Started the weekend off with a bang Friday afternoon. Jason Brechko and I skedaddled from Glens Falls High School and headed straight for the Buck Mountain Trailhead off Pilot Knob Road. We made the quick walk in to Stewart’s Ledge, firmly intending to climb until we couldn’t grip any longer.
Jason started off with a quick lead up the 5.7 variation of Barking Spider. He lowered leftward, rigging a directional for a route that crosses the descent corner, then I cleaned his lead and we both TR’d that line, which goes at 5.10. We shifted the entire belay rightward to the anchors of Crackatoa and TR’d that line, then shifted farther right and TR’d the 5.10a Lithium.
After we both TR’d that line, I took the sharp end and led The Entertainer. Jason took clean-up, then we moved the belay over toward Dog Pounder, rigging a TR for the steep corner system just right of that route. That turns out to have a start that is somewhere around 5.10a, with another move that may push a letter grade or two higher. By then, it was dark. The mosquitos swarmed us during that last route, but otherwise the outing was pretty bug-free.
Jason leads up Barking Spider.
Jason works his 5.10 TR line left of the descent route.
We were not alone at Stewart’s Ledge. A bevy of Eastern Mountain Sports people and friends shared the crag with us.
Yepper, a good time was had by all.
Saturday, I made my last Census run, rounding up a few seasonal units before handing in my badge. With that load off my schedule, I could relax a bit, or at least use more time for climbing – which I promptly did, jogging to the Measles Walls for quick runs up Cracklosis, Trickagnosis, El Muerte Rojo, Hydrophobia, and Social Disease. No biggies: too many buggies.
After some socializing at Thurman Baptist Church, I returned to the mountain, this time heading up the trail. Running up Every Creature’s Theme along the way, I hustled to the top ridge, climbed Cornerstone, then ran over the summit and down to a nice clifftop sunset viewing point.
The pics weren’t bad, but the sprint down the mountain was tiring. Returning home, I went to bed shortly afterward, and overslept longer than I’ve ever done before!
Kevin mans the belay below Hydrophobia.
The crowd at the base of the Upper Measles Wall.
Mike’s faithful partner Mammut.
Climbing afficianado Mike Prince at the base of the Upper Measles Wall.
Robin flashes Cracklosis.
Portrait of the Climbing Couple at the Upper Measles Wall.
After church, Robin and I walked out (in my case, back out) to the Measles Walls to reenact our ascent of Hydrophobia. We joined a growing crowd there, seven of us, TRing that route as well as several others: Full Moon Fever, El Muerte Rojo, Cracklosis, Run for Rabies, Scared for Life, Trickagnosis, and even an attempt on Resistant Strain. Whew! Good half-day of climbing.
Tomorrow? Not sure, but maybe a drive up to Chapel Pond Slab for another day of climbing!