trad vacation, part one: The Gunks
I just got back from a fabulous little road trip on which I did not clip a *single* bolt. I did, however, break in my new rack, getting all those cams, stoppers and tricams all scratched up and broken in.
Charley and I rolled into New Paltz and met up with Greg and Wanda on Saturday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend. We got in a few climbs at the Near Trapps before dark. Charley started out with a lead of Broken Sling (8+, PG) which was spicey, even to follow. It was an excellent way to get my head focused onto trad climbing.
My first lead of the season was the second pitch of Disneyland. Woohoo! It was FANTASTIC-- good gear, interesting moves, lots of stemming. It was an excellent way to start out my trad season.
The breaking in of the virginal cams
After leading Disneyland, I had earned my LINEAR MEAT. I had been craving this since visiting the german restaurant last fall.
Wanda, after leading pitch one of RMC. We couldn't find pitch two (even trying the rule of follow-the-path-of-least-lichen) and, after lots of giggling and general silliness, bailed off the route.
Charley and I stuck around the Gunks until Tuesday afternoon. We were planning to leave around noon and head down to Seneca but a stuck rope at the top of Maria (which I lead pitch two of!) kept us there a few hours longer and forced us to climb the nearby Frogshead (which was pretty fun!). I guess getting ropes stuck on the rock after rappels is pretty common there and we were rapping on double skinnies, down three pitches, making it even more likely.
Routes we did:
Broken Sling (followed all pitches)
Disneyland (lead P2, followed rest)
Bunny (lead P1, followed rest)
Layback (lead both pitches)-- this climb starts out in a fun chimney and the crux is a layback crack. I felt like a rockstar!
RMC (followed P1)
Bellyroll (lead P1+, followed rest)-- this climb has an odd squeeze chimney on the first pitch that you having to swim through.
Kens Crack (TR)-- pumpy crack climbing! Need to practice handjamming more.
Maria (lead P2, followed P1 & P3)-- Fun. The last pitch had a committing roof move, difficult and very gunks-esque.
Frogshead (followed)
Charley and I rolled into New Paltz and met up with Greg and Wanda on Saturday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend. We got in a few climbs at the Near Trapps before dark. Charley started out with a lead of Broken Sling (8+, PG) which was spicey, even to follow. It was an excellent way to get my head focused onto trad climbing.
My first lead of the season was the second pitch of Disneyland. Woohoo! It was FANTASTIC-- good gear, interesting moves, lots of stemming. It was an excellent way to start out my trad season.
The breaking in of the virginal cams
After leading Disneyland, I had earned my LINEAR MEAT. I had been craving this since visiting the german restaurant last fall.
Wanda, after leading pitch one of RMC. We couldn't find pitch two (even trying the rule of follow-the-path-of-least-lichen) and, after lots of giggling and general silliness, bailed off the route.
Charley and I stuck around the Gunks until Tuesday afternoon. We were planning to leave around noon and head down to Seneca but a stuck rope at the top of Maria (which I lead pitch two of!) kept us there a few hours longer and forced us to climb the nearby Frogshead (which was pretty fun!). I guess getting ropes stuck on the rock after rappels is pretty common there and we were rapping on double skinnies, down three pitches, making it even more likely.
Routes we did:
Broken Sling (followed all pitches)
Disneyland (lead P2, followed rest)
Bunny (lead P1, followed rest)
Layback (lead both pitches)-- this climb starts out in a fun chimney and the crux is a layback crack. I felt like a rockstar!
RMC (followed P1)
Bellyroll (lead P1+, followed rest)-- this climb has an odd squeeze chimney on the first pitch that you having to swim through.
Kens Crack (TR)-- pumpy crack climbing! Need to practice handjamming more.
Maria (lead P2, followed P1 & P3)-- Fun. The last pitch had a committing roof move, difficult and very gunks-esque.
Frogshead (followed)
posted by Michelle at 8:16 p.m.
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