Adirondack Rock Climbing
If you took Yosemite National Park, added in Yellowstone, Glacier, The Grand Canyon, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to boot, you still wouldn’t quite match the area of the Adirondacks. That should give you a sense of the potential that awaits you in this space of coniferous woodlands, immense rock slide scars, towering cliffs, and craggy peaks. While the scale of the ‘Daks makes it easy to find a remote place of your own, there is also an incredible amount of climbing with easy access from the roadside. You’ll frequently find us at the following favorite spots:
Infinite Crags—Cast a glance in any direction of the Adirondacks, and you’ll find a crag worth climbing. We particularly enjoy Deadwater, The Beer Walls, and Spider’s Web for the sheer quantity of climbing they pack into their faces. Though the choices are endless, you really can’t go wrong with your crag climbing choices in the ‘Daks.
Poke-O-Moonshine—Just off New York’s “Northway,” Poke-O offers quick access, stunning lines, and unforgettable vistas out across Lake Champlain and Vermont’s Green Mountains. The cliff is steep and many of the lines run into the 5.12 zone, but lines like Catharsis (III, 5.5) and Paralysis (III, 5.8) offer over four hundred feet of vertical fun in a more accessible range.
Chapel Pond Area—Chapel Pond Slab has several intriguing routes in the 5.5-5.7 range that travel over eight hundred feet of vertical terrain. Across the way, the Upper Washbowl beckons to those with steeper climbing in mind. Weisner Route (III, 5.6), Hesitation (III, 5.8), and Partition (III, 5.9) are all solid choices.
The Adirondack Slides—Throughout the ‘Daks, steep hillsides have been stripped to their rocky bones by ages and ages of slides. Their rocky inclines provide technically challenging and adventurous avenues to impressive summits that allow you to gaze out over the Adirondack’s vastness. Eagle Slide stretches its 1300’ wing of 4th Class mountaineering to the summit of Giant Mountain. Tucked even deeper into the ‘Daks wilds, the Gothics’ North and South Faces offer everything from 4th Class mountaineering scrambles to stout 5.10 finishes that land you right near the summit. And though not a slide per se, The Trap Dike cannot go without mention. For 2000’ you’ll work your way up a cleft in Mt. Colden, then finishing on expansive slabs overlooking Colden and Avalanche lakes. A classic mountaineering adventure.
When you're ready to book your Adirondack Rock Climbing Adventure dates, please go to our Scheduling page!
