Gunks

[mathieu]

BUT didn't you have crappy weather last time you went??? I went 3 times with only the Williams book and only had 3 afternoon thundershowers (I have brown pants to show for). Then I went with the Swain AND Williams book and we had nice weather all around. Coincidence I think not.

Seriously nothing is wrong with the Swain book but take a look at the Williams book, I find it way easier to find climbs.

[Fred]

then I totaly have to get the Williams book it will guarantee good weather. Last time it was wet sub zero. We actually sat around the charcoal BBQ to keep warm.

[martha]

speaking of guidebooks...fred and i have 2 gunks guides and will sell one. it is brand new, never used.

first bidder...sells for 33 cdn + tax. i'll let it go for 25$.

[granite_grrl]

speaking of guidebooks...fred and i have 2 gunks guides and will sell one. it is brand new, never used.

first bidder...sells for 33 cdn + tax. i'll let it go for 25$.

Swain's guide?? The one I just bought can still be returned, I think that it was $22 USD +tax.

I'll see if I can get back to EMS to return the other, bring yours down to the Gunks with you next week and I'll buy it if I get rid of the other one. Remember this is an IF I get to EMS, I'm not guarenteeing that I'll buy it off you (if you get another offer take it).

[martha]

yup. Swains Guide. I'll bring it with me. Though it will likely get read in the car on the way down. hope you don't mind.

hehehe

Cara

[Fred]

holly macaroni and cheese where do I start???

how about... the Gunks is some of the best climbing I've ever done. Takes lots for me to admit that since the Gunks is trad land. Beautifull weather, amazing routes, free camping, not too busy....

I can't even begin to describe it.

Here's a short list of the routes we did which are all 5 star quality. The only disapointment was High E. A great line but not worth the hype that people give it.

Something Interesting 5.7
Baby 5.6
Beginner's Delight 5.3
High Exposure 5.6
Ant's Line 5.9
Bonie's Roof 5.8+
Nose Dive 5.10
Madam G's 5.4
Gelsa 5.4
Roseland 5.9
Ken's Crack 5.7
Disneyland 5.5
Frog's Head 5.6

and a few more I can't remember. Mark those in your guidebooks and try em out next time you go down. They all have great gear placements. The grades are a bit stiff down there so beware. Most routes have positive holds though. If you ever plan to camp at the multiple abuse area, use the one on the other side of the road. Walk up the path (5min) to nice campsites on top. Steep slog but quiet sites.

Enjoy!

[granite_grrl]

Martha and Fred! Missed you guys down there, I didn't get to the Gunks till the Sunday of the long weekend. While my boyfriend claims he spotted a pregnant woman walk by on Monday while I was cleaning Nose Dive for him I totally missed you.

Regardless, we got 6 days of climbing in, wreaked our bodies, I got a bit of a sunburn, and had a great time (on some great routes).

Some of the routes were a little dissapointing, things such as High E that had a cople of spectacular moves, but you had to climb an uneventful pitch to get to it. The day after we did High E we went back and climbed Directissma. Now that was great! Went right up the arrete to the start of High E's second pitch, and then finished on High E.

We got a ton of climbs in but some of the most memorable were:

Oscar and Charlie - 5.7
Nurse's Aid - 5.10c
CCK - 5.7
Son of Easy O - 5.8
Something Interesting - 5.7
Horseman - 5.5
Directissma - 5.9
Doubleissma - 5.10b (??)

I thought grades were a little stiff on a couple of climbs, but generally pretty solid. I was really worried that I'd head out there and have some 5.4 leave me crying

The best thing is that I found that it's only about a 5 hour drive from where I'm living now! It should be no problem to get there for another weekend before the end of the season.

Rebecca

[Fred]

Sorry we didn't see you guys down there. Glad to hear you guys had a great time. There was another prego woman down there but she was like 27 months pregnant. Cara isn't showing quite that much yet. I don't think you would have spotted her by looking for a belly.

Elas, maybe next time.

p.s. Nose Dive mmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

[martha]

Sorry we didn't see you guys down there. Glad to hear you guys had a great time. There was another prego woman down there but she was like 27 months pregnant. Cara isn't showing quite that much yet. I don't think you would have spotted her by looking for a belly.

Elas, maybe next time.

p.s. Nose Dive mmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

No, but if you had looked for someone crying on a 5.4 you would have got me.

HAHA.

Crazy pregnacy hormones.....

Sunday we climbed at the Trapps for only 'Kens Crack' and then we went to the Near Trapps for the rest of the day and left early on Monday morning so we likely missed you altogether.

[granite_grrl]

Yup, sounds like we totally missed each other. I was looking for a car with NB plates on Sunday night though...did you guys end up staying at Camp Slime, and if yes, did you guys park in the West parking lot?

By the way....we stuck to the Trapps the entire time we were there. How did the Near Trapps compare? Next time I'll have to spend some time at both the Nears and Millbrook (but there is so much good stuff at the Trapps alone!).

[Fred]

There are only 5 or so climbs worth doing at the Nears. It doesn't compare at all to the Traps.

We camped at the multiple abuse area on the uphill side of the road. There is a trail that goes up a steep slog up in the woods where no one goes. Very quiet and we left out tents there with no problems.

How was Slime? That's the one near the Traps to Near Traps trail bridge right?

[granite_grrl]

Slime was fine during the week, there was barely anyone there. By showing up on Sunday night we ended up with a pretty crummy spot, but we moved as soon as the weekend crowd left. The biggest problem was on Friday night when a ton of people showed up late at night to set up. Man they were loud! And there was one nice person that had the alarm on his cell phone to go off periodically for about an hour.

The only other pain was parking. You were ment to park in the West Trapps parking lot...but that's a bit of a walk to the camp site. We left my car in the parking lot on the road by the Trapps a couple of nights, and just tried not to leave anything in there that we might want in the evening or first thing in the morning. On the other hand because you parked over night you had prime spots in the morning.

It was really great to be that close to the climbing though. We would get up in the morning, eat breakfast and just saunter over to our climbs. If we really had wanted to we could have even gone back to our tents for lunch (we never did though).

[Fred]

so what is your overall take on the Gunks?

for me: gunks = my new fav trad spot

[granite_grrl]

I loved the climbing there, some fantasic moves and exposure. I thought that leading there was really good for my head. Most of the climbs we did were rated PG...really good gear when you got it, but you couldn't place every 5 feet. Not to mention climbing on overhangs over my gear! At first it was really spooky, but I was getting used to it by the end.

There are a ton of great areas in the East here, I think that my heart still goes out to some of the clean cracks at the Red or in the Daks, but its all amazing really.

And trust me....there's a reason that I got a years pass to the Gunks

[Fred]

I finaly uploaded some photos of our trip to the Gunks

http://www.beta-source.com

[granite_grrl]

Gunks-a-lishous!!!

The Dangler is so on next years list!!!!

[Fred]

I was pumped to climb it when we were there. I did the nice 5.7 crack up the face and I was looking at the Dangler while I belayed my seconds. But it was hotter than a sweat lodge so I opted to avoid the hand traverse. Boourns for me.

[granite_grrl]

Who is on it here then??

Ha! I went to double check that this was the dangler by comparing photos on RC.com....ended up comparing it to itself

Dangler

[martha]

That is Stef Kruse on it in that picture. There are a few pictures at the end of that series from our previous trip to the gunks and that one of Stef.

[Fred]

Stef took two or three good falls from that exact spot

crazy canuck

[granite_grrl]

So who's dglphotography who posted it on RC.com?? Is that you Fred? (gawd, I'm suck an internet fourm junkie...)

[martha]

that is Dave Lister actually. another local climber.

[thicks]

Those pictures make myself hate myself. I should have kept the appendix just so i could have burnt it today to make myself feel better, about myself.
myself myself.
T

[thicks]

Does look like a great time though.

[Richard Eh!]

Just think, Tyler... you happy and horny to climb at the Gunks with the crew ... no problems, nice weather, great lines....just when you get to where Stef is "dangling" .... "Oh Sh*t! I think I pulled a tendon in my gut!"

Count yerself lucky buddy!!

[thicks]

Ya, I hear ya Richard but I have to admit,(and I am fairly embarrased about this) but I still find that scarry=fun. Having said that I have no intentions of leading the Dangler, in that case scarry=stinkypants. Good on ya though Stef, and great pic too Dave.
T

[granite_grrl]

Okay, so lets say I places protection as in the photo in this thread, and then lets say I fall at the end of the hand traverse. How badly would I slam into the rock?

Just looking at that photos makes me all nervous and excited....why the hell can't it be warm enough for another trip down there!

[Fred]

Okay, so lets say I places protection as in the photo in this thread, and then lets say I fall at the end of the hand traverse. How badly would I slam into the rock?

Just looking at that photos makes me all nervous and excited....why the hell can't it be warm enough for another trip down there!

that's why Dave only let Stef try it a couple times I think. Walking away without broken ankles from two good falls is a full days work. No sense in pushing the probabilities.

The key, from what I've heard, is not to dangle. Stef has bad form there in the photos. LOL If he had drapped his right heel over on the right it would have been game over I think.

Check out RC.com and you'll see enough pics to make out the best beta. There are tons of photos of this route on RC.com

[Stef]

Yup, hand-traversing was a bad idea. The problem (for me) was getting that right heel up, the rail is angled upward, so you are heel hooking higher than your head. I think the ticket would have been to keep my left heel on the rail which isn't very good, maybe an inch or two deep. Coming off with the right heel up, sets you up for a head-first swing into the rock, coming off from a left heel or "dangle" lets you get you feet out before impact (which wasn't really all that bad). I suggest wearing one of those "sumo wrestler" fat man suits, in addition to a helmet, to protect you from a swing. Alternatively, you could just climb the thing without falling, something I have never been very good at

[granite_grrl]

Hmmm, I like the not falling idea....but I like to have confidence on harder moves that if I did in fact fall I wouldn't get mangled.

It also looks like there'd be bomber gear all along that traverse....I suposse the key is having the energy to place it

The Dangler is totally the type of climbing that I'm worst at! I like feet...I need feet!! But maybe I can get enough power endurance through the winter. The hardest grade I've heard for it is 5.10a, the easiest 5.8. Regardless, its the kind of line that inspires you.....and we all know we need something to aspire to during winter training!! I should print a photo of it and hang it in my climbing room