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CLIMBING
Wilderness Rock Climbing in the Adirondack High Peaks
by Jeff Edwards
 Photo by Don Mellor View of Wallface from Indian Pass. |
The Adirondack High Peaks hold an intense attraction for the region's rock climbers. Huge remote walls, isolated locations, sweeping vistas, and endless opportunities for exploration make the High Peaks the most interesting wilderness climbing area in the eastern United States. However, it is the imperfection of the Adirondack experience that keeps these cliffs from receiving national exposure or heavy visitation and makes them so endearing to the hardy few who choose to climb them in obscurity.
Any High Peaks wilderness rock climber knows that he or she will spend most of the day hiking with an overburdened pack, cursing bugs, dodging unpredicted storms, and thrashing about lost in the dark forest. Every successful ascent in the remote areas of the High Peaks requires several false starts and at least one spectacular failure or debacle. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar. The nature of this experience is exactly what brings the dedicated few back for more punishment.
Shawangunk climbers Michael Dmitri and Michael Sawicky made more than a dozen trips to Indian Pass over two years to produce The Pleasure Victim (5.11), a challenging free route on Wallface. They endured hailstorms, lightning, and fear of failure before leaving the ultimate remote free climb as a testament to their endurance.
Even more remarkable is the story of Gerry Bloch. He began a new route on Wallface in 1941, gradually moving his high point upward with attempts in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. His progress eventually was halted atop a pinnacle between the Case Route and Weissner Route by an unprotectable section. The route became something of an obsession for Bloch as he finally returned with Don Mellor in 1990 to complete the route at the ripe age of 73. His route, Forty-Niner (5.7), is perhaps the longest running first ascent completed by the same person, anywhere in the world.
Stories with similar attitude and suffering leak into the campfire lore of Adirondack climbers each and every season, but the details remain difficult to discern; the mystery serves only to perpetuate the aura and intrigue of rock climbing off the beaten path.
History
The history of technical climbing in the High Peaks is long, but virtually
unchronicled. There is something about the dark allure of enigmatic seclusion
that appeals to the Adirondack climber. Every local covets some ìsecretî
cliff or hidden line tucked away in some forgotten pass. Tales of intrigue
trickle out, but people rarely boast about their exploits.
Roped climbing in the Adirondack High Peaks might have had its start with the Case Route (5.3) in 1933 and early attempts on the Weissner Route (5.4), which was eventually completed in 1938. The now forbidden Indian Head on Ausable Club land was also an early objective of John Case and Fritz Weissner with the Porter Mountain face (5.5) above Keene Valley seeing an ascent by Jim Goodwin and Edward Stanley in the apparent watershed year of 1938.
These routes merit serious attention these days and should not be considered giveaways; many competent parties with modern gear have made poor decisions leading to failure on these ancient paths. Fritz Weissner etched his mark on almost every obvious destination with first ascents recorded on Wallface, Big Slide, Rooster Comb, Noonmark, and Mount Colden.
Getting
Started
The airy cliff on Noonmark Mountain serves as a logical introduction
to the more isolated rock climbing venues in the High Peaks. With easy
to moderate grades and top-roping possibilities, the 3,556-foot summit
of this peak offers tremendous views of the Dix Range, Giant Mountain,
and the Great Range. Park in the new lot just off Route 73 on the Ausable
Club road and hike 2.1 steep miles on the Stimson Trail to the summit.
Bring some large nuts and long anchor lines if top-roping is on the menu.
The rock quality is impeccable with the Weissner Route (5.8) being
the most noteworthy among numerous possibilities. As is always the case,
the scenic location more than makes up for any suffering on the approach
hike or imperfection in the climbing experience.
The 500-foot south facing slab that gives Big Slide (4,240 foot) its name provides tremendous climbing with the added bonus of a 46'er summit. There is great satisfaction to be found in arriving upon the summit with a colorful climbing rope in tow and a full rack of clanging hardware to announce oneís presence among curious day hikers. Approach from the Garden parking area over The Brothers. The spectacular views here and wonderful small cliffs allow for a period of self-reflection. Is the pack too heavy? Is the distance too far? Would it be more fun to set up a top-rope in the sun and relax? The Brothers provide a variety of climbing options for ingenious explorers. Numerous routes have been done on these small walls as early as the 1930s.
Those who continue on eventually will want to find the junction with the Slide Mountain Brook Trail at 3.7 miles. From here, climbers should thrash a short distance west to the grassy slope below the climbs. Slide Rules (5.7) is the most attractive route here with four pitches of intriguing face climbing. The first piece of protection is more than 40 feet up and reaching it provides an indicator for future success. Freudian Slip (5.9) is a few steps up the difficulty scale, but straightens out the line of Slide Rules with the added feature of more numerous protection bolts.
Bigger
Challenges
Wallface in Indian Pass is one of the largest wilderness rock climbing
objectives east of the Rocky Mountains. With over 600 feet of climbing
and nearly 20 routes of varying grades, Wallface sits atop any Adirondack
climberís hit list. The Diagonal (5.8) is most often the
route of choice with good reason. Its seven pitches feature slabs, face
climbing, and steep corners with awesome exposure. The Case Route
(5.3) and Weissner Route (5.4) are less difficult, but still offer
route finding challenges and serious commitment in the event of hardship
or weather changes. No Man's a Pilot (5.9) offers a variety of
unusual wide cracks and exposure challenges while the aforementioned Pleasure
Victim (5.11) takes a direct line up the biggest and steepest portion
of the face.
For aspiring big wall climbers, Mental Blocks (5.7/A2) requires all the techniques and rope tricks of a Yosemite-style challenge. Bear in mind, however, it has been free climbed at the relatively modest grade of 5.12. Indian Pass can be reached with a 6-mile hike from Heart Lake or a 4.5-mile hike from Tahawus. The approach scramble across one of the most incredible boulder fields in the world causes some to reevaluate the entire expedition. Descent options involve either multiple rappels or bushwhacking north off the summit. Some choose to tackle Wallface in a dawn to dusk style while others hike and camp overnight. Whatever the choice, realize The Diagonal has been completed in 3 hours and 14 minutes car to car from Heart Lake!
These possibilities are merely the most obvious and historically significant choices from a plethora of cliffs. The energetic will find climbing on Rooster Comb, all over Gothics, and in Avalanche Pass. There are plenty of gems yet to be uncovered and if the High Peaks region doesn't offer enough, try the Pharaoh Mountain cliffs, Indian Lake region, or Bog River flows for more off the map exploration.
Logistics
Technical climbing in the Adirondack High Peaks requires all the precautions
associated with remote travel including the need for map and compass skills
and emergency preparedness (appropriate itinerary, first aid skills and
gear, bivouac equipment, water filter, headlamp, etc.). Additionally,
climbers must understand the need for self-reliance and self-rescue capabilities
because any kind of help is hours away at best. Technical climbing fatalities
have occurred in the Adirondacks. Guide to Adirondack Trails: High
Peaks Region and Climbing in the Adirondacks by Don Mellor, both published
by the Adirondack Mountain Club, are considered essential for trip organization.
Jeff Edwards teaches English and environmental science
at Northwood School in Lake Placid. He also guides rock and ice climbing
for Adirondack Rock and River Guide Service in Keene.
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