Ski Bonticou

Thoughtful slab climbing.

. . . The two pitches can be combined, but then if Top-Roping in the normal way from the bottom, using a normal dynamic rope, if the climber falls near the bottom, then due to rope stretch the fall could be longer or harder and the climber could be injured. So if trying it that way, likely better to instead use a static (or "semi-static") rope. Or at least keep the climber under tension while close to the bottom of the route.

P1: Up left side of ramp below the big slanting roof then up a little more easier. . . Variation 1 - "Surprising Squirm" (5.7-): Burrow up the right side of ramp, getting into the slanting "tight zone" under the big slanting roof -- using  variety of squirming techniques, and occasional handholds.

Continue up to belay from large two-trunk tree.

P2: Next traverse Right, then hike up on narrow rock slab along left side of slope to reach steeper "step" in the rock just below left from tree in left-facing corner. Up the arete on left side of "step" (about 15 ft left from left-facing corner with two angled trees) - (perhaps easier to start around left side of bottom of arete). Next trend toward center of face. Then finish to left side of top of face passing just left of slanting tree branch across from its right side.

warning: The rock on and near this route has not been climbed much yet, and some of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber or someone setting up top anchor.

. . . (Lots of vegetation on this rock as of 2018. Be prepared when climbing to navigate around protruding trees and branches, and dealing with holds slippery with grass, lichen, moss, dirt).

name? Many decades ago the Mohonk Mountain House had downhill ski trails to the north side of Mountain Rd on the southeast side of the northern Gunks ridge, a ways south from the Bonticou crag.

Find the "big slanting roof" with left-trending ramp underneath.

• • See on this Photo.

Top-Rope: For ideas how to set up anchor for Top-Roping, see Description page for this sector Smiley Slopes.

warning: If belaying for Top-Roping in the usual way from the bottom, using a normal dynamic climbing rope could result in a long injurious fall if the climber hangs or falls in the lower part of this route (because of "rope stretch" on a route this long). Therefore consider instead use a static or semi-static rope (instead of normal dynamic rope), or belay from near the top of the route (instead of the bottom).

Static line or several long slings needed to Top-Rope from the (mid-way) two-trunk tree anchor between Pitch 1 and Pitch 2.

Lead: A couple of sections run-out or with protection placements of low or uncertain quality.

• • see Photo1 | Photo2

Trad rack with emphasis on small-ish + medium stoppers (likely BD #6 useful), small to medium cams (likely Meto Master #0 useful) - (possibly big cam BD C4 #4 for upper part, but that would be placed way off to side of climbing, so more of a   back-up in case other prot fails). See Comment below.