ClimbingGuideto

OtterLakeCliff

August2010

Introduction
OtterLakeCliffisasmallcliffwithanumberofhighqualityclimbspackedintoit.Itisbestforskilledclimbers;the climbsarerated5.9,10and11.ThecliffisofcourseinthesouthernAdirondacks,nearNineCorners.Itiseasytogetto, abouta20minutewalk.ThecliffwascleanedandtheclimbspreparedbyJustinSanfordandhisfriends.Thanksto Justin!

Directionstothecliff
Amapoftheareaisshownontheright.On Pine Mtn 0 Highway10,justacouplemilessouthoftheNine 63 Cliff2 0 Cornerstrailhead,turnnortheastonGreenLake Cliff3 57 Rdanddrivealongandpastthenorthsideof ake Otter L GreenLaketotheparkinglot.Itisabittricky; whenyougetpastGreenLaketheroadturnsright togoaroundthelake;theroadstraightahead 47 82 looksmorelikeatrailthanaroad.Gulponceand Cliff1 540 ke staytotheleftandinjustafewfeetyouwillbeat La theparkinglot,acrossfromwherethehikingtrail r goesupKaneMtn. tte O Continuewalkingnortheastuptheroadwhich soonturnsintoatrail.Asyoucanseefromthe map,thereareacoupleofwaystoproceed. Accordingtoasurvey,themajorityofclimbers believethebestrouteistotakethefirstleftturn Park ontothecrosscountryski/mtnbiketrailthatgoes aroundKaneMtnovertoPineLake.Stayonthe skitrailandkeepwatchonyourrightforOtter ouse ke n La ee Lake.Whenyoucanseethatyouareabouteven Gr en re 10 withthenorthedgeofthelakedropdowntothe G northshoreofthelakeandpickupthetrailthere. Green Mtn Thespotwhereyoudropdownmaybeflagged;I amnotsure.Inanycase,whenyougettothe northshoreofOtterLakethetrailiseasilyseen.Walkeastornortheastalongthelakeuntilasetofflagsleadyouaway fromthelakeshore.Theywilltakeyoudirectlyovertothecliff. ThemaphasaGPSgridonit;thegridis1km(.62mi)square.IfyouwanttouseyourGPSsetittoUTMNAD83with distanceinmeters(m)andelevationalsoinm.IbelieveWGS84isthesamething.Thegreenshadedareasinthemap arepublicland;partoftheShakerMountainWildForestArea.Becauseitiswildforestclassifiedyoucanrideyourmtn bikeonthetrailovertoPineLake(veryrocky,someexpertsections). Themapalsoshowssomeothercliffsinthearea.Cliff1isanicelittlecliffabout40fthigh,butappearstohavea smoothfacewithnotholds.Cliffs2and3couldhavesomeclimbsonthemsomedaybutarepresentlyundeveloped. ThecliffsonKaneMtnoverbyPineLakeareprettybrokenupandprobablynotworthdevelopment.
La ke

Pi ne

Mtn

39

600

40

Ka ne

La ke

Rd

510

41

RouteDescriptions
Routedescriptionsaregivenbelow.RefertoJustinsdrawingonthelastpagetolocatetheclimbs.Thephotographon thefrontcovershowstheroofs/ceilingsthatclimb3atraversesunder. 1. PorcupinePrelude5.10aBeginattheverticalcrackinthemiddleofthe7roofsection.Climbingstraightup cracktoanchorsinsmalldihedralcorner.4boltstoanchorspluslargenutsatbeginningofclimb. 1a.PorcupinePreludeVar5.9Beginonthebelayboulder.Stickclip1stboltonPorcupinePrelude. Traverseonlargeedgestothelefttogetintooriginalclimb. 4boltstoanchors. 2. HarvestMoon5.11aBeginonbelayboulder.Followedges,sidepulls,andcrimpsdirectlyuptheface.After the4thbolt,workrightandcontinueonlargeholdstoeventuallyturntheroofoverlapabove.5boltsto anchors. 2a.HarvestMoonVar.5.11aInsteadofturningtheroofabove,traverselefttofinishattheanchorsof PorcupinePrelude. 3. RoofTraverse5.10bBeginonbelayboulder.Moveupcornerfeaturetoright.Onceestablished,traverseleft onlargeholdsfollowthelineofbolts.ContinuetraversinglefttothefinishofPorcupinePrelude.6bolts,1 fixednuttoanchors. 3a.RoofDirect5.10aTurntheroofoverlapwhereHarvestMoondoes(5boltsintotraverse). 4. RubberKnumbChuck5.10aClipthe1stboltonRoofTraverse thenturntheroofstotherightoftherampyouclimbup. Followthelineofboltstoanchors.4boltstoanchors. 5. PandorasBox5.11aBegin15rightofthebelayboulderat thetallestsectionofcliff.Followtheverticalcrackstoalarge ledge.Fromtheledge,followthelineofboltsandobvious holdstoabivyledgeuphigh.5boltstoanchorswithgoodgear downlowbelowfirstbolt. 6. WhiteArete5.10dClimbupthewhitearteusinganything withinreach.4boltstoanchors.Thisclimbisoftendampnear thetop. 7. IndependencePass5.10dBeginonsmalledgesandcrimps. After1stbolt,dynouptolargejug.Mantlethisjugandfollow theverticalcrackstogainaniceslabfinishtotheanchors.6 boltstoanchorsonaboulder. 7a.IndependencePassVar.5.9Begin10totheleft onbrokenblocks.Uselargestholdtogainthelargejug under2ndbolt.Climbfinishesthesameasprevious. 8. ApproachShoeAssassin5.10dBeginontopofasmall boulder.Usethelargerightlearningcracktohelpaccessthe Rightsideofthecliff

overhangsabove.Acampusmoveafterthe2ndbolthelpsgainsomelargerholds.4boltstochainanchor. 9. CrimpScampi5.11aWhenallelsefails,thisrouteisalwaysdry.Begin20rightofApproachShoeAssassin. Followsmallincutsandedgesdirectlyuptheface.3boltstoanchorswithgoodgearinhorizontalbefore anchors.Dontblowthe2ndclip! 10. DukesofHazzard5.11bBegin20rightofTriedandTrue.Climbupto1stboltabovelargeledge.Continue straightuponnicefeaturestoanchorsabove.4boltstoanchors.