Hoffman Notch Climbing

From Exit 29 on the Northway (I-87), drive west on CR 84 (aka Blue Ridge Road) for 5.2 miles to the Hoffman Notch Trailhead on the left. It's sometimes plowed and has room for 4 cars. (When unplowed, it's easy to miss. Look for the yellow DEC trailhead sign.)

The first 1.5 miles of the approach crosses private property (no camping, fishing, etc.). The trail hosts an annual snowshoe race and is popular with skiers; climbers should extend the same courtesy as those who approach the North Face of Pitchoff on the Jackrabbit Trail: use snow shoes or skis!

From the trailhead, showshoe or, better yet, ski for 45 minutes. The terrain is flat, crossing several streams on bridges. After 30 minutes you reach the remains of an ancient track machine (which is easy to miss depending on who established tracks before you). From here the trail climbs gently into the notch. Once in the notch, you'll see some boulders on the right. The first ice is 100 yards up and right (the Wall of Excuses, marked by several colums through a low overhang). Continue on the trail another few minutes to where the trail goes tightly through large boulders. The right end of the Trail Wall is about 100' uphill on the right; a good landmark for finding routes is the sheer, slightly overhanging, 90'-tall wall with right-leaning cracks, home to the Joe Szot classic Adventure Party. Uphill and left of this is the Waterfall Area with an absurd amount of ice; like Positive Reinforcement (Chapel Pond Canyon), but higher, wider, and (in places) steeper.