Gunks.

Rich and I were down in the Gunks a few days ago, and we did some bouldering. Check it out.

Tiger Style

Mentos

Voodoo

Spike, the best boulder problem in the Gunks.

We also got on a rope. I led the Sting clean. Then we did a link-up of Graveyard Shift, Tough Shift and Star Action which was cool. And we also did Moonlight into Keep on Struttin' back into Moonlight (Keep on Moonlighting?). Much fun. After that we did Arrow. Awesome.

A quicky

Rich and I scurried up to the C Chimney Cliff today to take care of a project. We have been wanting to put in an approach pitch up to the overhanging hand/fist crack we've been calling Attack of the Flying Buddha. So today we did just that. Now there is a fixed anchor below the crack and this fixed anchor also sets you up for another awesome looking crack and corner system just to the left. We called the route Seeking Enlightenment and we're saying maybe 5.10c-ish. It's short -- pretty much exactly 50 feet -- but sweet. You climb up to a series of overlaps and a cow's mouth style roof. Once you pull the roof it's over. Very much fun indeed.

New Routes

I've been a bad blogger.

But the long and short of it is two new routes at Never Never Land Cliff called Always 5.8+ 60' and Happy Thoughts and Chalk Dust 5.10d 75'. Also, one new route at Water Works in the Gunks called Faulty Plumbing 5.10 85'.

Going up to the C Chimney for another new one...let's hope.

Busy busy

The week from October 4th to October the 10th I worked 54 hours. Despite this, me and the crew have managed to do quite a bit of work up there at the C Chimney cliff. We added another 190 foot route called Haroom Baroom. We added an alternative last pitch to Hippie Sticks and Black Flies called Jenga, and put in some anchors here and there, and finally we have two other routes ready to be equipped and climbed.

Matt and I originally checked out Haroom Baroom based on the photo alone. We noticed a tree island at the top of the cliff, with what looked like several options below. We slapped an anchor around a tree and went down. What we found was the typical C Chimney-top-of-the-cliff-crack. What looks to be splitter from afar is actually a shallow, flared, crystalloid, water groove. These cracks (like the top of Hippie Sticks and Jenga) have tricky gear that is fairly spaced out. The cliff is generally slightly slabby with sparse feet other than the crack itself.

So anyways, we ended up lowering down about 110 feet or so and climbing to the top. Good enough climbing to inspire us to come back for more. What was more, the line wasn't that dirty, relatively speaking. When we did come back we did some fine-tuning of the equipment and also did some scrubbing. The result was a 5 star 190 foot 5.11c/d (height dependent). After one more day of work, Matt freed the first pitch and I nabbed the second pitch. Someone should definitely link the pitches.

Since the first time we wandered up to the C Chimney Cliff we've noticed this spectacular looking hand crack at the very apex of the cliff. With intentions of climbing that, we set up an anchor and lowered down.

We found a crack that starts 20 feet off a ledge. So, after we put in an anchor and did some scrubbing and equipping, we put our friend Forest on the sharp end. Turns out the route is tricky. Super balancey, awful jams and locks, bad feet -- nothing but pure fun. No one has freed the route yet (despite three people trying it), but it will probably go at like 5.11?

Don't forget to check out Jim and Jeremy's website for specific route information and topo's: http://adirondackrock.com/silverlake/silver%20lake%20routes.htm

Here are a few more photos from Jenga:

So that is our C Chimney fun. Someone should go climb Jenga. It's a cool route. So is Haroom Baroom. (Sorry about the lack of photos on Haroom.)

Silver Lake

Well...

It has been the same old story really. Too much work, not enough time for climbing. But hey, why not find some time to squeeze in an FA here and there. Matt and Rich have actually had better schedules than I've had and have had more time to climb.

They went up to Potter and put up a new route to the left of Jim's Route, The Three B's. Matt led, ground up, a 5.8 R/X up a beautifully clean and textured slab. The report is that the climbing is really great. We are debating whether to equip it, or to leave it as a 5.8 for the 5.10 climber.

The day after that, Rich and Matt and I went out towards the C Chimney. Colin hadn't been out there in life 5 years, so we gave him the tour of the "new and improved" C Chimney Cliff. Then we headed over to the next cliff over and did this...

It ended up being a 5.10 off-width that we called Blockus. It is probably one of the more crazy features I've come across. There is a huge tractor trailer sized block that is resting against the cliff (think last pitch of Fastest Gun). It seems solid, but it's definitely spooky climbing on the thing.

Matt and I had to go to work after that, but Colin and Rich stayed and climbed a new line called Hammerhead, 5.10d. All you need to really say about that climb is "it's a perfect Adirondack crack." Colin led it ground up, totally styling it, from what I've been told.

My one day off this week is today. Maybe the weather will turn out to be nice?