Gunks!

Brian looks up from the chimney to the P2 belay on Minty (5.3)

With a cold-front dropping in overnight, Brian and I headed out to the Gunks for a little late fall climbing. After getting by the massive Black Friday traffic jam near Woodbury Common, we were home free - empty roads and blue skies straight to the Trapps!

When we pulled into the parking lot below the hairpin turn at 10 AM there were only two other cars in the lot and no ranger in sight - it was clearly going to be a quiet day. Our first choice of warm-up was Beginner's Delight (5.3), which even in this weather had a party on the first pitch, leading us to head over to Minty (5.3) - an excellent climb for the grade, with a bouldery height-dependent start to P1 and an awesome chimney on P2 that shoots you up to the GT ledge. We chose the 5.5 variation of the last pitch, which travels through a roof protected by a single piton - much more fun than the regular corner finish.

The solitude of the cliffs (we ran into maybe 5 parties all day) tempted us to try our luck on High Exposure, THE classic 5.6+ at the Gunks. There was two guys on the bottom of the climb, but we chose to wait it out and push quick to try and fit it all in. We linked the first two pitches into a single rope-stretching drag-inducing gear-conserving pitch, going up the wet corner from the ground, up over an overhang, then trending right and up on good holds and occasional pro. The topout to the High E belay ledge came not a moment too soon! By the time Brian cruised the pitch, the sun had dropped over the horizon and the cold and dark came in fast. After a few longing glances up the third pitch, we traversed over to chains on the right and rapped to the ground by moonlight. Fun easier initial climbing, but that third pitch looks awesome - definitely on the list next time (perhaps a morning, on a weekday)...