So what is Silver Lake anyway? Why should you care about whether or not I am smiling? Silver Lake is a climbing spot on the Adirondacks that has just recently been opened to the public (i.e. climbers) via a land easement. There are a series of cliffs ranging in 30 feet to 300 plus feet. The rock, like other rock in the Daks, is granite, and as such, the features and quality vary. Luckily the rock is mostly really solid. The features range from gentle and steep slabs, to vertical cracks in any number of sizes; there are overhung faces, and even some roofs to be pulled. And let me be frank. There. Is. A. Ton. Of. Rock. I mean lots. (To see what I mean, check this out: http://www.adirondackrock.com/silverlake/photo_key.htm .)
And there is lots of potential for first ascents of five star classics. There are well over a dozen cliffs in total. And while there are only 50 or so documented climbs so far, there is potential for ten times that much…if…you like moderately long, steep, bushwhacking approaches; poison ivy; black and horse flies, mosquitoes; scrubbing lichen, digging out cracks, and pulling rotten stumps off cliffs. This is the Adirondacks after all, and the cliffs are sometimes overgrown and dirty. But once you reap the fruit of your labor, it’s like being a pig in shit…pay dirt…sweet.
I have recently begun to learn about the process of ‘The First Ascent.’ Let me first say a loud “Thank you!” to everyone who has ever prepped a route that I have climbed. It’s hard work. The basic process (which is fairly obvious) is to first pick out a line that looks good, get to the top some how and hang a rope, clean, climb. Simple enough. But, given the sea-of-rock-that-is-Silver-Lake, there are so many awesome looking lines, it’s hard to pick one. And getting to the top can be tricky as well. I have recently learned how to aid, but more importantly, I’ve learned that usually there is a 4th class scramble to the top somewhere. I’ve also learned that the cliff looks way different from the top than it does from the bottom, and that cleaning a route can take several days and several wire brushes. And finally, I’ve learned that taking whippers on routes that you have cleaned is really, really fun.
So, the cliff officially opened on Earth Day this year, and with much excitement, my roommates Matt Way and Devin Berberich, as well as Rich Wilson, who is a college buddy of Matt and mine all headed up to our friend Colin Loher’s house the night before the opening. Colin’s home is nestled on a hillside in Wilmington with a spectacular view of Whiteface Mountain (home to the 1932 and 1980 Olympics). The day before the opening it rained but we still managed to get in a bit of scouting. And although the amount of rock seemed overwhelming, at the dinner table that night we decided that the Summit Cliff would be our target.
The Summit Cliff as a fairly long, tall cliff that is, as the name suggests, at the summit of Potter Mountain (Silver Lake climbing area is actually comprised of two mountain: Silver Lake and Potter). On the left end of the cliff is a very striking nose/arête with a beautiful right-slanting crack just next to it. This was perhaps the most striking feature we had come across while scouting, and it was that crack that drew us to the Summit Cliff.
The Summit Cliff(©Lawyer)
After an hour or so of hiking/gawking we arrived at the base of the cliff, hoping to find a line up to the arête crack. To our amazement's, there were three obvious cracks that lead up to a ledge. Devin and I decided to tackle the laser-cut gently overhung finger crack, and Matt and Rich took the left-most tips-to-offwidth vertical crack. Since this was our first day of free ascents, we decided to do everything ground up. Out came the aiding gear and two and a half hours later I had managed to climb 70 feet! Devin ascended the rope, and then free climbed the next pitch to the base of the arête crack. I followed, and gave the final lead to Devin. Despite a healthy amount of lichen, the crack climbed beautifully. Add on a bit of Adirondack mountain-scape and another bit of wild adventure climbing, and you have the makings for non-stop fun.
We have since gone back and cleaned all three cracks at the bottom of the cliff. Matt and Rich called their route Handlebarbarism. The middle crack, which Matt cleaned had seen a previous ascent and it’s called Green Mountain Boys. The crack Devin and I climbed had also seen an ascent, and it is called Great Northern Pillar. Rich freed Handlebarbarism at 5.10, Matt got Green Mountain Boys at 5.9, and I freed Great Northern at 10+. On a subsequent trip, Matt and I put up one more pitch from the ledge. An amazing 5.10 changing corners/roof/crack/stembox dubbed Hair Upper Lip Drip.
(Green is Green Mountain Boys; Red is Great Northern Diver; Yellow is Harry Upper Lip Drip; Aqua is Handlebarbarism.)
Devin on pitch one of Great Northern(©Littleton)
Colin finishing pitch one of Great Northern(©Way)
Rich on Handlebarbarism (©Littleton)
All five pitches are stellar, and they are all within fifty feet of each other on one small section of one of a dozen cliffs. And there are at least two more climbs in the same section – a traversing finger crack/sloper rail, and a chimney named Lost Boys Chimney – both awaiting first ascents.
I am so excited about the potential at Silver Lake that I am moving to the Adirondacks. Rich and I just signed a lease on a house a few miles from Colin’s, and we will be moving in August 16th. Hopefully I will be spending most of my free time at Silver Lake. Woo Hoo!
