), High Exposure (ya GOTTA do the classic 5.6), CCK (5.7), and Ken's Crack, the most sandbagged route I've ever seen at 5.7.

 

I always show back up there with aspirations of getting on harder stuff, but dammit the moderates are just so much fun I never make it past 5.6.

 

Enjoy!

[crackers]

The select guides are all out of print. If you can find one, buy it. There is a new guidebook for the trapps by Dick Williams, and the new near trapps guidebook is coming out soon. There isn't a new guidebook for Millbrook, and Skytop is offlimits. If you see an old black guidebook for the Near Trapps or MillBrook / Skytop, buy it.

 

The sting is easy for its grade, if you can pull the first move.

 

The gear shop is Rock and Snow. http://www.rocksnow.com/

 

There are many many world *** climbs under 5.10. Try them!

Edited June 28, 2006 by crackers

[Nick_B]

I grew up in NJ and learned how to climb in the Gunks. Spend a day doing the classic 5.6's you will not be dissappointed. High E should be on top of your list. Other fun routes not mentioned are The Dangler 5.7, Disneyland 5.6, V3 5.7, and my first Gunks climb Northern Pillar 5.2.

 

It would be wise to get an early start this time of year and take a long lunch and a late dinner to avoid the sun.

 

Don't pass up the bouldering, even if that's not your thing. Boulder of the God is great V0 highball that a perfect warm up. Ejector Roof is my favorite V2 anywhere.

[powderhound]

I have never been to the east before and was considering spending 5 days in the gumks and 3 in NYC, can anybody recomend a cool, chill, laid back, cheap, hostel for the city. Also I hear that tri cams are almost a must at the gunks, I never have placed them before, should I buy a set and take them with me.

 

Bryan

[crackers]

the gear in the gunks tends to be much smaller than at other places i've climbed, but you don't *need* tricams. On the other hand, you're not allowed in without aliens.

[powderhound]

I love those aliens...

[gavastik]

don't buy a set of tricams, just get the pink one. that's the one you're most likely to use in pockets in horizontal cracks there.

[Nick_B]

I like the red tricam as well as the pink. Yellow Aliens are a must!

[colt45]

Other fun routes not mentioned are The Dangler 5.7

5.7?? My guidebook says 5.9, and it felt harder than that to me...it's a 10-foot horizontal roof!!

[powderhound]

what do people think about bonnies roof, that is supposed to be good right?

[matt_m]

what do people think about bonnies roof, that is supposed to be good right?

classic! one of the best around - do the direct finish!

[Nick_B]

Maybe it is a .9, I was going from memory. Whatever it goes at, it's a lot of fun!

[tanstaafl]

Another option for camping is Ralph's Gristmill. Just type that into google and it's the first hit.

[crackers]

Ralph can't legally have people camping there right now, and he's trying to sell the property.

 

That said, he's brewing some pretty darned fine whiskey and other solvents from local crops.

 

Bonnies roof direct goes at 9+/10- and it's rad. its one of the most asthetic open books i've ever seen.

[powderhound]

emailed ralph and he sent me to his website that appears to let climbers set up their tent up there, and have a clean safe enviroment to stay.

[cstemley]

What about?

Gelsa (as a intro) Ape call and cck, Heat and wasp this time off year