Geriatric Wanderings

We wandered both in the woods (yes, even though the cliff is only about 100-125 ft from the trail !) and then wandered on the cliff.

We set out to find "South Summit Route" but, due to a combination of a slightly geriatric brain which juxtaposed the directions from Adirondack Rock "1" and "2" and a decision to "just start up and look around" we seemed to have stumbled upon this route.

APPROACH - From the "landmark" boulder go directly into the woods toward the cliff (faint path soon peters out). Go about 40 ft, then turn left down the very slight 'gully' for about another 40 ft. Then follow broken branches up right-ish towards the cliff. Look for an open, brownish slab about 10-12 ft wide and 25-30 ft high (photo) with a small open area at its base.

P1 - Start on the slab/ramp, a foot or two right of the "arete". Climb the slab (pro on the right in a crack, one placement dug out) past the first tree, continue on the ramp-like feature past a 2nd and 3rd tree, then step left to avoid contact with some stacked blocks. Belay with your feet near the top of the blocks, which are more stable than they looked from below. 120 ft 5.4

P2 - Step left, climb the nice cracks (photo) then easy roped scrambling to belay at a pine tree. 60 +/- ft 5.3-5.4

Here we were just left of a beautiful 30-40 ft wide, 30-40 ft high clean slab with a horizontal crack/ledge running along its entire base about 10 ft up. ( "P3" photo) The slab looked devoid of protection, and leading it "solo" seemed "above my pay grade". An attempt to circumvent it to the right, so as to get to its top to Top Rope it, was frustrated by more trees so we rapped off, leaving it for someone better equipped, either mentally or mechanically (or both).

We rapped off trees 40-50 ft to the right of the belay, (at one point slithering down a short face after walking behind a flake) back down exactly to the packs.

See "Sketch Map of South Summit Slab Base Area", and photo of "Landmark" Boulder

Std rack - Wire brush to clean some holds, nut pick to dig out one placement in a dirt-filled crack.