NYC Trip: Gunks Climbing

[syklone]

I'm going to NYC for 7 days next week. Its pretty unstructured, so I'm thinking about getting in a day of climbing at the gunks midweek. It would be easiest, I think, to just pay a guide for a day of climbing. Thoughts? Anyone here actually used any guides from the area that they would recommend?

 

Or should I waste time trying to hook up with a partner from the interweb.

 

I'm not looking to be taught how to tie in or build an anchor. Just a chill person to show me some easy multi-pitch 5.8-5.9 and get out for a day.

 

 

[ScaredSilly]

You could do that talk to the folks at Rock & Ice. Might be a nice way to get on some of the classics but $$ for it. I would probably just show up and walk down the Carraige Road and bump into folks. Do not forget to get your day permit.

[AOC]

I've had luck with the East Coast partners section on rockclimbing.com You might also try posting on climbnyc.com

Gunks.com has a partner database but it is fee-based. Many people have luck finding partners in the West Trapps parking lot. Have fun - there are scores of classic climbs in the 5.8 - 5.9 range at the Gunks. PM me if you'd like some suggestions.

[ZimZam]

check your PM's

[Gunks]

AOC is right, folks are always posting for Gunks partners on rockclimbing.com. Its also pretty easy to hook up with people in the parking lot or on the carriage road. Bring your tricams!

[syklone]

A side benefit for paying someone, is that I don't have to haul a rack and rope across the country.

 

Maybe I could just buy a new one there so I only have to haul it back.

[crackers]

If you want a guide that's chill and will show you around, you can definitely get a ton of mileage in. This week the weather is terrible -- hot and high humidity -- but next week is supposed to be better.

 

You can also find people to hook up with pretty easily, but you're always taking a risk as a partner whore. If you want to partner whore, I'd recommend sitting in the uberfall and propositioning folks walking past...

[ken4ord]

Definitely agree with crackers, that is good place to hook up with people, though some are hesitant, for the same reason I have always been whenever whoring myself there, y'never know what you get. With close proximity to NYC, you get all kinds, I have seen some pretty weird shit there.

 

EMS-Eastern Mountain Sports has a guiding service down there, I had few friends who guided there. It has been so long since I have been there that I can't remember any of the other guide services. Rock & Ice (the shop in town not the magazine) would probably have a list of guide services if they do not offer guiding from there. Last time I was there I don't think they had a guide service set up.

 

 

[crackers]

Definitely agree with crackers, that is good place to hook up with people, though some are hesitant, for the same reason I have always been whenever whoring myself there, y'never know what you get. With close proximity to NYC, you get all kinds, I have seen some pretty weird shit there.

 

There have been some real doozy's this year. I watched a guy place five pieces in fifty feet that all fell out, and this was about three weeks after a guy decked from about 60 feet up on a 5.9, pulling all his gear out with him. As the winner of the luckiest guy in the Gunks award for 2007, he landed on his packs and suffered no injuries.

 

The store is Rock and Snow. They've got absolutely fantastic staff. They all really know their stuff and I think they're probably the ideal store for gear knowledge and local conditions. They've got one of the largest selections of clean climbing hardware I've ever seen, and they are intimately familiar with the pros and cons of every piece.

[Jim]

Climbed there for 15 yrs. Great place. I'd suggest a guide - for one day they can get you a big bang for the buck. If you had more than one day I'd suggest gunks.com for finding a partner. With only one day a guide, who knows the routes well, can get you a great sampler. My suggestions - Madame G, High Ex, Shockley's Ceiling, High Corner. Best of luck. Start early, beat the heat (mayabe)and thunderstorms.

[Gunks]

There is definitely a guide service out of R&S as well as EMS. Recommend: High E, Madam G's, CCK,limelight, Birdland, Son of Easy O, Arrow, Absurdland, and many more!

[ken4ord]

Definitely agree with crackers, that is good place to hook up with people, though some are hesitant, for the same reason I have always been whenever whoring myself there, y'never know what you get. With close proximity to NYC, you get all kinds, I have seen some pretty weird shit there.

 

There have been some real doozy's this year. I watched a guy place five pieces in fifty feet that all fell out, and this was about three weeks after a guy decked from about 60 feet up on a 5.9, pulling all his gear out with him. As the winner of the luckiest guy in the Gunks award for 2007, he landed on his packs and suffered no injuries.

 

The store is Rock and Snow. They've got absolutely fantastic staff. They all really know their stuff and I think they're probably the ideal store for gear knowledge and local conditions. They've got one of the largest selections of clean climbing hardware I've ever seen, and they are intimately familiar with the pros and cons of every piece.

 

Yeah I always liked going into that store. Thanks for correcting me.

 

My craziest memory climbing down there was, when I was taking a newbie on a first time climb. I believe it was on Three Pines, not that it matter, but there was rap station almost at the top on the GT that see a lot of traffic from other climbs. Anyways this moron has his belayer clipped right into the rap ring so none of the other parties (3 parties) could rap. Mean while he has gone up and climbed an easy corner, places a high piece and lowers to a big roof edge. He is all dressed in black hanging on the rope on the edge of the roof and then calls out to his belayer to get a picture of him mock climbing this roof, he also yelling at him to make sure he doesn't rope in the picture. He want to go for the solo look, I guess. Fuckin' unbelieveable, we all stood there on the ledge flabbergasted.

 

Oh yeah for climbs in the 5.9 range some of my favorites are Modern Times 5.8++, Directissma 5.9 (a stouter variation to High E), Bonnie's Roof 5.8, CCK direct 5.9 are few that I can think of off the top of my head.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2007 by ken4ord

[crackers]

My suggestions - Madame G, High Ex, Shockley's Ceiling, High Corner. Best of luck. Start early, beat the heat (mayabe)and thunderstorms.

Trapps:

I'd say Strictly-Shockley's link up, then Madame G's in one pitch, then Le Teton. CCK Direct. Over to Modern Times or Directissima.

 

Optionals that would just be wild:

Traverse of the Clods.

MF.

5.8 Pitch of Erect Direction to Keep on Struttin'

Retribution, then top rope No Solution.

 

Nears:

Disneyland

Baskerville Terrace

Yellow Ridge

Birdland

Main Line

 

[ken4ord]

Trapps:

I'd say Strictly-Shockley's link up, then Madame G's in one pitch, then Le Teton. CCK Direct. Over to Modern Times or Directissima.

 

 

That would be a great freaking link-up. Madam G is a single pitch is a blast, as far I am concerned it is the only way to do that route. Ejoy the free hanging rap in that too, it is as good as the one off of Monkey Face in Smith.

 

The Near Trapps list is a good one too but doesn't offer as much variety. From what I remember those routes start with 200-300 feet of each other so it is quite manageable, especially with the 5 minute approach, but I think the have changed the parking arrangement so it might be 10 minutes.

 

 

 

[crackers]

Trapps:

I'd say Strictly-Shockley's link up, then Madame G's in one pitch, then Le Teton. CCK Direct. Over to Modern Times or Directissima.

 

 

That would be a great freaking link-up. Madam G is a single pitch is a blast, as far I am concerned it is the only way to do that route. Ejoy the free hanging rap in that too, it is as good as the one off of Monkey Face in Smith.

 

But the rap is going only go about 1/3 of the way the first time, cause you'll be rapping directly over Le Teton. Then you can see exactly how crazy the route is...