PREREQUISITE: Must have previous climbing experience.
DESCRIPTION:
Located in beautiful Gardiner, New York, the Shawangunks is considered the climbing mecca of the east coast. The Gunks, as they are referred to by most climbers, offers the densest concentration of traditional multi-pitch lead climbing in New England. It also has the greatest concentration of moderate routes in east. This makes it probably one of the best destination for people interested in learning about the basics of multi-pitch, traditional lead climbing.
In the area known as the Trapps, the band of cliff ranges from approximately 30 to 250 feet high but has to be at least a mile long. The Trapps alone boasts over 500 routes, many of them are rated 5.6 to 5.9. Dick Williams, author of Shawangunk Rock Climbs, The Trapps says, "...the "Gunks" consists of a series of gleaming white quartz conglomerate cliffs up to 260 feet high that extends for 8 miles along several ridges. It is renowned for its horizontal holds, spectacular overhangs, and high quality routes at every level of difficulty."
COURSE SYLLABUS:
This course is designed to be exciting, fun and informative. We will be covering the skills necessary to follow a lead climber up a multi-pitch rock climb safely. This will include advanced rock climbing techniques for intermediate face and crack climbing, belaying a lead climber, removing protection, rappelling and maximizing safety and efficiency when climbing with larger groups.
We will arrive early Saturday set up camp and start off climbing a classic intermediate route like High Exposure(***) 5.6+. It is traditionally done in 3 pitches and is a perfect way to get familiar with the grandeur of the Gunks. Afterwards we will set out to climb another classic route like Arrow(***) 5.8.
Sunday, we will start off the day with Shockley's Ceiling(***) 5.6 and cap the off weekend by doing, one of the most exciting climbs of its grade CCK(***) 5.8. After climbing we will have dinner out in New Paltz before we head for home.
IMPORTANT COURSE PREPARATIONS:
Everyone is required to come prepared with weather appropriate clothing - this will be crucial in order to enjoy the course and keep warm. It will also be your responsibility to carry your own water, juice or fluids in order to stay well hydrated when climbing. It is highly recommended that all participants come prepared on Saturday with their own lunch or snacks to keep your energy level at a maximum. After climbing Saturday, we will prepare a dinner for all the participants at the campground. We will get an early start Sunday morning with breakfast and make lunches/pack snacks for the day. After climbing Sunday, we will stop in New Paltz for dinner, before returning to Massachusetts - so it will be important to bring a little extra money for this reason. A list of what you will need in order to be prepared will be sent to all participants well in advance of the trip date.
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