[TR] Indian Point - Shooting Gallery 4/17/2013

[Bosterson]

Trip: Indian Point - Shooting Gallery

 

Date: 4/17/2013

 

Trip Report:

A bit of nonsense from Gorge Classic Climbs.

 

 

 

 

The roof is a few rocks solidly wedged between the gully walls. There's around five feet between them and a little bump below that you can stand on. We had no rock protection, but if you did, you might be able to place something in the rocks in the roof - they seem solid. The solution to this obstacle ended up being a chimney between the two walls, underclinging the rock roof, and while stemming, reaching up around the left side of the block to grab a solid tree branch that's buried in rocks and dirt. Once there, you can walk your feet up the wall until you're sitting on the block. I was hesitant to commit to this move as the left wall was wet, but it turned out to be pretty easy. After surmounting the roof, you can hitch some slings to the solid tree branch for other people to grab or use as an aider. (You might be able to do this from below the roof if you're tall.)

 

After surmounting the roof, I hauled my pack up, and then climbed the upper gully. There are no pictures of this, because my partner was under the roof to stay out of the way of any rocks I might dislodge (and dislodge I did). About 10 or 15 ft up the gully there was a flat rock in the middle of the route - getting around it was, we both agree, the technical and physical crux of the route, involving stemming, pressing on the side walls, and marginal axe placements. It was really important to not have your full weight ever rest on any single point of contact, but rather to keep it evenly distributed.

 

In sum, the upper gully is steep, loose, slippery, featureless, and a slip might send in you sliding down and sailing off the rock roof onto the talus of the lower gully, resulting in broken bones for sure, or worse depending on how you land. Needless to say, this put the fear of death into me, as once you turn the roof, you're pretty committed, and once you pass the flat rock crux, there is really no way to downclimb as the terrain is so loose and slippery. Being in the zone is crucial.

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe and helmet are essential. Slings for the roof crux. Rope might be useful.

 

Approach Notes:

Herman Creek, 400 trail, talus field.

[kevbone]

Nice.

[beaconben]

Classic! Thanks for the reminder that I am not the only Gorge idiot out there.