Peterskill or Gunks TR help

Hey ya'll,

I've done most of my outdoor climbing in Virginia consisting of Sport or TR. My rack is rather weak, maybe limiting? Mostly just quickdraws, slings, static and dynamic. Regardless, its been sufficient.

Anyway, heading to the New Paltz area 9/15 (Tuesday) to TR. My experience in VA with TR anchors has been easy. Simplified: Static rope Bowline to a tree and a clove hitch to a bolt as my two anchors, Double clove to anchor, etc.

Any recommendations for where I would be successful with this setup? From what i've been reading Peterskill is easier to navigate for first-timers.

Greatly appreciate any info.

Steve

There are some spots in the uberfall area of the Trapps that are pretty tr friendly. Nice 5.7 climb (that's what it's called) and it's neighbors, the Dirty Gertie block, kens crack area. P38 and Stirrup Trouble with some more effort. P38 may still be wet Tuesday, I guess, raining hard now...

Obviously Trapps options open up a lot if you can lead something adjacent to what you want to tr.

Peters kill does have a good bit to tr but be aware that use of the pitch pines on top of the cliff for anchors is forbidden. It's handy to have maybe 60 feet or so of webbing or static line to get back to the oaks and maples that are fair game. Golden Dream is the really plum line there in the moderate range (at least I think so) and it has a bolted anchor.

Have fun!

Thanks Opt. Hope this comes in handy. I'll let you know how it goes!

If you're coming to the Trapps from the upper parking lot (not the info center) some of the first routes will allow you to easily set up a TR. These include Easy Keyhole, Blackfly, Short Job, Sixty Nine and a bunch of others in the area. The trail to access the top is to the left of Short Job. The TRing in the Uberfall area is generally higher quality, though.

With 20-30 feet of webbing, you should be able to find trees for anchors on most of these climbs. The one exception might be Ken's Crack (a 5.7 in the Uber Fall). You'll probably need a bit more webbing on KC to extend your anchor over the top. If you set up a TR on Ken's Crack, don't align it with the top of the crack. Align it with the middle of the route or you'll have a brutal amount of friction.

Have fun!

A handful of routes in Peterskill have top bolts. That I know of, The Enterprise Wall (Captain's Log, The Kling-On) and The Bunkbed Wall over Bunk Arete and its neighboring route.

In the Trapps, along with Easy Keyhole and Black Fly I'm pretty sure you can set up on nearby No Picnic as well.

Have fun

I've been working the 10c(?) moves that go straight through the center of the sh or go blind overhang just right of No Picnic. I noticed Friday that two rap bolts have been installed and the chain slung around the tree has been removed within the last two weeks. If you choose to TR off these just please use your own lockers to avoid wearing out the rap rings on the chains as they are not meant to TR, or even really for lowering. I didn't do the work, but I definitely appreciate it and want it to last.

OP - your VA anchor technology (static rope rules!) will be fine at Peters Kill. Over 100 walk-to-the-top TR routes there. IMO that's a better venue for TR-only climbers than trying to compete for the relative few TR lines in the Uberfall section of the Trapps. PK is $7 cheaper per day too.

And the latest I hear is that pitch pines are OK for anchoring, but please don't run ropes around them for rapping, and padding the bark is a good idea too. Having said that, most climbs have white pines (no big deal, they're not protected) or oak trees at the top.

Good to know. Gonna stop at Rock and Snow to pick up the guide book. Hoping it'll help!

Thanks again. You people rock.

So many TR bolts at Peterskill now that going to the trapps to TR seems like a waste of time if you're only TR'ing routes. There are also so many tree anchors there (and very easy gear anchors) AND getting to the top of the ridge is an easy scramble. Go to PK for tr'ing (there are so many more options and you won't be blocking something that is typically led) and then when you start leading go to the trapps.