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laura m
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May 30, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Aug 2016
· Points: 0
hello all Moving to Keene/LP area in a few weeks and hoping to get back into outdoor climbing after a half decade of children and city life. Does any one have any recs for local areas in which top ropes can be set up or super mellow trad? Seems like a tall order. TIA
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Peter J
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May 30, 2018
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Bishop
· Joined Aug 2017
· Points: 647
Chapel pond slab regular route! Super mellow trad, super fun.
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Chris Duca
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May 30, 2018
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Dixfield, ME
· Joined Dec 2006
· Points: 2,330
Deadwater has a good variety of easy routes, as does The Beer Walls, and Jewels and Gems. Approaches to each are relatively easy.
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Kevin Heckeler
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May 31, 2018
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Las Vegas, NV
· Joined Jul 2010
· Points: 1,638
'Easy' stuff (say 5.6 and lower) is scattered about. Not a lot of top roping (walk around, build anchor, throw rope down). Most climbing areas requiring climbing a route to get a rope down a neighboring route, or they top out. Chapel Pond Slab is multipitch, no top roping and only certain exits. It's perhaps more committing than you're looking for.
Add my vote for Jewels and Gems likely being what you had in mind. With some effort you can top rope most of the climbs (some require carefully accessing the top anchor/tree, using directionals, etc). Once you get some pitches under your belt you can ease back into multipitch and more challenging trad climbs.
There's also some sport at Spanky's.
You need to get the climbing guide and expect to drive around a bit. ;)
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Kevin Heckeler
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May 31, 2018
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Las Vegas, NV
· Joined Jul 2010
· Points: 1,638
Upstate Climber wrote: Barkeater and the broad area generally described as the Chapel Pond Gully Cliff (Tilman's first pitch, Shiptons, etc) come to mind as places that have good mellow trad and multipitches. There are also many good toproping crags - Spruce Hill Crag, Creature Wall and Tanager Face haven't been mentioned yet. Adirondack Rock has an index listing the crags suited for it.
Shame Owl Head was closed to public access, but once it opens, that would fit your criteria nicely. I've never had success finding the walkaround for Tanager (the 5.6 there isn't particularly easy access either IMO - but that's how we usually accessed the other routes), and Spruce Hill stays wet much of the time and frankly isn't very good. Heck, there's King Phillip Spring if you don't mind battling guides to get in some climbing.
Creature Wall and Owl's Head are good top rope spots (static line helps at Owl's head). There's also a lot of areas outside the high peaks that have even more moderates and/or top roping. They need to get the climbing guide. The Facebook groups mentioned are chill, great resources as well.
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Jim Corbett
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May 31, 2018
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Keene, NY
· Joined Sep 2008
· Points: 10
Upstate Climber wrote: Shame Owl Head was closed to public access, but once it opens, that would fit your criteria nicely. Owls Head is not closed to public access; you can go there all you want, and it is perfect for what she's looking for. You just can't park on the road where the trailhead is on the weekend. You can during the week, and, while it would be a little bit of a PITA, you could drop climbers and gear at the trailhead and then have someone take the car to a parking spot on the highway or down at Rustics and hoof it back. I only climbed there once, but I live 5 min. away and we sometimes use it for a quick up down exercise hike, and during the winter I have parked at the school bus turnaround at the head of the road on the weekends. But I suspect that if this isn't legally questionable yet it would quickly become so if many started doing it, especially in the prime summer hiking weather.
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Bill Kirby
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May 31, 2018
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Keene New York
· Joined Jul 2012
· Points: 480
It doesn’t get easier, grade or TR setup, than Notch Mountain.
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Will Roth
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Jun 1, 2018
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Saranac Lake, NY
· Joined Dec 2009
· Points: 55
Jim Corbett wrote: Owls Head is not closed to public access; you can go there all you want, and it is perfect for what she's looking for. You just can't park on the road where the trailhead is on the weekend. You can during the week, and, while it would be a little bit of a PITA, you could drop climbers and gear at the trailhead and then have someone take the car to a parking spot on the highway or down at Rustics and hoof it back. I only climbed there once, but I live 5 min. away and we sometimes use it for a quick up down exercise hike, and during the winter I have parked at the school bus turnaround at the head of the road on the weekends. But I suspect that if this isn't legally questionable yet it would quickly become so if many started doing it, especially in the prime summer hiking weather. DO NOT PARK IN THE SCHOOL BUS TURNAROUND! There are no parking signs all around the school bus turn around. The current restrictions for Owls Head are: No Parking Anywhere In Owls Head From Friday 4pm - Monday 7am. PLEASE follow these restrictions so that an already fragile access situation does not result in a full closure.
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Max Forbes
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Jun 1, 2018
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Colorado
· Joined Jan 2014
· Points: 108
Contrary to what seems to have been said, the Keene Valley has great access to walk around top-roping. I think the confusion is that while most areas require leading, there are still many options for wall around. Compared to most places in the country, I’d say your in a great spot!
As mentioned, creature wall, jewels and jems, the beer walls are three of the top spots with easy approaches, dozens of moderates and 100% top access. Owls head is another great spot with good access. Dozens of other options exist. The Adirondack Rock book is well worth the price and provides great options for searching for areas that fit your needs. It’s one of the best guidebooks ever produced. The Keene Valley is really a phenomenal place to climb, and a very friendly place to get back into it. Enjoy!
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Jim Lawyer
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Jun 2, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Feb 2006
· Points: 6,301
Jim Corbett wrote: Owls Head is not closed to public access; you can go there all you want, and it is perfect for what she's looking for. You just can't park on the road where the trailhead is on the weekend. You can during the week, and, while it would be a little bit of a PITA, you could drop climbers and gear at the trailhead and then have someone take the car to a parking spot on the highway or down at Rustics and hoof it back. I only climbed there once, but I live 5 min. away and we sometimes use it for a quick up down exercise hike, and during the winter I have parked at the school bus turnaround at the head of the road on the weekends. But I suspect that if this isn't legally questionable yet it would quickly become so if many started doing it, especially in the prime summer hiking weather. Owls Head is closed for parking AND for use of the trail on weekends. It won’t help to get dropped off, or to park elsewhere. Stay away from Owls Head on weekends!!! The original closure notice indicated that this point of access would be permanantly closed at the end of the 2017 hiking season. That restriction was lifted.
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Hamish Hamish
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Jun 2, 2018
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Fredericksburg, VA
· Joined May 2017
· Points: 15
+1 for Beer Walls. Also, the Pitchoff Chimney area has a super-mellow lower wall that you can easily set topropes on if you’re looking for a good “kid intro” climb, there’s basically a bunch of 30ft 5.easy variations that are great for first time climbers. First place I took my kids to climb ;). Pretty sure that wall doubles as the first pitch of Pete’s Farewell, but not positive...
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laura m
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Jun 3, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Aug 2016
· Points: 0
Thank you all for the replies!! Much appreciated
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Jim Corbett
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Jun 4, 2018
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Keene, NY
· Joined Sep 2008
· Points: 10
Jim Lawyer wrote: Owls Head is closed for parking AND for use of the trail on weekends. It won’t help to get dropped off, or to park elsewhere. Stay away from Owls Head on weekends!!! The original closure notice indicated that this point of access would be permanantly closed at the end of the 2017 hiking season. That restriction was lifted. I have to assume you know better than me, but, went up a couple of weeks ago for a quick jaunt. There is nothing at the trailhead or anywhere else that says the trail is closed on the weekends or at any time, not that DEC is above a bait and switch. Did see a sign driving by this weekend at the start of the road that suggested parking in the turnaround was a bad idea, my bad.
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Robert Hall
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Jun 4, 2018
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North Conway, NH
· Joined Aug 2013
· Points: 28,893
Barkeater cliffs - Recollection is that the tops of climbs on the far right can be gotten to with a bit of "Class 3/4" scrambling on the far, far right, and/or leading up "Good Dough" (5.5) or Yakapodu (5.6+) . Bring 30-40 ft of old rope or webbing, again, recollection is that tree anchors tend to be far back. [Same for TR-ing Beer Walls, especially Afternoon Delight area]
Further left on the cliff (closer to where the trail hits the cliff) is "Big Bertha" (5.6 with "one 5.6 move with a cam at your face", according to my notes) recollection is that at the top of Big Bertha some easy moves give access to the Mr Clean (5.8) anchors, but see for yourself...don't trust my memory. To the right is "Mr Dirty" 5.6 (with some 5.4 before the first pro) from the anchors you can TR "Flexi-Flyer" 5.9.
If going in in summer / early fall bring the bug "dope".
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Phil Brown
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Jun 10, 2018
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Saranac Lake, NY
· Joined Aug 2010
· Points: 255
Jim Corbett wrote: Owls Head is not closed to public access; you can go there all you want, and it is perfect for what she's looking for. You just can't park on the road where the trailhead is on the weekend. You can during the week, and, while it would be a little bit of a PITA, you could drop climbers and gear at the trailhead and then have someone take the car to a parking spot on the highway or down at Rustics and hoof it back. I only climbed there once, but I live 5 min. away and we sometimes use it for a quick up down exercise hike, and during the winter I have parked at the school bus turnaround at the head of the road on the weekends. But I suspect that if this isn't legally questionable yet it would quickly become so if many started doing it, especially in the prime summer hiking weather. The trail crosses private land and is closed on weekends.
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