Tag Archives: climbing

Camping and Climbing at The Gunks, NY

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This weekend I headed out with a large group of friends to The Gunks, one of the premier climbing areas in the east. We camped at the “multiple use area” campground, and climbed mainly in the Peterskill area.

From TheMountainProject.com:

The Gunks (short for Shawangunks) is one of the premier climbing areas in the country. Located near New Paltz, NY, the Gunks is about 85 miles from the NYC metropolitan area, making it a popular weekend destination. The rock is quartz conglomerate, solid rock with horizontal rather than vertical cracks. Climbing at the Gunks is characterized by roofs, jugs, traverses, big air, and sometimes “sporty” pro. The Gunks is famous for great one-to-three-pitch climbs of all levels of difficulty. You’ll find some of the best easy and moderate trad climbs in the country at the Gunks. There are a few bolted climbs at the Gunks, but no sport climbs.

We had a great time, and here are a few photos.

Photos: (Click here for full screen slideshow)

Camping at the multi-use area was fairly easy, although finding it is not be best in the dark! Departing from NYC in the late afternoon on Friday, we finally made it up there in the dark. Using The Bistro/EMS gear shop as a landmark, we eventually found the campsite area, and had a fun time hiking in the dark for a bit down to the campground.

2012-10-06 Climbing at the Gunks - DSC06780

We got a later start getting out of the city, but eventually made it up to New Paltz..


2012-10-06 Climbing at the Gunks - DSC06799

Finding the campsite in the dark was challenging, but fun. After quickly setting up the tents, we got back in the cars to go into town for dinner.


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Black Diamond’s Sonnie Trotter and Tommy Caldwell free climb first ascent of The Shining IV 5.13+ in the Canadian Rockies

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Another incredible climbing video from Black Diamond. Sonnie Trotter and Tommy Caldwell free climb the first ascent of The Shining. Interesting to see them drilling and bolting pitches, and how they handle the cameras while climbing. Also, holding together 5.13+ in a snowstorm is pretty amazing.

Article from BD

Black Diamond athletes Tommy Caldwell and Sonnie Trotter redpointed their multi-pitch project on Canada’s Mount Louis this past August. The main headwall (referred to as the Diamond Face) is a stacked beast with the following pitches: 5.12+, 5.12+/13-, 5.13+, 5.12-, 5.12+, 5.11+, 5.10, all of which they bolted on lead. Here is the video that Sonnie edited together for us that documents the challenges and adventures that come with tackling such a high-end endeavor in the Canadian Rockies.

BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Tommy Caldwell free climb first ascent of The Shining (IV 5.13+) in the Canadian Rockies from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Photo, Sonnie Trotter

Sasha DiGiulian climbs Pure Imagination 5.14d

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Great video today from Adidas, of Sasha DiGiulian’s insanely hard first female ascent of Pur Imagination, in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. This is actually where I grew up climbing too – although definitely not doing routes like this..

Sasha DiGiulian. “Pure Imagination” 5.14d (9a). from Adidas Outdoor on Vimeo.

Filmed and Edited by: 3SM
Music by: Emancipator (www.emancipatormusic.com)

On October 15th 2011, Adidas team athlete, Sasha DiGiulian became the first American women to climb the grade 9a (5.14d) with her historic ascent of “Pure Imagination” in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. Keith Ladzinski and Andy Mann (Three Strings Media) were there to capture her efforts and tell her story.