PRINT: Climb Christmas Gully (Upper Area Start), Adirondacks

Christmas Gully (Upper Area Start)

WI3+, Trad, Ice, 200 ft (61 m),

Avg: 2.4 from 7 votes
FA: unknown
New York > Adirondacks > Adirondack Ice… > A: Northeast > Poke-O-Moonshine

Access Issue: Follow trail from old state campground Details

The adjacent private landowners have been having issues with climbers crossing their property. Please approach from the old campground and follow the existing trail to avoid crossing any private property. Do not hike straight up to the cliff, even if you have to park on the road. Access Fund worked with local climbers to order and install signs along the private property boundaries. Please respect these signs and our neighbors.

Description

Not so much a "Gully" as a huge inside corner with amazing flows that come down on your right as you climb. Very "mountaineering-ish" and well worth the slight extra walk. While the climb is above the top of the "descent gully/chimney" it is nowhere near the climb to the "Upper Tier".

Approach - Take the path to the waterfall and ascend the "descent gully/chimney" (some may wish a belay at the top of this, depending on conditions and level of experience). At the top of the chimney, head up and slightly right through the woods 5-10 minutes to some steep rock and Christmas gully.

P1 - The ice crux is the first 20 feet, although in less full conditions snow-on-rock might be encountered near the top. (The pitch could easily be split by belaying at the huge pine tree ledge.)

Descent - There is a rap station on a tree near the top, but it's rather cramped. We continued to the trees and then made two raps with a single 70m rope starting off a tree on climber's left [skier's right] and several feet down. Both raps had rope left over, so I'd think a single 60m should work.

Protection

Usual ice gear.

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March Madness

Jan 24th, 2025. A 20 ft ice step, a long ice ramp, and another set of tiers of ice at the top. We walked through the woods above and then rappelled into some of the other lines in what we thought w…

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Cal Seeley
New Hampshire

Once up there, there are some pretty cool, short (30-40') and steep (4 ish) flows to the left and all throughout the woods. If coming from Plattsburgh or somewhere close by and short on time, it's a cool area to check out and get a bunch of laps in. Easily walk around and set up a tr or just lead. Mar 6, 2021