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[TR] Chapel Pond, Keene Valley, NY - Regular Route 10/2/2012


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Trip: Chapel Pond, Keene Valley, NY - Regular Route

 

Date: 10/2/2012

 

Trip Report:

This summer has been quite the wash for as far as climbing goes. Moving, a month long training exercise, and friends and family obligations have limited my time in the outdoors, much to my chagrin. A perk of being in the Army is being able to travel and move to different parts of the country (can be bad at times) and explore the outdoors.

 

Yesterday offered an opportunity to get out, climb a longer route, and enjoy the fall foliage of the high peaks region of the Adirondacks. My new-founded climbing partner Chris and I set out leisurely at 7:30 am to make the three hour drive from Watertown, NY to Keene Valley, NY right outside of Lake Placid. Our destination was Chapel Pond Slab a nice 800' piece of granite overlooking the valley and a nice sized pond. We decided on climbing regular route a 6 (or 8 pitch depending on the guidebook) pitch 5.5 which would boost our confidence as he hasn't climbed in over a year and I haven't climbed anything in a couple months. I have plateaued leading 5.6 trad and need to start training and gaining more experience to break into leading harder.

 

Frankly, we were worried that the climb would be wet, a whole weekend of rain and half a day of decent weather had us concerned that we would only have a nice car trip. Luckily, upon arrival the route was mostly dry. A most excellent adventure ensued. The climbing was definitely 5 star (as the guidebook calls it) for such a low grade. The clean rock and sections of fantastic climbing had the stoke high.

 

 

 

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GOPR0042.JPGChapelPond2.JPGChapelPond1.JPG

 

The pictures don't do it justice. The foliage and climbing were fantastic, can't think of a better way to get introduced into the Adirondacks.

 

Gear Notes:

Normal trad rock, doubles in metolius number 1, number 2, and bd number 1 would be helpful.

Adirondack Rock is the guidebook to reference.

 

Approach Notes:

1 minute approach from Rte 73

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Thanks for the Trip Report Dave. I love that area. That route is one of the best 5.5 climbs I've ever done... and the colors are amazing this time of year.

 

You should also check out "Little Fingers' (5.5) at Lake George (probably better in summer) and 'Gamesmenship' (5.8 but really only 5.7 after the crux start) at Poke-O-Moonshine if you haven't already. Both are classics!

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