Need NY Climbing Info

So I'm moving out to NYC in two weeks for grad school and need the low down on all things related to NY climbing. I've compiled a list of questions below and I'd appreciate any and all info you can provide.

-How difficult is it to find people to ride-share with to the Gunks for rock and to the Adirondacks for ice in winter? I was not planning on bringing my car out to NYC because I don't want to have to do deal with parking, but at the same time I don't want to be stuck in the city every weekend because I can't find a partner with a car to get us to the crag. If one is a climber should he just suck it up and deal with parking in the city or can he get by without a car and still climb on a consistent basis?

-What is a good climbing gym in NYC (I prefer routes over bouldering walls)?

-What guide should I buy for the Gunks? Are the horror stories of the Gunks being twice as crowded as Eldo on a weekend in September true?

-How long is the drive from the city normally to get to ice come winter time?

-Is there an East Coast version of MP where one can find climbing partners?

<Hi I don't know much about transportation from NYC, but i am living in New Paltz (actually Mohonk resort) working at the Mohonk Mtn House, I just recently moved from Buena Vista,CO and will be here until Dec. 1st, i haven't been able to find a partner yet, but if you take the train from NYC, there's a bus that comes right to New Paltz I could pick you up at the bus station, I don't lead trad but will follow up to 10a (here grading is more difficult) so let me know if your interested

Welcome to the Right Coast!

1 - Rideshare is pretty easy. Lots of activity through Meetup.com or the East Coast forum on Rockclimbing.com. Not worth bringing your car. Expect to spend about ~$400/month for a spot. Otherwise, try your luck with street parking and expect to get 1-2 tickets a month, which comes out to close to $400 anyway. My advice: get a motorcycle. It's easy to run up to the gunks with a rope and rack in your panniers - I'm tempted to do it and I don't even live in the city.

2 - I'm not such a fan of the NYC gyms. They're either wildly overpriced (Chelsea Piers: Huge overhanging lead wall but with a $50 day pass, no joke), or very small (MPHC), or way out in Brooklyn. Gym options, at least for routes, are limited. You'll just suck it up and learn to like bouldering most likely. There are a number of solid gyms just outside of the city in northern NJ and Westchester.

3 - Get the gray Williams guide, it's the gold standard. The Swain book is outdated and has some outright wrong beta/grades/etc. Only catch is that Williams doesn't have the Near Trapps. You can get his "Gunks Select" book for that. Or make some photocopies of mine. They can get pretty crowded, but there are enough routes that you can usually find some open ones, especially if you head further out. And for the Gunks, "further out" only means walk an extra 15 minutes down the carriage road. The bigger issue is parking. The lots will be full by about 9-9:30 AM on a sunny September Sunday.

4 - All times are w/o traffic and start from the GW bridge. No idea where you'll be living in NY so just add the time to drive up the West Side Hwy.

Catskills - Anywhere from 1:45 to 2:30. About 6-7 main crags, mostly 40-60 feet tall, a couple longer routes as well. Also have "Buttermilk Falls" which is the crown jewel of the Cats - a 6 pitch tiered waterfall with everything from WI2-4 and the occasional 5 at the very top. Closest thing we have to alpine in southern NY.

Daks - Anywhere from 4-6 hours, the daks are huuuuuge and drive times are all over the place. Infinite options. Don't think you could climb all the routes here in a lifetime, especially not commuting from NYC. Mellor's "Climbing in the Adirondacks" is a pretty good book for both rock and ice. The new "Adirondack Rock" is the gold standard for rock climbs. Phenomenal book, they put a TON of work into it.

5 - See answer #1. Or just hit me up. I'm a 25 minute bus ride from NYC and I'm always looking for partners. My friends are pussies and don't like the cold.

Extra info: VT and NH has great ice too. Maybe better than the Daks. If you have 4+ days off it's worth the trip. Long, tall, hard routes. Very cold. Frequently remote. Prepare for the barfies like woah.

-Jon

PS - Bring a good synthetic belay jacket. It's colder and wetter here than pretty much anywhere but Idaho and AK. You're gonna miss the CO bluebird days, but you'll learn to love being miserable :)

I stand corrected, thank you. I think I have a new item to put on the shopping list.

Bus/Train travel for Ice Climbing is much more tricky than a romp to the Gunks. Doable, but you'd best wear your fluffy in case the bus runs late and you're stuck outside - which in some cases really means outside. Things close early in the North Country. And busses regularly run late once you get north of Albany.
Your best bet for ice is getting in with the NYC ice climbing coven. I think you have to sacrifice one of your toes (by freezing it off in a too-tight boot) and run naked down Broadway waving it around to attract their attention; something like that. Good luck.
Without a car, you may want to hook up with some of the ski busses running to Lake Placid - though you still need a car once you get there, as the ice is still a ways away.
Find a partner living up there or a partner living near you that has a car; that's your best bet.

Looking for a partner for the gunks in September. Will be in Liberty, NY for a month or so for work. Will have various weekdays available. Climb 5.10 +/- trad.

Dont forget about looking west for some ice